Western Sydney Primary Care Teaching Network (WSPCTN)

Program Overview

The Western Sydney Primary Care Teaching Network (WSPCTN) is a collaborative project for the placement of medical, nursing, physiotherapy and dentistry students in general practice , primary care and community health services across western Sydney.

Project Aims

WSPCTN has three main aims:

• Expansion of the current medical student teaching network to recruit additional teaching facilities, including private general practices, Super Clinics and other multi-service primary care clinics, and community health centres;
• Diversification of the network’s function to support placement of nursing, physiotherapy and dentistry students in primary care teaching facilities;
• Development and support of interdisciplinary teaching and learning at suitable primary care teaching facilities.

In addition to the recruitment of new teaching facilities in the region, the WSPCTN project will run practitioner training activities to develop their skills in student supervision and teaching. Work is also underway to identify opportunities for multidisciplinary teaching, such as joint workshops and tutorials with students from different health disciplines.

Future plans for the WSPCTN project include: development of local clusters of teaching facilities, supported by experienced local supervisors; and extension of the project to support research and other continuing professional development activities by health professionals in teaching facilities.

Benefits of Participating in WSPCTN

• Recognition as a University Supervisor;
• Recognition of practice or clinic as a University Teaching Facility;
• Access for supervisors and other clinical staff to University of Sydney and University of Western Sydney libraries;
• Training workshops for supervisors and other practice and clinic staff;
• Potential for involvement in funded primary care research;
• Opportunities to earn RACGP points;
• Accredited general practices eligible for PIP $200/day for medical student supervision.

Placement and Training Relationships between Partners

Placement of medicine, nursing, physiotherapy and dentistry students in general practices and other primary health care facilities is logistically complex, involving coordination across a variety of university teaching programs and calendars.

Practices and other primary care clinical facilities are also busy, with multiple demands on their time and varying ability to take students on placement.

WSPCTN seeks to accommodate these factors, and to assist in distributing placements in a way that is both sustainable and respectful of the needs of students, supervisors and clinical facilities.

Links and Resources

Practice Checklist for Student Placements JRTU

More Information

The WSPCTN Project Team is located within The University of Sydney’s Department of General Practice Acacia House, Westmead.

Phone
(02) 9845 8171

Fax
(02) 9845 8166

Email
robyn.dalziell@sydney.edu.au
jasmine.milne@sydney.edu.au

Latest News

Western Sydney Medicare Local progress update, click here to read