Deans’ pick for pioneering placement program

An innovative Gippsland-based student placement program that is transforming how future healthcare professionals learn has been recognised with a prestigious Monash University award.

The student placement was program jointly developed by Monash Rural Health Gippsland and the Gippsland Region Public Health Unit (GRPHU).

It has received the Dean’s Award for Excellence in Education in the category of Collaborative Educational Partnerships in Learning and Teaching.

The award, which celebrates innovation in student learning and regional engagement, was presented by Monash’s Faculty of Medicine, Nursing and Health Sciences.

This program is the first of its kind in Victoria and provides medical and health students with immersive, practical learning in a public health unit.

Students get to engage in multidisciplinary meetings, contribute to project-based work, and participate in targeted professional development activities.

The program has delivered tangible outcomes, with participants developing resources which are being used in schools and community health.

It is also directly addressing a long-standing gap in traditional clinical education, by exposing students to public health.

GRPHU Director Dr Alyce Wilson said more than 40 students had so far taken part in the program.

Dr Wilson said the immersive placement means students are making a direct impact on public health as they learn.

“This program allows students to train in a real-world public health setting, right here in regional Victoria,” Dr Wilson said.

“Iterative modifications to the placement experience informed by student feedback have enabled us to break down placement barriers like travel and cost while offering students a deep understanding of how public health works on the ground.”

Students engage with GRPHU’s daily operations, including contributing to infectious disease control and health surveillance.

“Many students have told us this experience changed the way they view public health and inspired them to pursue it as a career,” Dr Wilson said.

“It’s not just education, it is also about workforce development for our region.”

Dr Paul Brougham, GP Discipline Lead at Monash Rural Health Gippsland, said the program offers a unique window into public health in action, and the social determinants of health for people living in rural areas.

“The impact is twofold: students gain invaluable, practice-based learning, and Gippsland benefits from strengthened health systems and renewed energy in public health practice,” Dr Brougham said.

“It also creates powerful mentorship opportunities between students and local professionals, helping to build a stronger, more connected health workforce in the region.”

Associate Professor Catherine Haigh, Director of Monash Rural Health Gippsland, said the award was a “testament to the power of regional collaboration and the calibre of our students”.

“By embedding future health professionals in Gippsland’s public health response, we’re not only enriching their education, we’re strengthening the pipeline of skilled, community-minded practitioners who understand the unique needs of our region,” she said.

Here is more information about the awards: monash.edu/medicine/awards.