Medical School

Australia return placement

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In accordance with AMC requirements, UQ-Ochsner students are required to return to Australia during Year 4 to complete a 6-week clinical placement of Australian healthcare training in an Australian clinical setting. Students are given some degree of flexibility as to what time of year to make their return and which block would be most suitable. The Australia Return Placement can be completed at any approved site within Australia. Students are responsible for all costs incurred with this placement.

Refer to the following information regarding the Australia Return Placement.

Blue Card

All UQ-Ochsner students are required to have a valid Blue Card for the duration of the MD program. Blue Cards are valid for 3 years, so Blue Card renewal is a requirement during Year 3, and before you return to Australia in Year 4. If any UQ-Ochsner student returns to Australia without a valid Blue Card their placement cannot go ahead, and they must return to Ochsner Clinical School. 

The Faculty of Medicine Student Administration team will send reminders throughout Year 3 to submit your renewal application. Instructions on Blue Card renewal can be found on the Compulsory program requirements page.  

ID Cards

Please remember to bring the following:

  • UQ student ID card
  • Medical student ID card

Should you forget either of these IDs, you will be required to purchase a new one. The Faculty of Medicine at Herston can supply UQ student ID cards, however Medical Student ID cards can only be purchased at the St Lucia campus. Please contact the Faculty for more information (details listed below).  

Be advised that your renewed Blue Card will be available at the Student Hub located at the Herston campus. You must pick this up upon your arrival, and prior to your entry at your clinical placement.

Oral Health Centre, Level 5
288 Herston Road

Office Hours
8:30am - 4:30pm, Monday to Friday

General enquiries
med.enquiries@uq.edu.au
Phone: +61 7 3346 4922 

Passports

For students who need to renew their passport, please refer to renewal processing times and plan in advance for any delays.

Australian National Police Certificate

All students (Domestic, International and Ochsner) are required to maintain a current Australian National Police Certificate (i.e. no older than three (3) years) throughout the duration of their program. Therefore, all students will be required to organise, fund, and maintain a National Police Certificate as a minimum pre-placement legal check. Please complete a National Police Certificate application through the Australian Federal Police and send through a new certificate to med.placements@uq.edu.au prior to the expiry of your current certificate.

Student International Travel Declaration
Introductory Weeks and End of Semester Exams

All UQ-Ochsner students are required to attend Introductory Week at Ochsner for both Semesters 1 and 2. All Introductory Week activities will be in-person with compulsory attendance. The activities are different than those in Brisbane. It includes hands-on simulations, so Zoom is not an option. Additionally, for those in the Primary Care Plus semester, this does not exist for students in Brisbane.

During the Introductory Weeks for both semesters, a Year 4 symposium is conducted, which includes essential information regarding the Match, MSPEs, residency applications, etc. We schedule the Introductory Weeks so that no activities are held on Fridays, specifically for students that need to travel to Australia.

Students going to Australia in Blocks 3 and 6 have a break week to travel, yet those in Blocks 2 and 5 do not. The course coordinators in Brisbane work with our UQ-Ochsner students going in Blocks 1, 2, 4, and 5 to allow them some days to get acclimated as they are aware of the travel. These students should contact their appropriate course and site coordinators in Brisbane to make arrangements at least four (4) weeks before the start of the block.

Any student requesting to sit for end of semester exams in Brisbane will be considered on a case-by-case basis. To do this, please refer to the External Overseas Examinations section on the Key Guidelines page. 

Housing Accommodations

There are many accommodation options available, including on-campus colleges, approved providers and private rentals. You can explore your options here. Another site to view is Renting in Queensland.

Overseas Student Health Cover Refund Process

Students are entitled to apply for Overseas Student Health Cover credit for the time out of Australia during the clinical years. Please refer to the process below. View the OSHC Refund Tips guide composed by the UQ-Ochsner Class of 2022.

  1. Following the official UQ MD graduation ceremony (not the culmination ceremony) the student must obtain a Completion Statement from UQ. This letter confirms the student’s enrolment in the UQ-Ochsner MD program and the dates the student returned to Australia to complete their return rotation. Please submit a request through MyRequests. Students must add an additional item to the request with the text: 'I require additional wording from the Faculty of Medicine for my OSHC refund.' You must also include the dates of your arrival and departure for your Year 4 return placement.

  2. The student then needs to submit the OSHC Refund Form to the on-campus representative or via email (oshc@allianzcare.com.au). The refund form and the letter needs to be accompanied with a copy of their return ticket back to the United States and a copy of the photo page of their passport (if a departure stamp is available, please also send a copy of this in). Allianz will then process their refund into the nominated bank account (Australian or overseas) within ten working days. 

 

Refer to Overseas Student Health Cover for International Students.

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