The first students to commence duty at the new University of Canberra Hospital (UCH) in Belconnen have been accepted.
Placed in the UCH by the Clinical Education and Research Centre (CERC), which is a collaboration between ACT Health and the University of Canberra (UC), the students will be able to pursue opportunities for clinical education and research.
Minister for Health and Wellbeing and Higher Education, Training and Research, Meegan Fitzharris said CERC was a teaching facility that allowed for practical training and greater teaching and research opportunities between the two organisations.
“The University of Canberra Hospital is a wonderful sub-acute hospital with a focus on rehabilitation and recovery, but it is also a training and research hospital,” Ms Fitzharris said.
She said the CERC comprised 1,600 square metres of shared clinical training, research and education spaces for staff and students.
“These education spaces within the CERC replicate clinical areas within the hospital, allowing for student and staff education and training in a real-world environment.
“Clinical placements at UCH provide students with direct exposure to real-world clinical practices aiming to deliver more skilled and more knowledgeable health professionals in the future.”
She said that through the placements, students at UC would be able to develop the skills they needed to deliver high quality care as members of inter-professional health care teams.
“The CERC includes purpose-built rooms and equipment for education and assessment that are optimised for a range of nursing and allied health disciplines,” Ms Fitzharris said.