About the Department of Rural Clinical Sciences
The Department of Rural Clinical Sciences is committed to making rural health and wellbeing matter in biomedical science (medical), biomedical science, pharmacy, dentistry and oral health.
Our Department is part of the La Trobe Rural Health School.
Our goal is to graduate rural health practitioners and scientists, undertake impactful research, and engage with our communities to promote equitable health outcomes for rural populations.
We offer undergraduate and postgraduate degrees at La Trobe’s regional campuses in Bendigo and Albury-Wodonga, online and in Singapore where we partner with PSB Academy.
Our offerings include our flagship Bachelor of Biomedical Science (Medical) program, a pre-medicine course that provides a pathway into the graduate entry Doctor of Medicine Rural Pathway offered by The University of Melbourne in Shepparton.
Our students learn from clinical and academic experts in their field. We educate students in a range of clinical and scientific approaches, then give them professional workplace experiences that provide them with the opportunity to immerse themselves in the existing rural workforce.
Our graduates have pursued careers in clinical practice in hospitals, laboratories and private practice.
Our work brings together clinical practice and biomedical science across biomedical science, pharmacy, dentistry and oral health. We focus on education and research that are grounded in rural contexts and responsive to the needs of rural communities, health services and industry.
Future practitioners
If you are wanting to become a rural health professional, a La Trobe degree is the gateway to a rewarding career.
Our courses in biomedical science (medical), biomedical science, pharmacy, dentistry and oral health are designed to provide students with the theoretical knowledge, practical skills and industry experience that will set them up for success.
They incorporate elements specific to rural health, so that graduates are equipped to become valued professionals and leaders in rural and regional practice.
Our Bachelor of Biomedical Science (Medical) program offers graduate entry into the Doctor of Medicine Rural Pathway offered by The University of Melbourne in Shepparton. It provides rural students with guaranteed end-to-end medical training within regional Victoria, to support the next generation or rural general practitioners.
Our Bachelor of Biomedical Science combines the fields of biology and medical science, for careers in high-demand sectors including education, healthcare, media and research.
Our dentistry and oral health courses enable students to become dental practitioners, many of whom graduate with a commitment to improving oral health in rural communities. Students get hands-on experience in placements across regional Victoria and treat patients under the supervision of experienced clinicians.
And, our Bachelor of Pharmacy (Honours) focuses on how medicines treat diseases and impact people's lives, but also on the importance of patient-centred and individualised care. Students benefit from learning in our on-campus training pharmacy and get work-ready by undertaking a range of community and hospital placements.
Rural research with impact
Our research is creating meaningful change in rural health.
Spanning basic science through to translational science, our work aims to improve the health and wellbeing of individuals in regional and rural locations. Priority areas include super-resolution microscopes, laboratory analytics, clinical trials and population health approaches.
Our researchers investigate the molecular and genetic basis of disease, and how to improve oral health outcomes in rural communities. We have experts in biomedical and pharmaceutical science working in the laboratory, through to public health experts that work directly with our rural communities.
We engage with industry and the community on projects that are changing the face of clinical and scientific practice, locally and internationally.
We also have a Higher Degree Research program, where students work with experienced researchers on projects that aim to improve rural health outcomes.