This week's forum looks at the implications of the proposed UWA Course Structure recommendations. Following an 18 month process in which over a hundred submissions from Faculties, student bodies, professional bodies, individuals and Government Departments were received, the final review was tabled at the UWA Academic Council on September 24th. Whilst 31 recommendations have been made, perhaps the most significant involve culling the current 40 undergraduate degrees and replacing them with 5 broad 3 year undergraduate degrees (Bachelors in Arts, Health, Science, Commerce and Fine Arts) and changing all vocational undergraduate degrees post graduate masters or professional doctorate courses (such as medicine, law and engineering).

The proposed changes  are likely to be some of the biggest changes that UWA has seen. Whilst they will not affect the studies of any current graduates, the implications they will have for future medical students and our student society are significant and we are in a strong position to influence much of the change that will occur in our Faculty.

This forum asks for comments on these changes - both the principles behind them and the specific recommendations.You can access the relevant documents through the Academic Council's page on the UWA website. You can also access the submission made your student society provided on this issue here. So, read the documents, get to the forum and tell us what you think about the future of medical education at UWA.