Welcome

Message from the Dean

A warm welcome to our new students and to those considering pursuing studies in health sciences in the future.

The Faculty of Health Sciences at the University of Sydney is a world leader in health research and education. Our faculty continues to make many impressive contributions: we teach the next generation of leaders in health, we research critical health issues, and translate the solutions into community and clinical settings to improve health outcomes across society.

By joining us you are taking an important first step on the path to becoming part of this distinguished group. We have a network of more than 26,000 alumni working across all corners of the globe. Our alumni include CEOs of national and international authorities and hospitals, founders and directors of leading not-for-profit organisations, government officials and presidents of professional associations – as well as leading clinicians and researchers in health sciences.

Depth and quality of our programs

Our vibrant, engaged alumni group is a product of the depth and quality of the learning and teaching programs offered by the Faculty of Health Sciences. Our courses rigorously test and enhance our students’ abilities. They equip you with the knowledge and expertise that will place you at the forefront of your field, with the skills and ability to apply innovative practices that are evidence-based, to work in and lead multi-disciplinary teams in a wide range of settings, to think creatively and strategically, be flexible, and to work collaboratively.

We aim to graduate health professionals who are outstanding clinicians, who are leaders in health, and who have an international perspective. Our graduates are preferentially employed and are ready for the new health era.

To achieve these outcomes, we have a particular focus on fostering a learning environment that is inclusive and cross-disciplinary, and on attracting teachers who are world-leading researchers in their area of expertise.

Our researchers make new discoveries in fields as diverse as breast cancer diagnosis and rehabilitation, treating children for stuttering and speech disorders, and preventing chronic health conditions and diseases associated with aging. You will be learning from these experts and your study will be informed by the latest research.

A diverse staff and student body

At the Faculty of Health Sciences we pride ourselves on the diversity of staff and students within our faculty: students come from across Australia and 112 countries worldwide. We are committed to building a health workforce appropriate for Australia’s social and cultural diversity and have a particular focus on increasing the participation of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people at every level of our study, work and research.

This diversity makes for a rich campus environment but also informs the way we teach and carry out our research. We know that ability and passion can’t always be measured by academic performance alone, so to ensure we are attracting the best people we offer entry options such as through the Early Offer Year 12, Cadigal and Broadway schemes.

Partnerships to prepare you for the real world

The Faculty of Health Sciences maintains a network of learning, teaching, research and corporate partnerships worldwide that will provide you with the best opportunities for hands-on learning and professional contacts to advance your career, not to mention the opportunities that collaborations with other University of Sydney faculties, units and centres bring.

We offer some exciting mentorship opportunities to our students. Our Leadership Mentoring Program involves senior executives in the health sector mentoring those students who aspire to be future leaders in health. One of our current mentors is the NSW Minister of Health who is mentoring a doctoral student in Physiotherapy. In our Alumni Student Mentoring Program, alumni mentor final year students to prepare them for the next steps in their career, and to encourage them to think creatively about career paths.

For clinical training we have a network of partnerships Australia-wide that will provide you with varied and challenging opportunities for hands-on training. From CBD hospitals to working with rural schools in Broken Hill – your clinical experiences with us will prepare you for the real world. We also offer opportunities to study and volunteer overseas through programs such as the Faculty of Health Sciences Study Abroad program that will differentiate you when you graduate, as a global citizen with an international perspective.

We offer our students a vibrant study and extracurricular experience. I hope you will take up this challenge and join us for a truly transformational experience of an education in the health sciences, whether for the first time as an undergraduate or continue to engage in a journey of lifelong learning as a postgraduate or higher degree research student with the faculty.

Professor Kathryn Refshauge
Dean