Research is one of four options within the Scholarly Activity academic unit that UWA medical students can choose while training with the Rural Clinical School of WA (RCSWA).
Students learn to conduct high-quality impactful research and gain key skills including critical thinking, problem solving, data analysis, evidence appraisal and scientific communication.
All RCSWA research projects are focused on exploring and identifying factors that contribute to significant health gains for rural communities.
Former RCSWA Bunbury penultimate year student Georgina Allen worked with Research Fellow Dr Emma Jamieson and fellow Bunbury student Ben Salmond last year on the ORCHID project, looking at screening and management of gestational diabetes for women in WA's Kimberley region.
Georgina said while the time investment for research scholarly might be greater than other streams, she found it very worthwhile in terms of the learnings she gained.
“Doing research with RCSWA was great - you become a part of the local research community, get close supervision, and learn lots of new skills,” she said.
“One of my main takeaways was that local research can have a big impact in shaping bespoke guidelines for diverse populations, a great example being the Kimberley Clinical Guidelines. In previous research I've been part of, the ‘bench to bedside’ timeline seemed lengthy and opaque, but through this project I could see how research can be readily translatable.”
Image: Former RCSWA student researcher Georgina Allen
Dr Jamieson, RCSWA Scholarly Activities Rural Research Acting Coordinator, said the school took a family-centred and community-based approach to research, supporting the entire lifespan and recognising the social determinants of health affecting rural communities.
“UWA students who opt to do a rural research project with us will collaborate with diverse rural communities and their health services, making sure that research is relevant and responsive to local needs and priorities,” she said.
“Their work will contribute to our larger vision of equitable healthcare for rural and remote WA.”
RCSWA has 10 research projects requiring student input over 2026. They include:
- Comparing driver behaviour among rural/regional and metropolitan Raine study participants
2. Healthcare Access for Rural Practitioners (HARP)
3. Heavy Metal Tooth Fairy Project
4. How does RCSWA experience shape a medical student’s understanding of Rural Generalism?
5. Identifying suitable candidates for renal transplantation in the Kimberley region: follow-up clinical audit
6. Implementation of a psycho-existential symptom assessment tool in a rural palliative care service
7. Indigenous Land Management Practices, Health and Wellbeing
8. Investigating progression to type 2 diabetes among Kimberley Aboriginal people to improve screening and prevention
9. Measure of rural intent for medical students and prevocational doctors
10. Optimisation of screening and management of hyperglycaemia in pregnancy: ORCHID Study
Download the flyers above for individual supervisor emails or contact [email protected] for more information.