Graduate Diploma in Remote Health Practice

The Graduate Diploma in Remote Health Practice is a 36-unit program offered by the College of Medicine and Public Health.

The course articulates with the Graduate Certificate in Remote Health Practice and the Master of Remote and Indigenous Health and the sequentially developed topics allow progression through the three awards. 

Students in the programs undertake a range of core topics and are then able to select from the specialty streams which include Allied Health, Medical or Nursing. Students who have completed the graduate certificate are normally awarded credit for 18 units of topics towards the graduate diploma. 

The program was developed in collaboration with the Council of Remote Area Nurses and all three courses are offered on an external basis through the Centre for Remote Health in Alice Springs.

• Admission requirements
• Course aims
• Learning outcomes
• Program of study

Admission requirements

Applicants who do not hold the Graduate Certificate in Remote Health Practice must normally hold an approved degree or equivalent qualification from an approved tertiary institution in a health related field.

Applicants undertaking the Nursing Stream must have a minimum of two years post-registration experience and must be currently registered with the Australian Health Practitioner Regulation Agency as a Registered Nurse, with no restrictions on practice.

Applicants undertaking the Medical Stream must be either currently enrolled in the Doctor of Medicine, Flinders University, or currently registered with the Australian Health Practitioner Regulation Agency as a Medical Practitioner.

However, the Dean (Education) may, under certain circumstances and subject to specific conditions, admit others who can show evidence of fitness for candidature.

Course aims

The Graduate Diploma in Remote Health Practice is designed for health professionals experienced in working within remote and Indigenous contexts to advance their knowledge of the discipline of Remote Health.

It aims to extend their current knowledge across three major content areas that underpin practice within the discipline of Remote Health locally, nationally and internationally.

These content areas are:

• the remote context – an inseparable work and living environment characterised by unique cultural, linguistic, social, economic, geographical, and climatic conditions
• public health – a population based framework for planning, developing, managing and evaluating initiatives and programs to promote health and prevent disease
• application to practice – the inter-professional and profession specific skills, knowledge and attributes required for competent, confident, accountable remote and Indigenous health practice within a primary health care framework.

Learning outcomes

At the completion of the course students are expected to be able to:

• have a comprehensive knowledge of social determinants and public health principles to apply to remote and isolated practice contexts locally, nationally and internationally

• incorporate this knowledge to advance their professional practice and initiate and lead culturally safe Primary Health Care interventions

• apply knowledge and skills to work competently and confidently with the people and professionals of remote areas to keep remote and Indigenous people well and manage ill-health

• use a range of technologies to communicate information; retrieve data, make evidence based decisions; and disseminate knowledge between individuals and groups over long distances

• be problem-solvers who use their knowledge creatively to improve access and reduce inequity; implement flexible solutions to improve management of chronic conditions; increase the focus on prevention; and reflect upon, implement and evaluate ideas to improve quality, safety, performance and accountability

• respect the linguistic and cultural diversity of the remote health practice setting and develop strategies that decolonise the privileging of English language and western discourses

• practice autonomously within their own professional boundaries, contributing unique skills and knowledge to the multi-disciplinary health care team

• adopt a life-long learning approach to professional education that is transferable across remote and isolated Primary Health Care contexts globally

• acknowledge their own professional, social, economic and cultural background, which locates them in specific positions of privilege, authority and power locally, nationally and internationally.

Program of study

To qualify for the Graduate Diploma in Remote Health Practice, a student must complete 36 units with a grade of P or NGP or better in each topic, according to the following program of study.

Not all topics are necessarily available in a given year.

Core - Year 1 topics

 REMH8001  Context of Remote & Indigenous Health  (4.5 units)
 REMH8002  Remote & Indigenous Primary Health Care  (4.5 units)
 REMH8013  Public Health Principles for Remote & Indigenous Practice  (4.5 units)
 REMH8014  Ethics Power and Practice  (4.5 units)
 REMH8015  Research and Evidence Based Decision Making  (4.5 units)

Plus one of  the following specialty streams OR 13.5 units of option topics.

Stream - Allied Health

REMH8003 Fundamentals of Remote Allied Health Practice  (4.5 units)

Plus two 4.5 unit option topics.

Stream - Medical

 REMH8004  Remote and Indigenous Family Medicine  (4.5 units)
 REMH8005  Remote and Indigenous Complex Chronic Disease  (4.5 units)

Plus one 4.5 unit option topic.

Stream - Nursing

 REMH8006  Remote Advanced Nursing Practice & Pharmacotherapeutics 1A  (4.5 units)
 REMH8007  Remote Advanced Nursing Practice Across the Lifespan (4.5 units)
 REMH8021  Chronic Disease in Remote and Indigenous Primary Health Care  (4.5 units)

Option - Year 1 topics

 REMH8003  Fundamentals of Remote Allied Health Practice  (4.5 units)
 REMH8012  Project Management  (4.5 units)
 REMH8016  Remote Health Services Management in Practice (4.5 units)
 REMH8021  Chronic Disease in Remote and Indigenous Primary Health Care  (4.5 units)
 REMH8025  Recognising and Responding to Dementia in Indigenous Communities  (4.5 units)
 REMH8026  Working with People with Disability in Remote and Indigenous Communities  (4.5 units)
 REMH9017  Remote Health Services: Strategic Management  (4.5 units)
 REMH9023A  Remote & Indigenous Research Project  (4.5 units)
 PHCA9504  Critical Practice in Indigenous Health  (4.5 units)
 PHCA9507  Health Promotion in Public Health  (4.5 units)

Other topics may be selected from other programs within Flinders University and from other universities in consultation with the Course Coordinator.

Except with permission of the Dean (Education):

• the program must be completed within six consecutive semesters
• no topic may be attempted more than twice.

The award of a grade of Fail (F) in 9 or more units may constitute prima facie evidence of unsatisfactory progress for the purposes of the University Policy on Student Progress.