University of Auckland, Faculty of Medical and Health Sciences
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
The University of Auckland's Faculty of Medical and Health Sciences (formerly known as The University of Auckland School of Medicine.) was established in 1968 at its present site in Grafton, Auckland. Prior to this, the University of Otago had taught some students from the final years of its medical course in Auckland through a branch faculty of the Dunedin School of Medicine.
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[edit] Location
The pre-clinical building is on the opposite side of the road to Auckland Hospital. The name of the building reflects the historical pre-dominance of medicine within the faculty - the three years before a medicine student begins doing their 'rounds' (practical in hospitals) are known as the 'pre-clinical' years.
The faculty also has offices in Auckland Hospital.
In response to growth, The School of Population Health has moved to a newly built campus in Tamaki. This is believed to have occurred since the Auckland City Council would not allow the University of Auckland to purchase anymore land in the CBD with the council preferring this land to be used for commercial purposes.
[edit] Degrees
The faculty is perhaps best known for its medicine programme. The University offers 150 places per year in this six year programme. Formerly it offered the Bachelor of Human Biology and the Bachelor of Medicine, Bachelor of Surgery (M.B.Ch.B). Since 2005, this was altered and now prospective doctors study for six years to only gain the Bachelor of Medicine, Bachelor of Surgery, which is the same recognised programme for Trained Doctors to be working in New Zealand.
In addition to this degree the faculty offers other undergraduate (bachelor) degrees which include Bachelor of Optometry, Bachelor of Health Science, Bachelor of Pharmacy﹐Bachelor of Nursing and Bachelor of Biomedical Science (jointly with the University of Auckland Faculty of Science).
A wide range of Post-graduate programmes are also offered, up to the doctorate level (PhD, MD).
The faculty is accredited by the Australasian Medical Council.
[edit] Waikato Clinical School
The Waikato Clinical School branch of the faculty is located on the ground of Waikato Hospital, New Zealand's 2nd largest hospital behind Auckland Hospital.
This campus is home to 50-60 undergraduate medical students for most of the academic year 1
[edit] Research
The Faculty possesses the only brain bank in New Zealand. This brain bank contains over 400 brains bequeathed to the medical school2, these include those from people who suffer neurological diseases such as Huntington's disease and Parkinson's disease.
[edit] Impact
When officials were determining where the new children's hospital was to be placed, lobbying by paediatricians from the faculty influenced the placement of Starship. Starship ended up across the road from the faculty's pre-clinical building as opposed to in South Auckland where it is, in hindsight, believed to have been needed more.
