Remote and Rural Option

The Remote and Rural option is based at Raigmore Hospital where a new clinical skills centre  and library have been constructed. The option has been developed to be undertaken by up to 18 students in Year 4 and Year 5 who have a special interest in undertaking their clinical attachments in remote or country areas. Other students just wish to gain this experience to enhance whatever future career path they choose. Often students have already spent much of their leisure time in distant locations perhaps walking, climbing, skiing etc. In addition, many students who are members of the very active Wilderness Medical Society are keen to undertake the Remote and Rural option. 

 

In Year 4, all students undertake nine 5-week clinical placements within hospital and general practice areas. Students may choose either to undertake their clinical attachments following the mainstream distribution of placements, or to undertake the Remote and Rural option for one or two years. The mainstream placements involve undertaking most of the attachments in Aberdeen, with at least one of the nine blocks based in Inverness. These blocks may be at Raigmore Hospital, or with one of the Highland or Skye General Practices.

Should the Remote and Rural option be undertaken, all the Year 4 attachments will be based at Raigmore Hospital whilst the General Practice attachments will be anywhere in the Highlands or Skye.

In Year 5, all students undertake three clinical 8-week rotations in medicine, surgery and GP/Psychiatry.  The mainstream students may undertake an attachment outwith Aberdeen, but students who have elected to continue the Remote and Rural theme will undertake two of their attachments in the Remote & Rural areas. The hospital placements can be in Inverness, Wick, Stornoway, Shetland, Elgin or Fort William. The GP placements can be anywhere in the Highlands, Western Isles, Argyll, Orkney, Shetland and Skye. Remote and Rural students often arrange their Elective within an additional Remote and Rural area either in Scotland or elsewhere in the world. 

See also Special Features - Remote & Rural Option