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 who have completed the graduate certificate are normally awarded credit for 18 units of topics towards the graduate diploma.

The course  was developed in collaboration with the Council of Remote Area Nurses of Australia (now CRANA Plus) building on work with the National Aboriginal Community Controlled Health Organisation (NACCHO), the services for Australian Rural and Remote Allied health (SARRAH) and the Australian College of Rural and Remote Medicine (ACRRM). It is offered on an external basis through Flinders Learning Online and residential intensives.

• 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.

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:

• interpret epidemiological and biostatistical principles in relation to remote Indigenous health
• analyse an ethical dilemma using ethical principles to formulate ethical decisions
• critically review, analyse, consolidate and synthesise knowledge to identify and provide solutions to improve quality, safety, performance and accountability
• effectively communicate information, retrieve data, make evidence based decisions and disseminate knowledge between individuals and groups including remote
• formulate advanced knowledge and skills to synthesise and communicate evidence based knowledge to identify and develop ethically sound solutions both independently and in collaboration with other professionals
• practice at an advanced professional level collaboratively with an interprofessional team
• examine 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

13.5 units comprising:

 REMH8001  Context of Remote & Indigenous Health  (4.5 units)
 REMH8002  Remote & Indigenous Primary Health Care  (4.5 units)
 REMH8014  Ethics, Power and Practice  (4.5 units)

Plus 4.5 units selected from the following:

NURS9123  Epidemiology and Population Studies for Health Care Practice  (4.5 units)
PHCA9522  Introduction to Epidemiological Research Methods  (4.5 units)

Plus 4.5 units selected from the following:

NURS9219  Introduction to Research  (4.5 units)
PHCA9502A  Qualitative Research Methods - Part A  (4.5 units)

Option - Year 1 topics

Plus 13.5 units selected from the following:

 PHCA9523  Introductory Biostatistics  (4.5 units)
 REMH8003  Fundamentals of Remote Allied Health Practice  (4.5 units)
 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)
 REMH8026  Working with People with Disability in Remote and Indigenous Communities  (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.