Community-campus partnerships in Australian medical education: extending placements beyond the ward and waiting room

This thesis examined placement programs for medical students that place them in non-clinical community organisations such as welfare agencies or schools. Using a mixed methods approach with both quantitative and qualitative data based on survey items and interviews of students, and staff from partner organisations and faculty members it was determined that these programs seem to be particularly effective in developing community aware medical students with a more enhanced understanding of health and health support than is generally possible in the traditional medical curriculum. This comes directly from the experiential nature of their placements working with health support organisations deeply rooted in community and with staff who bring a range of health support skills, experience and understanding not normally found in hospitals or clinics. This form of community based medical education (CBME) was also placed within the context of the range of CBME through as systematic literature review establishing its history, range and typology.