Echidna: a Web-based community information database to assist students undertaking rural clinical placements

The number of health-sciences students who spend time training in rural areas is increasing. Students undertaking rural placements have identified the need to be fully informed about the rural areas in which they are to be placed. To address this need, Echidna, a Web-based database containing rural-community information has been developed. The website brings fragmented information together in one easily navigable location for quick and accurate searching. Information provided in the website includes demographic data, health and community services information and relevant links. This paper examines the history of Echidna's development, data inclusion and data maintenance issues and discusses how students from medicine, nursing and other health disciplines, as well as other health professionals and organisations benefit from the resource.