Frequently asked questions
Q. Where can I do Semester 10/11 Women’s and Children’s Health studies?
A. Currently WCH studies are offered in Shepparton and Ballarat as well as at the metro clinical schools.
Q. Where can I do Semester 10/11 Specialty Health Rotation studies?
A. SHR comprises three different rotations – Psychiatry; RAPP (Rehabilitation, Aged Care, Palliative Care and Psychogeriatrics); and Rural Health Module (RHM) / Emergency Medicine (EM). SHR can be undertaken at RCS or the metro clinical schools. Psychiatry can be undertaken at each of the three RCS campuses. Currently RAPP can only be undertaken in Ballarat. RHM/EM can be undertaken in either Ballarat or Shepparton. This means that when you undertake RAPP with the RCS you would be in Ballarat for the six weeks.
Q. Is RCS student accommodation available at all RCS campuses?
A. Yes. We currently have a 16 bedroom residence in Wangaratta (this is likely to double in the next year). We have five, 11 bedroom units available to RCS students in Shepparton. We have a 34 bedroom residence in Ballarat plus two shared houses. Almost all bedrooms have double beds.
Q. What do I need to bring to the RCS?
A. You will need to bring your own bed sheets, pillow case, doona/blankets, towels and all personal and study items. The kitchens in each residence are fully equipped.
Q. If I choose the RCS and want to take the 3/2 option will I be certain of getting it?
A. You are guaranteed the 3/2 option if you want it. Due to our constraints, it may actually soon be harder to get the 5 semester option.
Q. If I am allocated to the RCS, do I spend 3 semesters at the RCS and 2 at a metro school? If so, do I get to choose the metro school?
A. Yes, 3 semesters however there is the possibility that this would be changed to 2 semesters in future. METRO – students get to choose their metro school as well when they complete the preference survey.
Q. Also what are the chances/likelihood of me getting my preferred rural and metro hospital (eg Shepparton and St Vincent’s) and what is the likelihood of being allocated my preferred 2 semesters in a metro hospital?
A. Regarding overall preferences, we take all requests and reasons into account and last year spent several days trying to do the best for everyone that we could. It’s not just luck, we do try to balance requests with balancing the class and so on. We review everyone’s reasons and try to make the best match we can. We do hope we can give everyone at least some of his or her first choice. (e.g. which RCS campus or which semesters they want to be metro, etc) For the 2007 intake of students almost everyone received their first preference.
Q. I was wondering if I were to choose Shepparton as my clinical school would I still have a chance to do some of my rotations at Ballarat? And vice versa?
A. We are delighted that you are asking about the possibility of being rotated across different RCS campuses. Rotation across campuses is a valuable part of your training as you get to have a balanced and varied clinical experience.
For semester 10-12 we will ask for your preferences for RCS location Ballarat, Shepparton, Wangaratta or one of the metro clinical schools. Obviously we will do everything possible to meet your preferences of semester and location. However each location has limited places. We also ask whether it is important to you to get your preference for location or timing (e.g. which semester you would like to be metro) and then try to give you at least one of those (either location or timing) if we can’t do both.
Q. What options are there in relation to time and location of placements in rural clinical locations? Can I choose which semester or rotations are spent at the RCS?
A. Semester 8 & 9 must be at the RCS and one other semester either10, 11 or 12.
Q. Will the number of students at the RCS remain low in comparison to metro clinical schools?
A. We receive 25% of students (excluding international students)
Q. Since I’ll be based at the RCS for the majority of my clinical years and have less time in the metro hospitals, how does that impact on my chances on getting into intern spots at RMH, St Vincents, Austin if I decide I want to apply for my internship there?
A. Being an RCS student does not disadvantage you from obtaining an intern position of your choice. 76% of 2006 RCS Graduates obtained their first preference for internship locations.
Q. I was just wondering whether RCS provided any additional exam preparation leading up to exams at the end of each semester or even throughout the semester, and if so, what this exam preparation entails.
A. We do MCQ review sessions and case-report sessions (where students get a chance to discuss cases from the wards with one of us). As part of this we do “mock long cases” where we ask questions as if the student were being examined. We also hold practice exams and OSCEs. However, we do not want you to focus only on exams, but on learning and participating in the day-to –day work of medicine, which is the best way to learn.
Q. How is the RCS able to deliver all components of the course when it does not have some of the specialities… are the students still able to cover wheat they need to cover?
A. It’s a very important issue. In 2006 the students here did better than the metro students in exams. We recognize we do not have access to as many neurologists, oncologists, and a few others. We are trying every innovative thing we know to overcome this. We use videoconferencing successfully, have “neuro days” where patients with neurological conditions come in for a special “student clinic” etc.
Q. I am writing to enquire about the Resident Student Advisor (RSA) position. I have two questions; are the positions full-time on weekends ie. at each campus where there are a number of RSA’s would it be possible to take a weekend off?
A. A number of RSA’s undertake their duties on a rostered basis. Generally an RSA would be on duty approximately one weekend in four. You would need to ensure, with the other RSA’s that the position is always covered.
Q. What are the timetables like at the clinical school?
A. It is expected that you be available from 8am-5pm Monday to Friday. Occasionally tutorials are held later in the evening when tutors have finished clinic. Timetables include tutorials, ward rounds, attendance at a variety of clinics and theatre. It is also your responsibility to know when semester commences and be in attendance on day one. Unapproved non-attendance is viewed very seriously.