Sexual Health Across Clinical Contexts Discovery

The Sexual Health Across Clinical Contexts (SHACC) Discovery elective subject, developed by CERSH as part of the MD course at University of Melbourne, aims to address gaps in general sexual and reproductive health education experienced by many current and future medical practitioners.

Positioning sexual and reproductive health and effective history taking as fundamental building blocks to supporting overall medical care remain principal objectives of the subject. This emphasis on communication skills underpins the role many rural practitioners are expected to fulfill as generalists. Priority is given to provision of face-to-face classes on both metropolitan and rural campuses, to align with CERSH’s strategic focus of upskilling the future rural medical workforce.

Associate Professor Bourke (R) with SHACC students.

Developed by Associate Professor Siobhan Bourke, SHACC is a discovery stream elective within Melbourne Medical School’s redesigned medical degree. It empowers medical students to navigate sexual and reproductive health conversations with compassion, attentiveness, and perhaps most importantly without judgement.

As Dr Bourke reflects:

"Effective communication is at the heart of sexual and reproductive healthcare. Our goal is to give future doctors the confidence and tools to approach these conversations with empathy, respect, and without assumptions.”

Year-level content

Face-to-face learning
- Talking sex- research
- Sexual history taking- small group learning
- Epidemiology
- STIs:
  - Chlamydia
  - Gonohorroea & MG
  - Syphilis
  - Herpes
  - HIV
- Partner notification
Online learning
- Rural sexual health care
- Avoiding assumptions
- STI treatment and management
- Partner notification in a small community
Face-to-face learning
- Interprofessional care
- Genital Anatomy
- Vulval : dermatology & pain syndromes & examination
- The STI consultation: history taking, examinations, Investigations and treatment- small group learning
- Complex patients: HIV, Transgender medicine, patients with addictions
- Sexual Difficulties
- Health Promotion
- Legal and mental health issues
Online learning
- Pharmacy
- Privacy and confidentiality
- Youth and Trust
- Early Medical Abortion service delivery
Face-to-face learning
- Extended LARC education
- Implanon training (certification)
- IUD
- Early Medical Abortion
- Aging, disability and sex
- Coercion and non-consensual sex
- Working with sex workers
- Sexual Health education
Online learning
- Long Acting Reversible Contraception
- Royal Women’s Hospital- Early Medical Abortion
Clinical placement
- One week placement in a sexual health service of high case load clinics