Health Sciences

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Professional placements are an important part of many of our courses.

Dietetics

The third and fourth years of the course include a substantial component of professional placement. You will work in dietetic workplaces including hospitals, community care, food service and advocacy.

Occupational therapy placements

You must do 1000 hours of professional placement in the last two years of your course. This includes four weeks in third year, and two eight-week blocks and a project placement in fourth year. You will gain experience in government and non-government agencies including hospitals, community agencies, schools and rehabilitation centres.

Orthoptics placements

You will do clinical education and professional practice in the last 18 months of your course, mainly within the Orthoptics Clinical School Network. The network includes private clinics, Royal Victorian Eye and Ear Hospital, Royal Children's Hospital, Northern Health, Alfred Hospital, Austin Health and Monash Medical Centre.

We also have placement providers in regional Victoria, interstate and overseas. Students have done placements in Albury, Ballarat, Bendigo, Geelong, Warrnambool, Adelaide, Alice Springs, Brisbane, Gold Coast, Cairns, Canberra, Hobart, Perth, Rockhampton and Townsville.

Physiotherapy placements

In the Bachelor of Health Sciences/Master of Physiotherapy Practice and graduate entry Master of Physiotherapy Practice, you will complete 30 weeks of full-time clinical experience in a range of healthcare settings. Placements may include semester breaks.

In the Master of Sports Physiotherapy, you will complete 100 hours of clinical placements with APA sports physiotherapists. Some placements are available with elite sporting teams.

In the Master of Musculoskeletal Physiotherapy, you will complete 160 hours of clinical placements in hospital outpatient departments under APA musculoskeletal physiotherapists.

Podiatry placements

You must do clinical placements in Melbourne and in rural or regional Victoria. We have our own clinic at the Melbourne campus and external placements are available in Melbourne, rural and regional Victoria, interstate and overseas.

Prosthetics & Orthotics

You will do a half-day observational placement in first year and two clinical placements totalling 12 weeks in fourth year.

Speech Pathology

We offer practical experience at the La Trobe Communication Clinic at Bundoora and in hospitals, community health centres, schools, early childhood centres and private practice in rural, metropolitan and interstate settings.