The DGP will be operating a new, integrated model of education and research, within the emergent primary health care organisations, that is defined by its innovative practices, unique characteristics and ability to respond to the changing needs and expectations of students, GP’s and emerging health reforms.
In order to be able to undertake our core business more effectively in the future our vision for the DGP is to create a hub and spoke model where central administration and coordination of Department of General Practice activities occurs in the hub but teaching and research will occur in the spokes. Our vision is to partner with Medicare Locals (primary health care organisations) to deliver vertically integrated teaching, interprofessional education, research and evaluation, professional development and to assist in the development of the local workforce.
Community Engagement
Engagement with Clinical Placement Networks and Medicare Locals and GPs in the community
As part of primary care reforms and a means of addressing workforce training issues, 2011 saw the development of Clinical Placement Networks and Medicare Locals. Our vision for the development of a hub and spoke model for the Department of General Practice builds on and engages with these initiatives.
We currently have over 120 general practices involved in teaching our students. These practices are predominantly located in the Southern and Eastern CPN regions with the majority located within the boundaries of the new Bayside Medicare Local followed by the Inner East Melbourne Medicare Local and the South East Melbourne Medicare local.
% of student placements occurring in each Medicare Local
GP Affiliate Program
In recognition of the dedication and commitment shown by GPs in the community who provide high quality teaching and supervision to our students during their clinical placements the Department established the Monash GP Affiliate program. This program provides approximately 140 GPs with the opportunity to access Monash resources such as electronic access to the Monash University Library and intranet, discounts for seminars, workshops and events, an open invitation to attend our weekly Academic Seminar Series, a complimentary copy of one of several textbooks authored by a DGP member of staff, involvement in DGP research activities and an invitation to attend our annual DGP GP Affiliate Dinner.
With the emergence of significant funding and collaboration opportunities from the Clinical Placement Networks in 2011 our current activity has focused on healthcare education. The DGP is collaborating on a number of bids focussed on supervisor development and extending the network of places for undergraduate experience. The MAGNET GP database currently under development in partnership with the Inner Eastern Melbourne Medicare Local, is a major new exciting primary care research initiative that will further develop our engagement with Medicare Locals.
