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.
The below information relates to students who commenced the MD Program (5578 and 5579) prior to 2023.
Clinical Unit Allocation Process
The Faculty of Medicine has established the Year 3 and 4 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 and Comprehensive Clinical Practice Semester.
Hospital Practice (HP) Semester
| Comprehensive Clinical Practice (CCP) Semester
|
In 2024, Year 3 students will also have the opportunity to undertake their O&G and Paediatrics placements along with Mental Health, in the Women's, Children and Mental Health 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
|
In 2024, Year 4 students who completed their O&G and Paediatrics placements in Year 3 will undertake the Primary Care Plus 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. Optional Electives are not a compulsory component of the MD curriculum and students are not assessed during their placement. The placement will not be noted on the students' academic record.
Non-UQ Placement Opportunities in the MD
There are currently several opportunities in the program (5578) 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 |
| Optional Elective | Throughout the MD program | Self-Arranged | Phase 1 - Australia, NZ or Home Country Only Phase 2 - Anywhere in the world |
Elective | Year 4 | Self-Arranged | All Students |
Optional Electives
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. Optional Electives are not a compulsory component of the MD curriculum and students are not assessed during their placement. The placement will not be noted on the students' academic record.
Elective (Personalised Learning Course)
In Year 4, students are 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.
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 – Work Integrated Learning (WIL) team
Location: Level 5, Oral Health Centre, Herston
Phone: +61 7 3346 4922
Email: med.placements@uq.edu.au
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