National Rural Health Students’ Network: a multi-disciplinary approach to rural health

Resumo

Introdução: The National Rural Health Students’ Network is a distinctive multi-disciplinary body of future health professionals who have a passion for working in rural Australia. It comprises of over 9 000 Medical and Allied Health students from Rural Health Clubs across Australia, and provides a voice for students on rural health issues, assistance with placements, and innovative professional development.

Objetivos: 1. Increase multi-disciplinary learning opportunities for health students with particular focus on future rural workforce 2. Equipping students with skills and confidence to pursue careers in rural Australia 3. Advocates to government on the importance of multi-disciplinary education at tertiary level.

Metodologia ou Descrição da Experiência: The vast array of multi-disciplinary events run by the NRHSN to support a multi-disciplinary health approach to rural and remote health includes events such as the National Universities Rural Health Conference (NURHC), National Rural Leadership Development Seminar (NRLDS), Indigenous health festivals, Rural High School Visits and local Rural Health Club activities. The NRHSN Position Paper contains recommendations on multi-disciplinary health infrastructure, adequate funding, innovative research projects, and student placement opportunities and experiences to support the multi-disciplinary health model, in training the future health professionals in rural and remote Australia.

Resultados: As the nature of health care practice continues to evolve and team-based models of health care delivery become more widespread across rural and remote Australia, the NRHSN identifies increasing relevance for an integrated multi-disciplinary approach to education, to be incorporated into the training of Australia’s future health workforce.

Conclusão ou Hipóteses: The NRHSN recognises the importance of exposing future health professionals to multi-disciplinary health early in their studies to promote understanding between professions, and sustain a dynamic approach towards rural health. It provides an example of multi-disciplinary teamwork, providing continued benefit for health students as they prepare to enter the future rural health workforce.