GENERAL PRACTICE + THE UNIVERSITY OF SYDNEY MEDICAL PROGRAM :: Options

Students in The University of Sydney Medical Program are required to complete at least one (and no more than two) Options during the first two years of their degree. These projects aim to provide short in-Disciplineh scholarly projects to nurture academic individuality.

There are currently five options projects supervised by staff in the Discipline of General Practice. Students wanting further information about these should contact the relevant supervisor as detailed below.

1. General Practice, Community Health Care in Central Sydney
Students will work with staff from the Discipline of General Practice to develop their own option proposal studying an aspect of general practice or other community-based health care in the Central Sydney Area. Resources available include the Disciplines of General Practice at Central Sydney and Canterbury, the General Practice Casualty at Balmain and the Community Health Resources of the Central Sydney Area Health Service. Students may wish to study an aspect of multicultural health care. Students interested in this option are invited to contact Michael Kidd or Chris Cooper to discuss possible projects.

2. Poverty and Poor Health
Students undertaking this option shoud select one group from the following list of high risk clients or identified health needs of those attending the Exodus Foundation soup kitchen at Ashfield. Younger clients under age of 45 years, Families, Homeless, Clients with multiple chronic illnessis, Unemployed, Intellectual Disability, Illicit Drug Users, Dental Care, Eye Testing and prescription glasses, Nutritional advice and treatment, Under -treated chronic pain, Dermatological screening and treatment, Access difficulties due to transport, Crisis assistance, General holistic care, Lack of services attitudinally appropriate to this group, Lack of information about appropriate to this group, Lack of information about appropriate health services.

Learning Structure
A brief overview from the literature about the chosen topic
Identification and audit of available services and information in Central Sydney for the chosen group/service need.
Interviews should be sought from relevant stakeholders (clients, providers etc)
Reflections written up in a 1 000 - 2000 word essay with particular reference to the special needs of the disadvantaged for the chosen topic. Contact Dr Lyndal Trevena.

3. Research and Clinical Skills in General Practice
Through research and practical sessions students will explore an issue of relevance to general practice and of interest to the student. Areas of research interest in this department include women's health, mental health and general practice education. However, the student is not restricted to these topics alone. Practical sessions will be conducted in general practices in Sydney.

Learning Structure
In conjunction with the supervisor(s) the student will formulate a research project. Time will be spent in general practices to give practical experience. Ongoing support from the supervisor will be available through the term. Contact Dr Sanjyot Vagholkar.

4. Information technology, the internet and medicine
This option is for students who have an interest in exploring an application of information technology or the internet in clinical medicine or medical education. Students will work with the supervisors to develop their own option proposal in an area of interest. One possible area of study could be involvement with an aspect of the intranet developments of the Graduate Medical Program. Another is studying the potential relationship in the Information Age. Still another is the
development of a project to evaluate suitable internet sites for use by medical students. Students interested in this option are invited to contact Michael Kidd to discuss possible projects.