James Cook University College of Medicine and Dentistry

The College of Medicine and Dentistry is a constituent body of the James Cook University.HistoryOriginally opened as the School of Medicine in February 2000, this was Australia's first new medical school in 25 years and the only medical school in northern Australia. It was the first of a wave of new medical schools that were accredited under the Howard Government that include the University of Western Sydney, Notre Dame, and Griffith University. The original intake was 60 medical students. In 2007, the School announced a significant expansion involving a doubling of physical size under a $30 million building expansion plan. This is jointly funded by the Australian and Queensland Government, the expansion will enable the University to provide facilities for an extra 50 Commonwealth supported medical students each year - an increase of about 50%. In 2014, the restructure of James Cook University saw the School renamed 'College of Medicine and Dentistry'. The discipline of Pharmacy, formerly associated with the School of Pharmacy and Molecular Sciences, was added to the College.MedicineThe Medical School was accredited by the Australian Medical Council in 1999. The medical program aims to produce graduates who can progress to medical practice and to further studies in medical specialties. The course places special emphasis on rural and Indigenous health and tropical medicine.The course is based at the Townsville Campus for the first three years. Year 4 is split between Townsville and Cairns. In the final two years of the course, most students relocate to other teaching sites such as Cairns, Mackay, and Darwin. During these two years students spend most of their learning time in hospitals and health services.