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Postgraduate Diploma in Rural and Provincial Hospital Practice (PGDipRPHP)

• Overview
• Regulations for the Postgraduate Diploma in Rural and Provincial Hospital Practice (PGDipRPHP)
  1. Admission to the Programme
  2. Structure of the Programme
  3. Duration of the Programme
  4. Level of Award of the Diploma
  5. Variations
• Schedule of Papers
• Programme Requirements
• Further Information

Overview

This is an advanced nationally recognised qualification for medical practitioners who staff rural and provincial hospitals. These doctors require broad based specific skills, which may extend beyond that of rural general medical practice.

At present, our New Zealand small and large town hospitals, as well as small city hospitals are served by a physician or a surgeon, or a Medical Officer of Special Scale (MOSS). A MOSS may be anyone from a third year house surgeon to a highly qualified, competent and long experienced regional hospital doctor. Until now, other than College qualifications, no formal qualification for such doctors has existed.

The Postgraduate Diploma in Rural and Provincial Hospital Practice (PGDipRPHP) is also available through Distance Learning.

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Regulations for the Postgraduate Diploma in Rural and Provincial Hospital Practice (PGDipRPHP)

1 Admission to the Programme

(a) Admission to the programme shall be subject to the approval of the Pro-Vice-Chancellor (Health Sciences) on the advice of the Board of the Faculty of Medicine, which must be satisfied that the applicant has the ability and experience to proceed to the programme.

(b) Every applicant shall

(i) have been admitted to the degrees of Bachelor of Medicine and Bachelor of Surgery of a university in New Zealand or hold an equivalent medical qualification approved by the Board of the Faculty of Medicine, and

(ii) have commenced vocational training for rural hospital medicine or general practice or have had at least two years of approved experience in rural hospital medicine or general practice.

(c) Every applicant shall be registered for medical practice in the country in which the programme is taught or have an exemption from this requirement from the Dean of the Faculty of Medicine.

2 Structure of the Programme

(a) The programme of study shall comprise papers to the value of at least 120 points; GENX 724 (15 points) and at least four other papers (at least 60 points) from the Core Papers in the Schedule, and further approved papers (up to 45 points) normally selected from the Elective Papers in the Schedule.

(b) With the approval of the Dean of the Faculty of Medicine, a candidate may substitute for up to 45 points appropriate papers offered by another university or examining body.

(c) With the approval of the Dean of the Faculty of Medicine, a candidate may be exempt from up to 15 points for work previously satisfactorily completed for a relevant course of study.

(d) A candidate who has completed the requirements for the Postgraduate Certificate in Rural and Provincial Hospital Practice shall be exempted from those papers in the programme for the diploma which have been previously passed for the certificate.

Note: Students should normally enrol initially for the Postgraduate Certificate programme before proceeding to the diploma.

3 Duration of the Programme

The programme may be completed in two years of part-time study and must be completed within five years of admission.

4 Level of Award of the Diploma

The diploma may be awarded with distinction or with credit.

5 Variations

The Pro-Vice-Chancellor (Health Sciences) may in exceptional circumstances approve a course of study which does not comply with these regulations.

Note: An application for admission to the programme is required; this is separate from the enrolment process.

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Schedule of Papers (not exclusive)

Core Papers

• GENX 724 The Context of Rural Hospital Medicine (15 points)
• GENX 725 Communication in Rural Hospital Medicine (15 points)
• GENX 726 Obstetrics and Paediatrics in Rural Hospitals (15 points)
• GENX 727 Surgical Specialities in Rural Hospitals (15 points)
• GENX 728 Cardiorespiratory Medicine in Rural Hospitals (15 points)
• GENX 729 Medical Specialties in Rural Hospitals (15 points)
• GENX 730 Trauma and Emergencies in Rural Hospitals (15 points)

Elective Papers

• GENX 701 Emergency Medicine (30 points)
• GENX 702 Sexual and Reproductive Health (30 points)
• GENX 704 Te Tūhauora: Māori Health (30 points)
• GENX 707 Surgical Practice (30 points)
• GENX 708 Special Topic (30 points)
• GENX 709 Long Term Condition Management (30 points)
• GENX 715 Travel Medicine (30 points)
• GENX 717 Generalist Medical Echocardiography (30 points)
• GENX 718 Generalist Medical Ultrasound (30 points)
• GENX 719 Tropical Medicine (30 points)
• GENX 720 Refugee and Migrant Health (30 points)
• GENX 820 Core Studies in Medical Practice (30 points)
• GENX 821 Research Methods in General Practice (30 points)
• GENX 822 Advanced Practice (15 points)
• GENX 823 Teaching and Learning in Medical Practice (30 points)
• GENX 824 Ethics in General Practice (15 points)
• GENX 825 Medical Anthropology (15 points)
• GENX 826 Special Topic in General Practice (15 points)
• PRHX 701 New Zealand Primary Health Care (30 points)
• PRHX 702 Wilderness Medicine (30 points)

Papers available for the Postgraduate Diploma in Primary Health Care, and other Public Health papers.

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Further Information

Mr Bruce R. Smith
Faculty Manager
Faculty of Medicine
Email bruce.smith@otago.ac.nz