What is the ERC?

The Extended Rural Cohort is a cohort of University of Melbourne medical students based at the Rural Clinical School, who spend at least 5 semesters with the Rural Clincal School and spend their MD3 year predominantly based in primary care placements across Northeast Victoria.

There are a number of unique features to the ERC MD3 year

• Students spend a minimum of 21 weeks attached to a primary care placement
• In addition to their primary care placements, students undergo hospital mini-blocks (1-3 weeks in length) in the specialities of Aged Care, Child and Adolescent Health, Mental Health, Women’s Heath
• Students will spend a considerable amount of time being the first person to assess primary care patients in a parallel consulting model
• Students are exposed to undifferentiated illness at an early stage.
• Students practice taking a history and performing a targeted examination with nearly every clinical encounter.

Students are supported individually by GPs who are experienced educators.