Page 428 - Week 02 - Tuesday, 14 February 2017
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tech X-ray suites, facilities to store and review medical images, as well sound and video recording technology.
The lab will provide students specialising in medical imaging with access to technology not available elsewhere in the ACT or the region. The lab is a great example of how infrastructure and technology can be used to enable students to hone their skills in a variety of real life situations. The four X-ray suites each recreate a different X-ray environment, such as the conditions and limitations in an emergency room or a private clinic.
Students will be able to practise taking X-rays of dummies and practise how to go about positioning real human bodies for radiographs. This will be invaluable pre-clinical experience and, upon graduating, they will be well equipped to enter the workforce.
Importantly, the expansion of health offerings at the University of Canberra means that talented students can stay in Canberra to study a variety of medical imaging courses which were previously unavailable here. The courses started in 2016 with the bachelor of medical radiation and will expand this year with the addition of post-graduate qualifications.
I was particularly pleased to learn that demand has been high, with the bachelor degree receiving approximately 300 applicants for 50 spots in its first year. There will now be a supply of high quality Canberra graduates who may fill workforce vacancies in medical imaging in the ACT. This government is committed to delivering health outcomes for our community. It is exciting to see our students getting even more opportunities to gain world-class health qualifications here in the territory and, hopefully, put them to use in our community.
I also had the opportunity to see some of the allied health students in action the following Monday when I was taken on a tour of the UC health hub. The health hub is a four-storey health centre that houses Canberra’s first GP super clinic as well as a number of private and student-led health clinics. Student-led clinics are another tool to ensure students are not only prepared with theory but also empowered with practical and interpersonal skills to be confident and capable graduates.
The student-led clinics include a wide range of health services covering counselling, physiotherapy, nutrition and dietetics, exercise physiology, occupational therapy and clinical psychology. In these clinics students are responsible for diagnosing patients, creating a treatment plan and delivering that treatment. The students are fully supported by a registered clinician, who they consult with at every stage of the process.
I was pleased to learn that patients who participate in these clinics often feel they are giving back to their community by helping to train the next generation of health professionals. I was impressed to see some physiotherapy students diligently conducting their clinic to deliver quality care.
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