History
In 2002 the University of Otago developed a distance-taught Postgraduate Diploma aimed at the extended practice of rural general practitioners and rural hospital medical officers. This qualification has evolved into a four-year vocational training programme in rural hospital medicine, the Fellowship of the Division of Rural Hospital Medicine of New Zealand (FDRHMNZ), with the Diploma retained as the academic component. The Postgraduate Diploma in Rural Clinical Practice (PGDipRCP) and Postgraduate Certificate in Rural Clinical Practice (PGCertRCP) are now administered by the Rural Postgraduate Programme under the Dean's Department of the Dunedin School of Medicine.
Further details on the team's involvement in the development of the New Zealand rural health workforce and training can be found in the article linked below:
Read the article on the Rural and Remote Health website
Aims
The Programme's aim is to improve healthcare and health outcomes for rural and remote communities in NZ and wider South Pacific, and is based on the principle of social accountability and community engagement.
Read an article about the structure and work performed by the Rural Postgraduate Programme
The Rural Postgraduate team
The Programme is made up of clinicians based and working in rural and remote communities supported by administration staff (also based rurally). It does not have a physical presence on campus.
Other work performed by the Rural Postgraduate Programme
Rural health research
Continuing medical education (CME) for rural GP and hospital clinicians
Postgraduate Certificate in Clinician Performed Ultrasound (PGCertCPU)
Involvement in capacity building and facilitating training in the South Pacific.
Read an article on University of Otago's involvement in capacity building in the South Pacific