If you are successful for the JFPP you will now no doubt have lots of questions such as how do I find out where I will be placed? Can I arrange my own placement community? How do I arrange my placements? How do the placements work? I will endeavour to cover the answers to many of the questions that the JFPP team are asked...

Step 1

The philosophy of the program is about having a positive rural community experience rather than a clinical one. With that in mind it is more important to determine what type of rural experience you would like to have. For example, do you want to go to a general practice or a hospital?

Step 2

As a new JFPP student you will complete a community profile form to indicate what type of community you would like to experience. The JFPP team will then match you to the most suitable of the available communities. This will be on a first in first served basis. There will be an allocated period to submit your requests to ensure that it is fair.

Most students don’t really know what to expect in a lot of the communities or even where they are located. How will you know what it will be like if you haven’t been there before? Try to keep an open mind. Many students have been placed in communities they may not have considered and have had a fantastic experience.

Step 3

When you are matched to your community and mentor the JFPP team will email you the details of your placement. It is your responsibility to contact your mentor to introduce yourself and arrange a suitable date to complete your first and subsequent placements.
It is a requirement of the program that you complete your first placement by the following February of the year you are accepted. So if you are accepted in 2009 you have until February 2010 to complete your first placement.

Step 4

The next step is to complete an online travel booking form. This must be done at least 6 weeks prior to departure. It is recommended that you start organising your placements with your mentor at least 3 months in advance to allow sufficient time for arrangements to be put in place. Rural doctors are extremely busy and may take some time to contact.

All placements are required to be at least 2 weeks in length however shorter placements may be approved in special circumstances.
It is a requirement that you complete a 2 week placement every 12 months in order to remain eligible to stay in the program. If you are having trouble meeting this requirement, you need to contact the JFPP team to discuss your options. You may be able to complete a longer placement of 3 or 4 weeks for your next placement.

You are also required to ensure that you have indemnity insurance for each placement. See ‘Insurance and Travel’ section for more information.

Once I have finished my placement what do I need to do?

You are required to complete an evaluation questionnaire to give the JFPP team feedback about your experience. This will enable the JFPP staff to respond to any issues and to make any necessary improvements. We want to ensure that your placements are a great experience.

You are also required to write a placement report of approximately one or two pages in length about your community and your placement experience. Your report will be posted on RRMEO, a secure website for JFPP students to share experiences about their placements.