October 2012 39

FIFTH-YEAR medical students Gaspard Bertrand, 22 and Laura Saint-Paul, 23 have almost completed a seven-week practical training placement

at the Cairns Clinic and will take home new skills and experiences from their time abroad.

The practical placement of international students independent from an Australian university is a first for Ramsay Cairns. The Cairns Clinic Director of Clinical Services, Joshua Hart, said the process was very easy and a good learning opportunity for both the students and staff members.

“The students contacted me by email from France in July last year and expressed an interest to complete a practical psychiatry placement,” he said.

“I made sure the Cairns Clinic was clear on what their learning objectives were and when I received the paperwork from the Claude Bernard University Lyon 1, I knew we would be able to give them the opportunity to attain them.

“They have been attending group sessions; sitting in consultations with each of our three psychiatrists. They have also worked with the General Practitioners at the hospital during the physical assessment on admission and have practiced their history-taking from patients. So all the experiences they have been exposed to have been very practical for them to prepare them for work when they graduate as doctors.”

The students, who will be studying psychiatry in classes on their return to

university, wanted to have an early introduction to psychiatry and Ramsay Cairns was also able to give them a taste of internal medicine in a visit to the Cairns Private Hospital and Cairns Day Surgery.

“We have tried to learn every type of pathology while we have been over here,” said Laura. “We have learnt about depression, PTSD, bipolar disorder anxiety, alcohol detoxification and Obsessive Compulsive Disorder.

“It has been helpful for us to learn about the treatments, aetiology and of course brush up on some English.”

Gaspard and Laura will be followed by two other international students who will complete placements at the Cairns Clinic later this year. By Alexandra McLaren

French students Gaspard Bertrand and Laura Saint-Paul with Joshua Hart (centre), Cairns Clinic Director of Clinical Services

The Cairns Clinic extends learning opportunities to French medical students

exchangeInternational

In focus: Mental health