Medical School

Learning Community allocation guidelines

  1. Home
  2. Current students
  3. Doctor of Medicine students
  4. Key guidelines

The UQ MD Learning Communities are clusters of health care providers including hospital and community-based services, general practices, and other community providers. Importantly, these Learning Communities comprise the students and staff based in the facilities and provide a platform where they can flourish in a mutually supportive environment, where relationships and connections are forged, and students nurtured.

Learning Communities provide a small cohort experience within large cohort experience, which supports improved connection and engagement. The longitudinal relationships inherent in the Learning Communities model are integral to effective teaching and learning, support progress toward attainment of the graduate attributes and promote excellence in clinical practice and scholarly endeavours. 

  1. Definitions
  2. Scope and purpose of the guidelines
  3. Learning Community allocations
  4. Change of Learning Community
  1. Special consideration
  2. Late special consideration applications
  3. Application information and forms

1. Definitions

Academic Year: please refer to the Doctor of Medicine Academic Calendars for start and end dates.

Central Queensland student: students required to undertake all years of their program at the Rural Clinical School

Clinical School: An organisational unit within the Medical School, comprising of teaching hospitals and other relevant medical teaching sites within a geographical region (Greater Brisbane Clinical School, Rural Clinical School, and Ochsner Clinical School).

Clinical Unit: A designated organisational subunit of the Rural Clinical School or Greater Brisbane Clinical School, including hospitals or other relevant medical teaching sites. Clinical Units can include both major and peripheral teaching hospitals.

Darling Downs and South West Student: students required to undertake all years of their program at the Rural Clinical School

Good Standing: A student who has no recorded findings of student misconduct or Fitness to Practice concerns (Level 1 or above) at the University and has not been required to repeat any courses in years 1 and 2 of the program due to failing to achieve the passing grade.

Greater Brisbane Student: students required to undertake all years of the program at the Greater Brisbane Clinical School

Learning Community: A cluster of Clinical Units and/or health care providers, including hospital and community-based services, general practices, and other community providers.

Table 1: Learning Communities & Associated Clinical Units

Learning Community
Clinical Unit
Greater Brisbane Clinical School (GBCS)
Central
Royal Brisbane and Greenslopes Clinical Units and geographically aligned GPs and community providers. 
In 2025, Year 3 Central students will complete their O&G placement at the Mater, Greenslopes Private, and Redcliffe Hospitals.
South
Princess Alexandra Southside Clinical Unit, (including QEII Hospital and Redlands Hospital) and geographically aligned GPs and community providers.
North
The Prince Charles Northside Clinical Unit, (including Redcliffe Hospital and Caboolture Hospital) and geographically aligned GPs and community providers.
In 2025, Year 3 North students will complete their Paediatrics placement at Queensland Children’s Hospital.
West
Mater and Ipswich Clinical Units and geographically aligned GPs and community providers.
Rural Clinical School (RCS)
Central Queensland (CQ)
Rockhampton Regional Clinical Unit and geographically aligned GPs and community providers.
Wide Bay (WB)
Bundaberg and Hervey Bay Regional Clinical Units and geographically aligned GPs and community providers.
Darling Downs & South West (DD-SW)
Toowoomba Regional Clinical Unit and geographically aligned GPs and community providers.
Ochsner Clinical School (OCS)
Ochsner Health and geographically aligned GPs and community providers.

Student: A student enrolled in or undertaking courses in the MD and UQ-Ochsner MD Program.

UQ-Ochsner student: students enrolled in the UQ-Ochsner program who are required to undertake years 1 and 2 at the Greater Brisbane Clinical School and Years 3 and 4 at the Ochsner Clinical School.

Student: A student enrolled in or undertaking courses in the MD and UQ-Ochsner MD program.

UQ-Ochsner: MD program in which students are required to undertake Years 1 and 2 at the GBCS and Years 3 and 4 at the OCS.

Wide Bay student: students required to undertake all years of their program at the Rural Clinical School