Aug 11, 2010, 11:25 am
Hey Amelia May. Are you 2nd semester, 2nd year? You'll get an info day sometime during this semester, probably in September. Seems so long ago for me now. It depends on whether you choose to do summer semester or first semester.
There are the usual electives which are so competative and it seems that everyone is desperate to do them - ED, OT and ICU. In Brisi there usually are for both:
For last year, summer semester:
Ipswich: ED x 2, ICU x 1 Day procedure unit x 1, Renal x 1
Mater Adults: ICU x 1 CCU x 1 OT x 2 ED x 2.
Mater Private: ICU x 1 CCU x 1
PAH: ENT x 2, Renal transplant x 1 CCU x 1 Cardiothoracics (NUM isn't nice but I've been told you learn alot) x 3 ICU (huge ICU) x 1 ED (great place but a bit of a mess) x 4 Oncology x 2 OT x 1 Trauma HDU (I did this it was good lots of heavy patients) x 1 Ortho (really nice staff on these wards)x 2 Neurosurg x 2 Community renal dialysis unit x 1
RBWH: Oncology x 1 Bone marrow transplant x 1 ICU (friend did this she said it was good) x 1 ED (a fantastic place to learn but a bit scary at first) x 1 Thoracic/dermatology x 1 coronory care (really good Ive been told) x 1 cardiology x 1 burns x 1 OT x 1 orthopaedic trauma x 1 ortho general x1, colorectal surgery x 1,
Wes: ICU x 1 CICU x 1 CCU x 1 OT x 1 Dialysis x 1
St Andrews War Mem: ED x 1 ICU x 1
St Andrews Ipswich: OT x 1 Surgical x 1 Medical x 1 Woman's health x 1
Holy Spirit: ortho/neuro x 2 medical/oncology x 2 colorectal x 2 cardiac x 2 ICU x 2 CCL x 1 endoscopy x 1 OT x 4 ED x 1 (ED at Holy Spirit is SO quite. Probably not the best place to learn)
Then there are Blue care, pal care, Indigenous health and aged care - and lots of rural options for these.
Kids:
Ipswich x 3
Mater kids ED x 2
Mater kids private (not sure what area but I had a friend who said there was only one private ward) x 3
RCH PICU, ED (ED staff are good use to having alot of students through), Oncology (friend loved this) x 2 OT x 1 (had a friend who did this and LOVED it). At RCH lots of general ward places available - ortho, respiratory, surgery, infectious diseases.
Holy Spirit also had one general place in kids.
Mental health: Ipswich acute and aged care places available. RCH - had a friend who went here for kids MH and she LOVED it.
And the famous Park always has places.
Rural placements in hospital - they always have Warick, St George, Dalby, Goondiwindi, Laidley, Longreach, Kingaroy, Charlesville, Sometimes Mt Isa. Rural would be great if you are still living at home and don't have a lease to worry about. Most provide cheap accommodation if available for students.
If you want a rural placement elsewhere (or even interstate major hospital ie Sydney, Darwin, or nearby ie Sunshine Coast hospitals, or GC hospitals), you have to contact Marie ASAP and ask her if it will be possible. She has managed to find a bunch of random places when people asked for them. But get onto it now and you have to keep on her - she can forget or just not get back to you.
First semestser 2010 had similar places but not quite as many specialty positions ie ED, ICU because remember there are SO many QUT, Griffith students around. Oh and Greenslopes offered 1st semester but not summer. You'll still see heaps of QUT and Griffith over the summer but they do short practs for 5th semester, not 10 weeks like UQ.
Hope it helps. You'll find out soon enough. UQ was a bit disorganised last year, they were still confirming places on the day we were suppose to select electives. Hopefully they have improved for you guys so you have more time to think about it.
Word of advice. Pick maybe two "dream" electives. Then have at least two back ups. Beacuse you'll find if you want ED at RBWH you can guarantee another 20 students will also want it and you might not click fast enough. It is first in first served unfortuantly. So have back ups!!!
If I may, I would tell yout to think twice about doing summer semester. Sounds great to finish mid year bit actually, you can't work during third year so unless you have parents who can fund you, you will struggle spending all summer and all first semester doing 32-40 hours a week plus assignments. If you worked all summer and then worked for the 4 weeks break in winter you'll be better off. Plus, there are so few jobs available at mid year and there are still 1000 nurses graduating in QLD - nowhere near that many positions. So you might not get a grad position you want, or may not get one at all. More options at start of year, especially for rural.
Good luck.
