A community based, patient-centred, longitudinal medical curriculum

The School of Rural Health is an initiative of the Australian Commonwealth Government, the University of New South Wales, Australia, and the Greater Murray Area Health Service. The school was established in February 2000 to facilitate the recruitment of doctors to and their retention in rural areas. The school is responsible for providing an education program for half of the three-year clinical component of the six-year undergraduate course. This article outlines the educational philosophies and methodologies employed in the development of a community-based, patient-centred, longitudinal approach to medical education. Although developed for and delivered in a rural setting, the curriculum could easily be adapted for implementation in an urban setting. The article presents a synopsis of experiences during the initial implementation of the curriculum, and it provides recommendations for future developments.