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International Students’ Flexible Study Arrangements

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The following arrangements have been approved by the Office of Medical Education (OME) for international fee-paying students enrolled in the Sydney Medical Program. This includes international students whose fees are subsidised in part or full via a scholarship.

These arrangements are not available to students who are not enrolled as international fee-paying students at the time of their planned overseas study, even if they have previously been enrolled as international students.

Option 1 (USMLE preparation)

International students planning to sit the USMLE, who wish to take some time off to study for the Part 1 examination, may apply to do so in place of one of the Stage 3 Specialty Blocks.

If this option is taken, the missed Specialty Block will have to be undertaken at the end of the fourth year of the course (Term J). The associated Summative assessment paper (normally sat at the end of Terms D and I) will also have to be undertaken at the end of the fourth year of the course (Term J). This will delay the Pre-Internship term and completion of the Medical Program until some time in the following year.

This arrangement will be subject to approval by the relevant Specialty Block Coordinator, the Associate Dean of the Student’s Clinical School and the Stage 3 Coordinator, or their delegates.

The student will be expected to undertake and meet the usual requirements for assessment in the relevant Specialty Block.

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Option 2 (Substitute PRINT)

Students intending to seek placement as interns in their country of origin may apply to do their Pre-Internship Term in an accredited medical centre in that country.

This request will be subject to approval of the proposed term by the Print Committee and the OME.

Note:

  • Four months’ notice before the start of the Print Term will be required by the Medical School if this option is contemplated.
  • An application form (.doc) must be completed and submitted for approval.
    Further information can be found here (requires medkey login).
  • Students who have elected to take up Option 1 are also able to take this option.
  • The Pre-Internship contact is Dr James Kwan:

Important points to note

  1. A student who fails to complete the assessment requirements of a substitute Specialty Block which is undertaken overseas will be required to repeat the Specialty Block in Australia.
  2. A student who in Option 1 completes a missed Specialty Block in Term J will be required to undertake the Specialty Block in Australia.
  3. Delayed Print will have some important implications in 2010 and beyond. The NSW Department of Health and CETI have recently made changes in the Intern allocation process and how students who are undertaking a delayed Print will be handled. Please refer to the CETI website for details.
  4. Final approval of requests for flexible study under this policy is at the discretion of the Office of Medical Education, Sydney Medical Program.
    The normal delegates for this purpose are the Stage 3 Coordinator and the Chair of the Medical Program.
    Students are advised not to make irrevocable arrangements (such as payment for airfares) before such approval has been received.

Reviewed & revised by OME (CMD & TH) April 2009


Stage 3 Co-ordinator (delegate of USMP Committee)
Associate Professor Chris Dennis
Sydney Medical School
Room 114
A27 - Edward Ford Building
Email:
Fax: (02) 9926 8855

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