Placements
Clinical placements provide students with the opportunity to apply their studies as well as acquire further knowledge, skills and experience required to become a safe and competent medical practitioner. Over the course of the medical program, students undertake a range of placements in a variety of healthcare settings.
Phase 1 Observership - Ochsner
The Observership offers students the opportunity to gain exposure to the practice of medicine in a variety of settings, prior to the clinical placement phase of the program in Years 3 and 4. It allows students to further their personal and professional development, gain insight into health service provision, work alongside medical specialists from both health and community agencies, and develop lasting friendships, mentorships and networks.
The Observership requirements for students commencing the MD Program from 2021 onwards have been revised, as follows:
MD (Non-Ochnser) students commencing in 2021 or later are no longer required to undertake an Observership placement, however students are able to undertake a range of other Optional Phase 1 Observership placements. Further information can be found here.
MD (Ochsner) students commencing in 2021 or later will be required to complete:
- Summer Block Observership placement in Australia, prior to the commencement of their second year of the program; and
- Longitudinal Semester Observership placement at a UQ Clinical Unit in either Semester 2 of Year 1, or Semester 1 of Year 2.
Phase 2 Clinical Unit Allocation Process
The Faculty of Medicine has established the Phase 2 Allocation Process to manage and support the training of students during the clinical years their program. This process includes provision for Special Consideration and Placement Swaps, and is designed to facilitate the equitable distribution of students in Clinical Placements throughout the Academic Year and across all available Clinical Units.
Year 3 Placement Preferencing & Allocations
In Year 3, students will undertake five clinical placements across two semesters.
Hospital Practice Semester
| Comprehensive Clinical Practice Semester
|
Students will be allocated to a Clinical Unit for the duration of the Academic Year, and will undertake most of their Clinical Placements in the teaching sites associated with that Clinical Unit.
Year 4 Placement Preferencing & Allocations
In Year 4, students will undertake a range of clinical placements across two semesters.
Women’s and Children’s Health Semester
| Advanced Hospital Care Semester
|
Students will be allocated to a Clinical Unit for the duration of the Academic Year, and will undertake most of their Clinical Placements in the teaching sites associated with that Clinical Unit.
Optional Elective Placements
The purpose of the Optional Elective program is to provide medical students with an avenue to gain additional clinical or research experience during the MD Program. Approved students undertaking an Optional Elective placement are covered by UQ's travel, public liability and indemnity insurance. The placement will not be noted on the students' academic record. Optional Electives are not a compulsory component of the MD curriculum and students are not assessed during their placement.
Non-UQ Placement Opportunities in the MD
Important: After careful consideration, we have made the difficult decision not to approve any international placements for the duration of 2022. Further information can be found on the COVID-19 Community Page.
There are currently several opportunities in the program for Onshore MD students wishing to undertake placements at a non-UQ location (refer to the table below).
All other core placements must be undertaken at a UQ location in Queensland (i.e. GBCS or RCS) or at the Ochsner Clincial School (OCS) in New Orleans. Further information about placements at OCS can be found here.
Placement | When | How | Who |
Observership (Ochsner) Optional Elective | End of Year 1 | Self-Arranged | Ochsner - Australia Only Optional - Australia, NZ or Home Country Only |
Elective | Year 4 | Self-Arranged | All Students |
Observership
The Summer Block Observership (Ochsner) takes place at the end of Year 1. This placement will allow Ochsner students to gain exposure to the practice of medicine in a clinical healthcare, research or community setting in Australia, prior to returning to the US for Phase 2 of the program. Students will have the option of finding their own placement and may undertake this placement anywhere in Australia. Further details can be found here.
Onshore students are not required to undertake an Elective placement as part of their program requirements, however students may self-arrange an optional placement at the end of Year 1. Further details can be found here.
Elective (Personalised Learning Course)
In Year 4, studentsare able to undertake a self-arranged placement at a location other than a UQ Clinical Unit (i.e. interstate or overseas). Students will need to apply to undertake their placement at a non-UQ site no later than 12 weeks prior to the commencement of your placement, to allow time for the relevant approvals. Further information can be found here.
Inbound Electives
UQ assists visiting students with medical elective placements. UQ Medicine defines visiting students as those who are seeking to complete a medical elective placements through UQ while they are enrolled at another institution within Queensland, interstate, or external to Australia.
Key contacts
Faculty of Medicine – Placements Team
Location: Level 5, Oral Health Centre, Herston
Phone: +61 7 3346 4922
Email: med.placements@uq.edu.au