$1million RCS extensions officially opened by Minister for Health

The new facilities will cater for growing student numbers and provide additional teaching and research opportunities for students and health professionals alike.

Minister Roxon said the Australia-wide Rural Clinical School Program is proving crucial in the training of young doctors to ease the shortage of medical professionals in rural and regional areas of Australia such as North West Tasmania.,/p>

"We are unapologetic that our intention is to encourage people to stay and build a career and life in this community," she said.

"So I hope if there are any of the students here today you take note of that - we're keen to encourage and keep you here and I know other health professionals in the room will be doing all they can to train and support you to do that."

Speaking in response to the Minister, fifth-year RCS medical student Henry Nowlan said that students were choosing to move to the region to take advantage of the high standard of facilities and teachers.

“We heard a rumour that Burnie had good facilities and good teachers, and when we got here we found the facilities were excellent and the teachers were fantastic,” he said.

The RCS currently provides a base for 41 undergraduate medical students, with numbers projected to rise to around 50 in 2010. The facility is also used by increasing numbers of nursing, pharmacy and clinical psychology students, junior doctors and health researchers.