Medical Deans Projects
[MSOD] Medical Schools Outcomes Database and Longitudinal Tracking Project Website
[LIME NETWORK] Leaders in Indigenous Health Network Website
[MEDED CONFERENCE] Medical Education Conference Website
[STUDENT STATISTICS] Medical Deans National Student Statistcs information
Past Medical Deans Australia and New Zealand Projects
Medical Deans Australia and New Zealand has a growing portfolio of projects, ranging from the Medical Schools Outcomes Database, to the development of a curriculum framework in Indigenous health, and the establishment of a national conference on undergraduate medical education.
Most projects are overseen by a Working Group or a Steering Committee comprising interested deans, medical schools staff and/or stakeholder representatives. The project working groups/steering committees are responsible for developing the project aims, goals and outcomes, and generally overseeing progress.
The Medical Deans Australia and New Zealand Secretariat is responsible for implementing the main project tasks and providing project management and administrative support to the project working groups/steering committees.
Several of our projects attract Commonwealth funding and employ full-time project staff.
Summaries of some of Medical Deans Australia and New Zealand’ major projects are below:
Medical Deans Australia and New Zealand have partnered with the Office of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Health (OATSIH) in the Commonwealth Department of Health and Ageing to implement this exciting and innovative Project. The Onemda VicHealth Koori Health Unit at The University of Melbourne proudly hosts the Project.
The LIME Connection, the national workshop of this project, was held in Fremantle in June 2005.
 The Statement of Outcomes and Intent
Phase 1
Phase 2 of the Project will see medical schools supported in terms of their development and implementation of Indigenous health content in their curricula, using the curriculum framework as a guide. Specifically, Phase 2 will be concerned with the following objectives:
- Networking - establish and consolidate the network of Indigenous and non-Indigenous medical educators. The network has been named The LIME Network. LIME stands for Leaders in Indigenous Medical Education. As part of the development of this network, we invite you to view and make comment on the discussion paper.
LIME Network Discussion Paper;
- Engagement and capacity-building – a series of workshops, seminars and training around best practice, staff development, teaching and learning resources, peer support and partnership-building.
- Indigenous student recruitment and retention – work with the Australian Indigenous Doctor's Association and medical schools to develop a range of mechanisms for recruitment, retention and support of Indigenous students in medicine.
- Vertical integration – work with postgraduate medical education bodies and medical colleges for more seamless integration of Indigenous health.
- Multi-disciplinary learning – work with other disciplines in the health sciences to encourage a multi-disciplinary approach to Indigenous health.
- Evaluation and Review – evaluate and review the relevance and operations of the curriculum framework, and work with the Australian Medical Council (AMC) to develop guidelines for assessment of medical schools' performance in implementing the framework.
- Sustainability – working with medical schools and the AMC to ensure curriculum development, the network of medical educators, and Indigenous student recruitment, retention and support mechanisms become sustainable and on-going.
Phase 2 will run for three years from July 2004
The LIME Network Project Manager, Ms Odette Mazel will be updating information on the LIME Project in the near future.
The National Audit and Consultations Report
The Medical Deans Australia and New Zealand Indigenous Health Curriculum Framework
Hard copies of the Audit document or the curriculum framework are available from: Medical Deans Australia and New Zealand Secretariat
Medical Foundation Building (K25)
University of Sydney NSW 2006
Phone: +61 2 9036 3363
Email: admin@medicaldeans.org.au
In summary the Medical Deans Australia and New Zealand Indigenous Health Project Team’s work focuses on engaging and building the capacity of Australian Medical Schools in Good Practice in Indigenous health which includes work on curriculum, employment of Indigenous staff and recruitment and retention of Indigenous students.
In 2001 Medical Deans Australia and New Zealand brought together experts in infectious diseases from each medical school to develop and publish a set of guidelines for medical schools policies. The guidelines provide direction to medical schools in the development, implementation and review of their infectious diseases policies and programs. Medical Deans Australia and New Zealand’ “guidelines for infectious diseases policies and programs for medical students” document can be read as a best practice standards and allow medical schools the flexibility to adapt and or implement them in accordance with their own existing policies and programs in the development of new programs.
Medical schools have a responsibility to develop and implement a thorough infectious diseases policies and programs. The National Health and Medical Research Council, the Australian Medical Association and the Australian Medical Students Association have developed a series of broad policies regarding the screening, immunization and management of infectious diseases and blood-borne viruses. The Medical Deans Australia and New Zealand guidelines are in accordance with the NHMRC, AMA and AMSA policies but are targeted specifically at medical students. The Australian Medical Council has endorsed the Medical Deans Australia and New Zealand guidelines in neck either lines for assessment and accreditation of medical schools.
Guidelines for Infectious Diseases Policies and Programs for Medical Students
In 2003, Medical Deans Australia and New Zealand convened a one-day workshop bringing together staff responsible are implementing or overseeing the medical schools overseas electives programs for students. The workshop participants develop the framework for what will soon be the full set of guidelines for overseas electives policies and programs.
The general principles of the guidelines include;
- Encouraging information sharing and communication amongst medical schools at a national level.
- Collecting and maintaining accurate and up-to-date resource at an institutional level facilitating informed decision-making, maintenance of the highest standards of cultural respect.
- Insuring national and international placements should be intellectually stimulating and culturally enriching, and
- Finally insuring medical students should not lower their standards either ethically or clinically.
| 