8 January 1999

Year 12 students from Mount Isa to Stanthorpe will attend a rural high schools recruitment program at the University of Queensland, St Lucia next week.

The Queensland Health-funded program is designed to increase the number of health professionals working in rural Queensland.

The Queensland Medical Education Centre (QMEC) at the University's Mayne Medical School has designed the state-wide program to provide information and on-going career/higher education guidance to rural and remote area students.

QMEC director Professor Bryan Campbell said the program, which included workshops and a continuing support service, was offered to students from isolated areas with an interest and capacity to undertake health professional studies.

QMEC will conduct the second Year 12 health careers workshop from January 10 to 14 at the University's Women's College. Eighteen students have been selected to participate.

They will attend sessions on selecting health professional courses in Queensland, tertiary entrance requirements, university life and personal development issues. Students are given the chance to visit a major metropolitan teaching hospital where they are able to shadow health professionals in the career areas of their choice.

For further information contact Natalie Hindmarsh at the Queensland Medical Education Centre, telephone: (07) 3365 5056; Fax: (07) 3365 5036; mobile: 0417 609 320 ; Email: rhisrp@mailbox.uq.edu.au