Monash University Calendar

Faculty of Medicine, Nursing and Health Sciences regulations

Master of Family Medicine

Master of Family Medicine

The degree

1. There shall be a degree of Master of Family Medicine (MFamMed) awarded in one grade only.

Definitions

2. In these regulations, unless the contrary intention appears:
'faculty board' means the faculty board of the Faculty of Medicine, Nursing and Health Sciences;
'head' means the head of the Department of Community Medicine;
'degree' means the degree of Master of Family Medicine.

Admission to candidature

3. A person shall not be eligible for admission to candidature unless that person;

3.1 has graduated with or qualified for the degree of Bachelor of Medicine and Bachelor of Surgery in this university not less than two years previously; or

3.2 has qualifications which in the opinion of the faculty board are equivalent to or are a satisfactory substitute for the qualifications prescribed in subsection 3.1 above; or

3.3 has graduated with, or qualified for, the Graduate Diploma in Family Medicine at this university and has satisfactorily completed in addition to the normal curriculum for the Graduate Diploma in Family Medicine:

3.3.1 either two compulsory units or three elective units; and

3.3.2 minor thesis on an approved research project completed under supervision; and

3.4 is currently registered by an approved medical board, in Australia or elsewhere.

4.1 Preference will be given to applicants currently active in clinical practice.

4.2 An applicant shall not be admitted to candidature unless the faculty board is satisfied, on the advice of the head, that adequate facilities and supervision are available.

Conditions of candidature

5. When an applicant has been admitted to candidature the faculty board shall, on the advice of the head, appoint as supervisor a member of the teaching staff who shall be responsible to the faculty board.

6. Subject to Statute 6.2 - Exclusion for unsatisfactory progress, the faculty board may review the academic progress of a candidate and, after taking into account any recommendations from the head, and after giving the candidate an opportunity to be heard, may terminate the candidature on the grounds of unsatisfactory progress.

Course of study

7. Except where the faculty board otherwise permits, the course of study for the degree must be undertaken by part-time candidature and must be completed in not less than four and one half and not more than five years.

8. Candidates shall complete the course by course work and minor thesis in the following manner:

Year 1 - Major units 1 and 2

Academic basis of General practice/Family medicine; Introduction to research in General practice/Family medicine;

Year 2 - Major units 3 and 4

Applied research in General practice/Family medicine; Learning and teaching in Gamily medicine;

Year 3

Three elective units chosen from Preventive care, Palliative care, Clinical nutrition, Musculoskeletal medicine, Computers in medicine, Dermatology, Women's health, Electrocardiography, Rational prescribing, Occupational health and safety;

Year 4

Completion of minor thesis.

Minor thesis

9.1 The work for the thesis shall be carried out by the candidate, under supervision, in an area of the subject approved by the head and shall embody the results of an investigation carried out by the candidate demonstrating an ability to carry out independent research.

9.2 The work for and the contents of the thesis shall in general be the original work of the candidate and that part which is not original shall be specified either generally in a preface or specifically in notes.

9.3 A candidate shall not submit for the degree any work previously accepted for a degree nor shall the candidate, without the consent of the faculty board, submit any work which the candidate has previously submitted for a degree.

Submission of thesis

10.1 Four copies of the thesis which shall include a summary and supporting papers, if any, shall be lodged with the registrar together with four separate copies of the summary.

10.2 Unless previously published, the thesis shall be:

10.2.1 typewritten or printed on paper of size and quality approved by the faculty board; and

10.2.2 bound in a form approved by the faculty board.

Certificate of supervisor

11.1 When a candidate has submitted a thesis, the supervisor shall submit a statement certifying:

11.1.1 to the best of the supervisor's knowledge, the extent to which the work was carried out by the candidate;

11.1.2 whether, in the supervisor's opinion, the thesis is properly presented and is prima facie worthy of examination.

11.2 Where the supervisor does not certify that, in the supervisor's opinion, the thesis is properly presented and is prima facie worthy of examination, the faculty board, after taking into consideration the views of the head, shall determine whether or not the thesis is to be examined.

Examination

12. On the receipt of the thesis, the faculty board shall, on the recommendation of the head, appoint at least two examiners, neither of whom shall be the candidate's supervisor, if one has been appointed and, unless the faculty board otherwise agrees, at least one of the examiners shall be external.

13. the examiners shall:

13.1 evaluate the thesis;

13.2 either by one or both of them conduct an oral examination of the candidate appropriate to the subject of the thesis;

13.3 each recommend to the faculty board whether or not the work of the candidate merits the award of the degree.

Examiners report

14. The reports of the examiners shall be transmitted to the faculty board which shall decide whether:

14.1 the candidate has satisfied the requirements for the degree; or

14.2 the candidate has failed to satisfy the requirements for the degree; or

14.3 the candidate be given leave to submit an amended thesis or to complete further course work, as the case may require, within such further period and on such conditions as it may prescribe provided however that where the recommendations of the examiners are not similar or where the faculty board considers there is any other reason for doing so it may, before making its decision, refer the thesis, reports and recommendations to any other person for consideration and report.

Publication of thesis

15.1 After the faculty board has decided that the candidate has satisfied the requirements for the degree, it shall require the candidate to have bound in book form two copies of the thesis, accepted for the purpose of the degree, of which:

15.1.1 one copy shall be lodged by the registrar in the library of the university where it may be made available by the librarian to any person for consultation and photocopying provided that for a period of three years after the thesis is lodged it shall not be available as aforesaid without the consent in writing of the author;

15.1.2 the other copy shall be transmitted to the head of the department concerned.

15.2 Of the other copies:

15.2.1 one shall be held by the supervisor; and

15.2.2 one shall be returned to the candidate.

15.3 One copy of any thesis not accepted for the degree shall be lodged with the registrar.

Effect of change of regulations

16. A candidate shall comply with these regulations as from time to time amended or remade provided that where the faculty board is of the opinion that any candidate for the degree has been adversely affected by a change in these regulations since the candidate first enrolled as a candidate for the degree, the faculty board may act to remove the adverse effects on the candidate by permitting him or her to qualify for the degree under these regulations as if they were in force without the particular change or changes which adversely affected the candidate.

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