'Personal and professional development' will focus on the doctor as an individual and concentrates on the personal attributes and qualities needed by medical students and, ultimately, medical practitioners. It covers elements of health enhancement, professional responsibilities, communication skills, information technology, medical informatics and computing skills, ethics and legal issues, and clinical effectiveness.

'Population, society, health and illness' develops students' abilities to deal with broader society and population issues. You will consider the social, environmental and behavioural contexts of illness and the practice of medicine, including an emphasis on rural and remote Australia. Other elements of this theme will be built around health promotion, epidemiology, public health, community diversity, population and global health, and a range of other societal issues. The history and philosophy of the scientific approach to medicine will also be included, extending this to approaches to knowledge and information, and an understanding of evidence-based medicine.

'Scientific basis of clinical practice' includes much of the human systems-based teaching in the course. The knowledge and concepts that underpin medicine, both in the basic medical sciences and in the clinical sciences, are included.

'Clinical skills' encompasses the whole range of clinical skills. This begins with clinical aspects of communication skills and introduction to practical clinical skills including handwashing, sharps disposal; subcutaneous and intramuscular injecting. Early in the course you will interact with health care professionals during medical contact visits, and will be introduced to the medical interview, taking a family history, ethical aspects of medical contact visits. Comprehensive history taking, systems based physical examinations and procedural clinical skills are further developed during later clinical placements. The approach in clinical skills development will be to develop defined clinical competencies.

Years one and two (Year A for graduate entry)
Blocks of systems-based sub-units are presented with a mix of basic medical science content, patient-based presentations and discussions in small groups. These sub-units combine basic content with generic skills and are set in appropriate clinical contexts, largely through the use of patient-oriented learning. Topics include: cardiovascular system, endocrinology, gastrointestinal tract, genomics, human behaviour, human development and growth, immunology and infection, metabolism, molecules, cells and tissues, musculo-skeletal system, neurosciences, nutrition, reproduction, respiratory system, urinary system.

Years three and four
During this period, clinical content is delivered in blocks of clinical rotations, with a mix of advanced and applied medical science, patient-oriented presentations, and discussions in small tutorial groups. A variety of clinical settings are used, including a range of metropolitan and rural hospitals, ambulatory clinics and the rural environment. The emphasis will be on you gaining real clinical experience, participating in patient care and understanding how healthcare teams work. In the third year, you will study integrated medicine and surgery and pathophysiology which will be taught together with a series of problem-based and core-based learning sessions. The fourth year will be largely taken up with the core clinical rotations of: children's health, general practice, psychological medicine, women's health.

Year five
The final year of the course focuses on facilitating your transition into the medical workplace as a trainee intern. You will participate in a range of learning experiences designed to substantially enhance your research skills, clinical reasoning, diagnostic and case management skills. You will consolidate and enhance your knowledge, clinical skills and professional behaviours in clinically orientated rotations integrated with sessions in patient safety and preparedness for professional practice. The six clinical rotations are: aged care, emergency medicine, medicine, scholarly intensive project, specialty, surgery.