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The Faculty has recorded some notable successes during the year
contributing to the University's EDGE agenda. In the field
of Excellence (E) the School of Pharmacy has been advised that
the Bachelor of Pharmacy course has achieved full 5 year accreditation
and more recently the School of Nursing and Midwifery has achieved
five year accreditation for the Bachelor of Nursing course. Our
major professional schools all now have the maximum duration of
accreditation. Congratulations go to all staff involved
in these important achievements.
Members of
the Faculty have also achieved research excellence, most
recently shown by the receipt of ARC and NH&MRC
grants. Areas of research in which projects have been funded
by the NH&MRC include: neuroscience (Dr Tracey Dickson, Professor
James Vickers - $587,000), insulin and muscle biochemistry
(Professor Michael Clark, Associate Professor Steve Rattigan,
Dr Stephen Richards and Dr Derek Choi-Lundberg - $418,000).
ARC
success was achieved by Dr Roger Chung, Associate Professors
Adrian West and Inn Chuah ($303,000) in the field of neuroscience;
also Associate Professor West in collaboration with colleagues
from the Faculty of Science, Engineering and Technology and
the Menzies Research Institute obtained $570,000 to purchase
a mass spectrometer and DNA sequencer.
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Recently, a number of members of staff (including most of those
mentioned above) from the School of Medicine have joined the expanded
Menzies Research Institute. This development will create
a greater critical mass of researchers in strategic research areas
to increase health research outputs and outcomes in Tasmania.
Growth (G) has been evident in all schools of the Faculty and
the importance of additional undergraduate places in health professional
courses was illustrated when the University and the Tasmanian Government
achieved new allocations of student places in the recent Council
of Australian Governments (COAG) meeting and communiqué. Nursing
and Midwifery received 150 places, Paramedic Studies - 15, Pharmacy
- 10 and Medicine 5 new places. These places, with the supporting
agreement that clinical placements and intern positions for nursing
and medical graduates would be provided, will make a significant
contribution to addressing the health workforce shortage in Tasmania.
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Growth
in both teaching and research has led to the need for additional
space and this is being achieved through the Co-location
Project in Hobart and refurbishment of additional space on
the Launceston (Newnham) campus for Nursing and Midwifery
and Human Life Sciences to accommodate an increased number
of nursing students. Additional
space will also be required in Hobart to accommodate a 2
year Bachelor of Nursing course in the future.
Distinctiveness (D)
and Engagement (E) were highlighted in the Faculty Forum and
Reception in Launceston in October. |
The
Faculty Forum showcased a number of Teaching and Learning initiatives
which are distinctive and address inter-professional topics, for
example Ageing, Complementary Medicine and Cultural and Linguistic
Diversity. Following this, the Faculty of Health Science
held its inaugural reception to celebrate the year's activities
and particularly to thank its supporters for their partnership
in the Faculty's teaching and learning, research and community
engagement programs. The ability to place students in the
full range of health care services across Tasmania is critical
to the ability of the Faculty to admit a larger number of students
and ensure that they have clinical placements which will equip
them to enter the workforce in any area of Tasmania and beyond.
It is intended that the reception will become an annual event
with next year's reception to be held in Hobart.
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