New doctors and nurses could be Territory kids in the coming years with new medical school to start in 2022

A new medical school at Charles Darwin University has high hopes to address healthcare staffing shortages and gaps in education for First Nation’s communities.

A SAVE to the Territory’s long standing health-worker crisis could be around the corner, after Charles Darwin University (CDU) announced a new medical program.

Due to launch in 2022, the partnership with Menzies School of Health Research will be led by Professor Dianne Stephens and promises to work alongside Territorians to deliver new opportunities in tertiary education.

New CDU School of Medicine dean Professor Dianne Stephens. Picture: Amanda Parkinson

Professor Stephens said this was a big step in the process of building a sustainable health workforce in the NT.

“We have seen students through the hospital, supported by other universities, that have stayed here but not enough,” she said.

“We really need to take that next step to grow our own doctors, nurses, pharmacists and allied health professionals.”

Professor Stephens said research is very clear that if doctors train and live in remote and rural areas then you are more likely to stay once graduating.

The new curriculum aims to address gaps in healthcare which currently don’t consider the needs of First Nations’ people.

Charles Darwin University and Menzies School of Medical Research announce a new medical school for Darwin. Picture: Amanda Parkinson

CDU Vice-Chancellor Scott Bowman said that there is knowledge every doctor needs to know, but within a curriculum there are opportunities to customise learning for the environment and people who live there.

“Our remote communities are unique here in the Territory, they are our First Nations’ people who have their own culture and knowledge systems, so how do we incorporate that into a medical program?”

Professor Bowman said CDU will look at making the medical school more accessible to those in remote communities.

“We want to have a more diverse entry into the medical school than anywhere elese in Australia and that means working really hard with First Nations’ people to prepare them to undertake medical school.”

NTCCTRC executive director Professor Len Notaras announces a new medical school for Darwin. Picture: Amanda Parkinson

National Critical Care and Trauma Response Centre executive director Les Notaras said the long term plan has come about from a vision to consolidate and grow our own doctors in the Territory.

He said there is about 20 per cent of knowledge a doctor needs that can be quite specific which can be seen as recently as the last few days with the Covid-19 outbreak in remote NT.

“Developing those specific knowledges and attributes further will actually help, not only the Territory, or the nation but possibly the world.”

The promising new program is still awaiting federal funding for student placements but is hoping to for its first intake in semester 1 of 2023.

Originally published as New doctors and nurses could be Territory kids in the coming years with new medical school to start in 2022