Clinical Immersion Guidelines
The Medical School has established the Clinical Immersion Allocation Process to manage and support the allocation of your clinical immersions throughout your program.
The Clinical Immersion Allocation Processes are designed to facilitate the equitable distribution of students to clinical immersions throughout the Academic Year and across all available Clinical Locations.
4. Year 4 Clinical Immersions
Clinical Immersion Order
4.1 Students will complete five (5) clinical immersion terms in one of the following orders:
4.2 Students will have the opportunity to preference your clinical immersion term order (i.e. Group 1-4).
4.3 Students who can demonstrate extenuating circumstances may be afforded special consideration during the allocation process (see section 5).
4.4 Following the publication of the provisional Year 4 clinical immersion term allocations, you will be able to submit a swap request using the application form.
4.5 Swap requests related to your clinical immersion term can only be considered within your Learning Community.
4.6 All swap applications will be accommodated where possible, however are subject to operational requirements. The Medical School cannot guarantee fulfilment of swap requests.
Clinical Extension
4.7 In the Clinical Extension term, students will undertake an eight (8) week clinical learning experience at a UQ location outside of their Learning Community.
4.8 Immersion opportunities will be available within the GBCS, RCS and OCS Learning Communities, as well through the Rural and Remote Clinical Unit.
4.9 When allocating students to Clinical Extension locations, the following will apply:
A minimum of 50% GBCS Domestic students will be allocated to a Regional, Rural or Remote location to meet Commonwealth Government requirements.
Priority will be given to RCS students wishing to undertake Clinical Extension at a GBCS Learning Community.
Priority will be given to GBCS students who undertake GPiRL.
Operational requirements within each Learning Community.
4.10 Students who can demonstrate extenuating circumstances may be afforded special consideration during the allocation process (see section 5).
4.11 Following the publication of the provisional Year 4 Clinical Extension pathway allocations, you will be able to submit a swap request using the application form.
4.12 Accommodation and travel subsidies will be provided to all students who undertake the Clinical Extension term in a Regional, Rural or Remote location.
4.13 Travel subsidies will be provided to RCS students who travel >100km to undertake the Clinical Extension term.
General Practice (GP)
4.14 Students will undertake an eight (8) week immersion in General Practice.
4.15 Students will have the opportunity to undertake this term in a Rural & Remote location either as part of the Extended Placement Program or GP in a Rural Location (GPiRL).
4.16 GBCS students who are not on the EPP or GPiRL pathway will undertake the General Practice term within the Greater Brisbane area and will preference from a list of available GP providers.
4.17 RCS students who are not on the EPP or GPiRL pathway will preference GP location from a list of available regional locations.
Extended Placement Program (EPP) and General Practice in a Rural Location (GPiRL)
4.18 The Extended Placement Program (EPP) allows students to undertake their GP and Clinical Extension immersions back-to-back in the same rural location (e.g. Term 1 & 2 or Term 3 & 4).
4.19 The General Practice in a Rural Location (GPiRL) allows students to undertake their General Practice immersion in a rural General Practice.
4.20 Approval to undertake the EPP or GPiRL is at the discretion of the Head, Mayne Academy of Rural and Remote Medicine, and Head, Mayne Academy of General Practice. Each application will be assessed on the information provided by the student.
4.21 Students wishing to undertake EPP or GPiRL will be provided with accommodation and receive a subsidy to help with the cost of travel and internet access.
Critical Care Plus
4.22 Students will undertake an eight (8) week Critical Care Plus term comprised of Emergency Medicine, Anaesthetic, Intensive Care and Ophthalmology.
4.23 The Critical Care Plus term will be undertaken within your home Learning Community where possible, noting that some immersion time may be undertaken outside of the Learning Community due to placement availability.
Elective (Personal Learning and Development)
4.24 Students will undertake an eight (8) week Elective immersion during the allocated Elective term.
4.25 The Elective immersion can be undertaken at any approved location worldwide, including but not limited to the Clinical Schools of the UQ Medical School.
4.26 Students are responsible for all costs related to the elective immersion.
4.27 Students who do not have an approved Elective immersion 4 weeks prior to commencement of the immersion term will be allocated by the Medical School to an immersion within their Learning Community.
UQ Elective Immersions
4.28 Elective immersions undertaken at UQ sites must be completed in their entirety (8 weeks) and cannot be split with another immersion.
4.29 Students will preference from a list of available immersions at UQ GBCS or RCS locations.
4.30 Students are not permitted to contact clinicians at UQ locations directly regarding Elective opportunities.
4.31 Students may also express interest to undertake their Elective immersion at the following UQ locations, which are not offered as part of the general elective preferencing process, by emailing the relevant contact at least 12 weeks prior to the commencement date:
General Practice – Greater Brisbane | |
General Practice – Rockhampton | |
General Practice – Bundaberg | |
General Practice – Hervey Bay | |
General Practice – Toowoomba | |
Ochsner Clinical School | |
Rural & Remote Medicine |
Self-Arranged Elective Immersions
4.32 Students wishing to undertake their Elective immersion external to a UQ Clinical Unit are responsible for sourcing their own immersion.
4.33 Self-arranged Elective immersions may be split between two external providers only. They cannot be split to include part of a UQ Elective immersion.
4.34 Students undertaking a Research Higher Degree at UQ are not permitted to use their current research project and/or thesis write-up for their Elective immersion.
4.35 Academic approval to undertake the Elective immersion at an external site is at the discretion of the Dean, Medical School (or nominee) and each application will be assessed on a case-by-case basis.
4.36 All self-sourced Clinical Immersions will require a student placement agreement (SPA) to be signed with the immersion provider. Without a fully executed SPA, the immersion will not be approved. If a SPA cannot be secured, students will be allocated an Elective immersion at a UQ clinical site.
4.37 Self-sourced immersions in low-middle income countries (LMIC), or below, as defined by the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD), will require a Risk Assessment to be completed by the student. These immersions will be considered on a case-by-case basis and approval is at the discretion of the Dean, Medical School (or nominee).
4.38 As per the UQ Student Travel Procedure, to ensure the safety of our students and that UQ meets its duty of care obligations, authorised travel is not permitted to countries/regions rated by DFAT Smart Traveller as DFAT 3/4 or Not Rated (0) countries, or any other country as determined by UQ.
4.39 Students undertaking approved international immersions must complete a Student International Travel Declaration before commencement of their travel and must register their travel with International SOS (ISOS) before departure.
Pre Internship (PRINT)
4.40 All students, provided they have successfully met the MEDI7400 requirements to date, will undertake a Pre Internship (PRINT) immersion in Term 5.
4.41 Students may submit an Expression of Interest (EOI) to be allocated to:
the location where they have accepted an internship place (if that location is a UQ MD Program affiliated hospital), or if they have applied for an internship at Greenslopes Private Hospital.
Ochsner Clinical School (students who have passed USMLE Step 1 and Step 2 CK only).
4.42 While every attempt will be made to allocate students who entered an EOI to their preferred location, this is not guaranteed and is subject to operational requirements.
4.43 GBCS Students who have not expressed interest and/or who are unable to be placed at their 2026 intern location due to capacity, will have the opportunity to preference an immersion location within the GBCS.
4.44 RCS Students who have not expressed interest and/or who are unable to be placed at their 2026 intern location due to capacity, will complete PRINT at their home Learning Community.
4.45 No accommodation or other financial subsidies are available for the PRINT term.
4.46 Following the publication of allocations, you will be able to submit a swap request for your PRINT immersion location.