Developments Down Under
By Nicholas Glasgow, Paul Gatenby, and Graham Reynolds

Drs. Glasgow, Gatenby, and Reynolds are alumni of the Harvard Macy Institute’s courses. Alumni are invited to share their experiences with others interested in medical education by publishing summaries of their projects in HMI World.

Dr. Paul Gatenby, foundation dean of the new medical school

The Australian National University (ANU) has announced the establishment of a new medical school. The ANU is situated in Canberra, the federal capital of Australia. The first cohort of students will enroll in 2004 in a four-year, graduate entry, problem based learning course. The ANU has a proud history of research in the medical sciences, and this development will build on that tradition. As well as this emphasis on the basic sciences, the school will develop an innovative community and rural focus. It is an exciting opportunity to be involved with building a new medical school, particularly thinking about how best to prepare medical graduates for practice over the next 30 years. We are pleased to report that the Harvard Macy Institute has made substantial contributions to the professional development of people undertaking leadership roles within this new school.

Professor Paul Gatenby (Harvard Macy Scholar 1996) has been appointed Foundation Dean. The community and rural focus will be informed by the project work Nicholas Glasgow undertook as a Harvard Macy Scholar in 2001. Graham Reynolds (Harvard Macy Scholar 2000) will lead the development of paediatric teaching not only in the proposed new children's hospital, but also by making use of community resources.

The new school faces a number of challenges. Its region of influence crosses state borders with the result that there are ongoing debates regarding the relative resource contributions to be made by federal and state health authorities. The time frame to first student enrolment is short, with accreditation of the curriculum by the Australian Medical Council essential before student places can be advertised. Key appointments need to be made - in particular the position of Director of Medical Education.

The University of Sydney has played a major role in the establishment of medical education within the Australian Capital Region. It is actively supporting the development of the new school, including the provision of the University of Sydney Medical Program curriculum as a solid foundation on which the new curriculum can be developed.

We would be delighted to discuss any aspects of this new venture with the Harvard Macy community. Please feel free to contact us for further information.