Liverpool Hospital is one of the four principal teaching hospitals that provide clinical experience for the Medical Students of the University of NSW in their final three academic years. The Clinical Associate Dean in charge of the South Western Sydney (SWS) clinical school is Professor Ian Webster, who is a Professor of Public Health. He is supported by some 90 full-time or conjoint academics and all of the medical staff.

   This is the first Area Health Service based clinical school in Australia. It is being developed to maximise the learning, research and service development potentials within a network of 6 hospital campuses.

   During the development of our Clinical School, students were seconded to Liverpool for short periods from the other teaching hospitals. A formal clinical school structure was only established in 1990. In 1994 the first group of permanent SWS Clinical School students commenced fourth year and are now in final year. We are very proud of this group and are looking forward to many of them returning for their internship.

   Currently, there are 58 students based at SWS Clinical School: 21 in fourth year, 19 in fifth year and 18 in final year. We are continuing to slowly expand the early years which will follow through to expand the final year. These students also spend time at other hospitals in the South Western Area Health Service: Lidcombe/Bankstown, Fairfield and Campbelltown.

   In addition to the permanent students we still accept secondments from the other clinical schools. All fourth year students are still rotated to SWS Clinical School for a six week term during the course of that year. In sixth year there is a flexible term which enables about one third of them to return to Liverpool.

   Students at Liverpool are considered an integral part of the medical teams. They work alongside the junior medical officers, under the supervision of the registrars and consultants, and accept responsibilty for aspects of patient care. In addition to this apprenticeship style teaching, students have individual and small group formal teaching sessions.

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