A group of RMIT students have been lucky enough to undertake advanced clinical training placements in Nanjing University of Chinese Medicine.
The final year students are studying for their Bachelor of Health and Bachelor of Applied Science double degree and recently travelled to China to undertake clinical placements under the mobility program.
Associate Dean at RMIT’s School of Health and Biomedical Sciences, Professor Tony Zhang said it is an opportunity they could never have in Australia.
'The placement allows more students to gain invaluable and comprehensive clinical training at one of China’s leading teaching hospitals,' Prof Zhang said.
'The Nanjing University for Chinese Medicine is embedded in the public health system, so under the supervision of senior Chinese clinicians, our students will have the chance to observe 40 to 60 patient consultations a day.
'Many of the students have never lived and studied in a different country and experience shows that this is transformative and fosters a broader appreciation of the Indo-Pacific, and perhaps more importantly, a greater sense of how they can play a role in society beyond borders.'
NCP mobility student Nathen Polemikos said the learning in Chinese medicine is endless.
I am learning new theories that can be used to treat the body every week,' Nathen said.
'It is interesting to see how much crossover there is between Chinese and Western medicine.
'Considering Chinese medicine was developed thousands of years ago, how they perceive the functioning of the organs and the body systems is fascinating,’ he said.
A student of Mandarin in the early years of university study, Rachael Wisby said she valued her language skills when living in China.
'When I arrived, I was a bit shocked at how difficult I found it to try to have a conversation,' she said.
'Slowly and with daily practice I have managed to increase my skills, and I excitedly called home to report my first successful conversation with a local woman in the fruit shop.'
These skills have assisted her in her study of Chinese Medicine.
'In the hospital it has been especially interesting to see the use of traditional diagnostic skills alongside modern diagnostic techniques such as MRI or ultrasound.
Rachael said her goal is to work in community healthcare.
'I want to contribute to making allied and complementary healthcare more accessible for those who can’t afford it by volunteering one day a week in a community clinic.'
The pair say the whole experience of living and working in China has been personally and professionally enriching in more ways that they can count.
'I could not have thought of a more perfect way to complete my five years of study at RMIT than this NCP experience,' Rachael said.
'I think immersing myself in Chinese culture has been an invaluable part of my study of Chinese medicine, it has given me a much deeper understanding of the origins of this tradition and its modern applications.'
'Nathen said the experience has been incredibly rewarding across many aspects of his life.
'The exposure in the hospital to real life, everyday conditions that aren’t treated with a text-book mindset has been fantastic and that has helped me to refine all the learning I have done back home’.
'It has built my independence, self-sufficiency, and my confidence.'
And culturally, it has given me a whole other perspective on life.'