Students receive the ability to study medicine from rural campuses

Starting next year, the South Australia Rural Medical Program will be the first degree of its kind, offering medical students the opportunity to study Flinders' medical program outside the metropolitan area.

Flinders University deputy dean, rural and remote Health SA professor Claire Drummond said research showed students who chose to study in rural areas were more likely to work in regional cities, small towns or communities when they graduated.

"Our rural medical program will play a critical role in addressing doctor shortages in SA country area, with studies showing the best prospect for keeping and attracting doctors to rural Australia is to offer training and placements in those areas," she said.

"It's a four-year course, so years one and two is pretty much all lectures, tutors and practical experience as the core of the degree," she said.

"It's really learning all of the foundational sciences and the communication skills, much like a normal degree.

"Then years three and four are completely out in the community on placement, oriented with general practitioners and hospitals."

She said Flinders University already had five rural campuses where they already sent third year students.

"We will have years one and two in the Riverland and also in Mount Gambier," she said.

"We're either going to be looking at our own campuses or building new campuses as there was some infrastructure money that came with the Commonwealth Supported places."

Prof Drummond said they wanted to immerse medical students in regional areas for training so they could see "firsthand the wonderful aspects of living and working in a welcoming rural community".

"The SARM Program offers diverse clinical training and experiences that will equip rural doctors with the skills to improve the health and wellbeing of local communities," she said.

"Our goal is to graduate cohorts of locally-trained doctors, who are well-rounded, understand the impact of social factors on health, and incorporate cultural sensitivity into their daily practice."

Flinders University recently received 25 per cent of all new rural places released by the Australian government for training in a rural setting - the largest share of places of any university in the country.

The federal government allocated an additional 20 Commonwealth Supported Places, with a co-contribution by Flinders to offer the SARM Program to a cohort of 46 students.

"This means that for the first time in the history of medical education, 46 students every year will be able to complete their entire training in regional SA," said prof Drummond.

"This funding reflects Flinders' continuous commitment and excellence in providing medical education in rural South Australia and producing locally trained and highly skilled doctors for their communities.

"Since we established the first Commonwealth-funded South Australian Rural Clinical School in Renmark in 1997, we have been committed to positively impacting communities and playing a vital role in medical education, research and clinical education in rural SA."

Flinders University already offers third-year medical students a year-long placement across a range of locations, including in the Barossa, Riverland, Hills Mallee Fleurieu and Greater Green Triangle.

Priority admission for the SARM Program is for residents of rural SA, Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander applicants and applicants from interstate with rural backgrounds.

Applicants from metropolitan backgrounds who wish to pursue a career in rural medicine are also encouraged to apply.