Distinguished medical educator to head School of Rural Medicine

December 14, 2007

The Director of the Hunter New England Health Rural Training Unit, Dr John Fraser, has been appointed Transitional Head of the University of New England's School of Rural Medicine.

Dr Fraser (pictured here), who was named Medical Educator of the Year by General Practice Education Training in 2005, has more than 15 years' experience in medical education. He is a rural general practitioner and public health physician with extensive clinical, research and teaching experience in remote and rural Australia. As a clinician, he provides clinical services to the Manilla community.

The Hunter New England Health Rural Training Unit is funded by NSW Health to recruit and retain rural health professionals. Its programs include health career promotion in high schools, assisting in postgraduate vocational training for GPs, and workforce research in rural areas of Australia and Asia. Dr Fraser's research into innovative training models for the public health workforce in rural areas has been recognised internationally by its recent publication in a journal affiliated with the World Health Organisation.

In announcing Dr Fraser's appointment, Professor Victor Minichiello, Pro Vice-Chancellor and Dean of the Faculty of The Professions at UNE, said he was delighted with the calibre of the medical staff being recruited into the School of Rural Medicine. "Professor John Fraser and the team of recently recruited Senior Lecturers (including Dr Maree Puxty, Dr Michelle Guppy, Dr Ron Grant, Dr Rod Martin and Dr Vicki Howell) provide a wealth of experience in rural medical practice," Professor Minichiello said. "They will be excellent role models for our first cohort of medical students. Other medical appointments will occur in the new year, including a number of joint appointments with Hunter New England Health."

"UNE's School of Rural Medicine is a community-based school, with the community being a central part of the program," Professor Fraser said. "The aim is to train doctors to work anywhere in Australia as part of a multidisciplinary team."

"The innovative model of the Joint Medical Program that links the University of Newcastle, UNE and Hunter New England Health (including the high-school program of the Rural Training Unit) provides a unique opportunity to select, train, mentor and support doctors to undertake most of their undergraduate and postgraduate training within our local region," he continued. "This will assist the region's long-term retention of health professionals."

Professor Minichiello said that an important objective of the School of Rural Medicine would be to serve as a centre of excellence for rural medical practice. "The School also aims to contribute to research by developing a strong rural health research agenda and collaborating with international partners," he said. "We have had extensive discussions with overseas partners who have a similar rural health mission, and we have attracted a number of doctors who are pursuing postgraduate studies. There is likely to be a significant increase in such international connections through the School of Rural Medicine."

Posted by Jim Scanlan at December 14, 2007 03:32 PM