Student placements in the Northern Territory

Northern Territory placements provide a unique learning opportunity to medical, allied health, and nursing students each year.

Placement sites vary from remote clinics and practices to large tertiary hospitals, and from isolated desert and island communities to the multi-cultural centres of Darwin and Alice Springs. We encourage and support students to embrace the learning opportunities, become involved in the local communities and make a positive difference to the health of our population.

NT placements

Medical students

Available to approved Flinders medical students enrolled in their final year of their medical degree.

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Nursing and Allied Health students

Students from any university or health-related course are welcome to access our placement services.

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Supervisors

Our Flinders University Department of Rural Health (UDRH) team offer ongoing support for all placement supervisors.

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Placement locations

Darwin

Nursing and Allied Health students

There are many placement opportunities in the Darwin area for all nursing and allied health disciplines, in both private organisations and with the Department of Health. Placement locations may include:

Royal Darwin Hospital
Darwin Private Hospital
Private clinics
Public health departments
Primary and Special Schools
Palliative Care facility
Aged-Care facilities

Useful links

Nhulunbuy

Nursing and Allied Health students

Students will have access to a diverse caseload with a strong cultural component. Placement opportunities may exist for nursing, midwifery, pharmacy, physiotherapy, medical imaging, nutrition and dietetics, exercise physiology and occupational therapy students. Placement locations may include:

Gove District Hospital (30 beds)
Miwatji Health Aboriginal Corporation
Laynhapuy Homelands Aboriginal Corporation
Community-based student-assisted allied health service (Cardiac rehab focus in 2023)
Other community organisations

Useful Links

About East Arnhem Land

Katherine

Nursing and Allied Health students

Katherine offers a diverse range of placement opportunities for allied health, nursing and midwifery students to experience rural and remote health practice. Placement locations include many public and private health centres.

Find out more about Nursing and Allied Health placements

Useful links

Tennant Creek

Nursing and Allied Health students

Nursing and Allied Health students can experience a variety of opportunities including community nursing and social work. Placement locations may include:

Tennant Creek Hospital
Department of Territory Families

Find out more about Nursing and Allied Health placements

Useful links

Alice Springs

Nursing and Allied Health students

There are many placement opportunities in the Alice Springs area for all nursing and allied health disciplines, in both private organisations and with the Department of Health. Placement locations may include:

Alice Springs Hospital
Remote community clinics
Private clinics
Public health departments
Royal Flying Doctor Service
Central Australian Aboriginal Congress
Primary and Special Schools
Palliative Care facility
Aged-Care facilities

Find out more about Nursing and Allied Health placements

Useful links

Student placement accommodation

If you are a current domestic student undertaking training or clinical placement and requires accommodation in the NT, our Flinders Rural and Remote Health team can help provide support.

We manage properties used exclusively as student placement accommodation in Alice Springs, Darwin, Katherine, Nhulunbuy and Tennant Creek.

Important information

Accommodation is in the form of shared houses or units/apartments, depending on your location, with single room accommodation for each student. Kitchen, living areas, bathrooms etc. are shared spaces for all students staying in the property. All accommodation is fully furnished.
A $200 refundable security deposit applies to all bookings and is payable within 48 hours of accepting a booking.
Internet access available at most locations.
Commutable distance from placement venues.
Accommodation is not routinely available to partners or family members of students.
Accommodation may include students from other universities, health disciplines and genders.
Pets are not permitted in any Flinders accommodation.
For information on how to apply, contact ntmp.clinical@flinders.edu.au (medical students) or rrhnt.placements@flinders.edu.au (nursing and allied health students).

Student activities and events

Student Networking and Interprofessional Sessions (SNIPS)

Student Networking and Inter-Professional Sessions (SNIPS) are relaxed sessions where students can learn about remote practice and meet with students from other universities and disciplines.

Enjoy light refreshments while listening to speakers talk about their profession or experience in the Northern Territory. The sessions also provide a forum for students who are required to do presentations for their placement or who would like to share their own experiences.

SNIPS are held regularly at each of our placement sites. You will receive emails about upcoming sessions after you register your placement with us.

Previous SNIPS sessions have covered a wide range of topics including:

P&O – More than just a Cruise Line (Prosthetics and Orthotics)
The Itchy and Scratchy Show (Crusted Scabies)
The Role of Occupational Therapy in Burns Rehab
Lipoedema, Lymphoedema or Obesity
Renal Therapies in the Top End
Working in Remote – is it a good fit for you?
Communicating with Clients with Dementia
Lessons Learned from Cyclone Marcus
Remote Area Nursing
Dialysis in the Desert – a hot topic
Organ Donation in the Northern Territory

Cultural workshops

Aboriginal culture is diverse and varies across Australia and between Northern Territory communities.

Flinders University in the NT deliver free introductory workshops for students at each of our campus sites, which cover working with Aboriginal clients in the local context of clinical health services delivery.

There are multiple factors that influence the overall health and well-being in the Aboriginal population in Australia. Understanding these factors can contribute to better health outcomes for Aboriginal clients as health practitioners use more culturally safe, secure and holistic frameworks.

Training is focused on the local regional content where your placement is based and covers working with Aboriginal clients in the context of clinical health services. As a result of the workforce diversity in the NT, the workshop will not focus on any one discipline. Students from all health disciplines and backgrounds are encouraged to attend and work through clinical conundrums which can be applied to respective work settings.

Participants are encouraged to contribute to the workshops through the sharing of experiences, by asking questions and through respectful discussion of topics and scenarios.

Register

You will receive a booking for cultural training when you register your placement with us. This training is encouraged for all students and mandatory if you use our accommodation facilities.

Please contact rrhnt.placements@flinders.edu.au for more information.

Escape rooms for education

Flinders NT has been using escape rooms to:

Engage high school students and provide insight into healthcare careers
Educate and encourage undergraduate students to gain skills and knowledge around teamwork, interprofessional practice, communication and rural healthcare
Provide training to new graduates in the Top End
Collaborate with other universities to provide activities that contribute to the quality of healthcare placements
Our research and presentations.

Pastoral care and mentoring support

Placement can be stressful, especially when you are a long way from home in a different environment. Our placement team are available to support you throughout your placement and offer local knowledge and someone to talk to.