Steve Gibbons (Bendigo, Australian Labor Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

La Trobe University have announced that they are seeking federal government support to establish a regional and rural medical school at their campus in Bendigo. The four-year graduate entry program would be introduced in 2008, with an initial annual intake of 50 students. It is anticipated that by 2011 there would be a full student load of 200 students at the Bendigo campus.

This program is designed to assist in solving the critical shortage of medical practitioners in rural and regional Victoria. The four-year graduate entry program will ensure strong collaborative relationships with other medical programs in the region. It will maximise the rural and regional orientation of graduates in order to maintain their commitment to regional Victoria following their graduation.

La Trobe University has committed $29 million to the program and will allocate 200 new fully funded student places to the program in Bendigo, a major commitment to the Bendigo campus of the university. The medical program will complement the existing pharmacy, physiotherapy, psychology, public health, nursing and social work programs currently offered at Bendigo. I urge the new Minister for Education, Science and Training to give serious and favourable consideration to this exciting proposal.

La Trobe Bendigo will develop partnerships with all relevant medical providers, including the Bendigo Health Care Group, the private hospital sector, Bendigo community health services, the Division of General Practitioners, and regional and rural general practitioners. The La Trobe regional medical school in Bendigo will not only assist in addressing the rural GP shortage but also bring enormous economic benefits to Central Victoria. This is a very worthwhile project for regional and rural Victoria and offers a unique partnership opportunity for La Trobe and many other health related organisations. There is a shared sense of commitment not only to regional Victoria but also to tackling the serious shortage of doctors in regional Victoria and beyond. (Time expired)