Work begins on Western Sydney University’s Macarthur Clinical School

Construction has officially begun on Western Sydney University's new Macarthur Clinical School at Campbelltown Hospital – a multi-million dollar facility to provide advanced training to medical students and researchers.

NSW Health Minister Jillian Skinner turned the first sod to mark the start of the development, where she was also joined by the University's Vice-Chancellor Professor Barney Glover, Member for Wollondilly Jai Rowell, and other University and Hospital senior representatives.

The $21 million, four-storey building is jointly funded by the NSW Government and Western Sydney University.

"A clinical school is a vital part of a young medical student's journey, providing the opportunity to acquire and practice the clinical skills they must have to become a highly competent doctor," Mrs Skinner said.

"There has never been a more exciting time for Campbelltown Hospital patients and staff – or a more exciting time to be a medical graduate or young doctor in Western Sydney," she said.

Vice-Chancellor Professor Barney Glover said the new Clinical School will be one of the key training sites for the University's School of Medicine, where hands-on clinical experience is embedded in the students' training from their very first year.

"The new Macarthur Clinical School will significantly enhance our students' education and training. The state-of-the-art facility is where our students will be mentored by senior specialists and other health professionals from the Hospital," said Professor Glover.

"Ultimately, it is all about encouraging more medical students and young doctors from the area to stay and work locally in Greater Western Sydney, and become the much-needed home-grown doctors who can understand the complex health needs of the region."

Features of the new clinical school will include:

• a 153-seat lecture theatre
• a clinical skills teaching facility
• simulation laboratory
• eight clinic/clinical trials rooms
• hospital library
• office space for clinical academic teams
• a new Centre for Education and Workforce Development (LHD) teaching and office facility.

The clinical school will be completed by December 2016. It will open in early 2017.

Ends 

15 December 2015

Amanda Whibley - Manager, Media and Public Relations