Second intake of students boosts Bond Medical Program

Bond launches new partnership to improve access to justice

Queenslanders are still facing barriers when accessing basic legal help, according to the annual Access to Justice Scorecard run by the Queensland Law Society.

For the past five years, Queensland’s Access to Justice score has consistently hovered around 5 out of 10. Despite there being little movement since 2013, Bond University is hopeful its new partnership with LawRight can help address the problem.

LawRight is an independent not-forprofit that provides free legal services for individuals and community groups. Teaming up with Bond, they will be offering free legal advice to people who are not able to afford a lawyer or obtain legal aid. People will be able to seek advice for property law, small businesses, and not-for-profits.

The Director of the Bond Law Clinic Program, Dr Francina Cantatore (Class of 2001), Associate Professor at Bond University, says the new partnership would help address access-to-justice barriers and give students real-world experience.

For those who cannot afford basic legal assistance, Dr Cantatore is hopeful that LawRight volunteer lawyers and Bondies can step in.

The clinics will include the LawRight Commercial Law Clinic and LawRight Property Law Clinic which will be based at the Bond University campus.

Bond Law academics, student volunteers, and Gold Coast legal practitioners will staff the clinics.

To request an appointment or to volunteer, please contact bondclinic@lawright.org.au or phone (07) 3248 1165.

Second intake of students boosts Medical Program

Bond University’s Medical Program has taken a major leap forward with the announcement of an ongoing second annual intake of medicine students.

Following approval from the Australian Medical Council, an intake of 40 students commenced in the Medical Program in September. Trialled in 2020 in response to the disruption caused by Covid, this intake will grow to 60 students from next year, in addition to the May intake of 120 students.

Dean of Medicine Professor Kirsty Forrest says news of the additional intake had been very well received by the program, the University and the healthcare sector. “As a result of the global pandemic, there has never been a greater need for medical practitioners. We are helping to meet this growing need for more local interns throughout the year and more qualified medical doctors in the coming years,” Professor Forrest says.

All students accepted into the Medical Program benefit from Bond’s quality teaching staff and facilities, exceptional student support and its renowned small class sizes and accelerated learning, which sees the full Medical Program able to be completed in four years and eight months – the shortest program of its kind in Australia. The program is made up of the Bachelor of Medical Studies (two years and eight months) and the Doctor of Medical Studies (two years).

This additional annual intake is a further boost for the Medical Program, which in recent years has pioneered emotional intelligence testing as part of its student selection process, expanded and diversified clinical placements, moved into improved teaching spaces with the second stage of the HSM building, and enhanced its teaching of clinical skills. The faculty is set to chalk up another milestone in the near future with the 1000th medicine graduate expected to cross the stage during the December graduation ceremony.

“As a result of the global pandemic, there has never been a greater need for medical practitioners.”

Professor Paul Glasziou and Professor Chris Del Mar.

National honours for professors

Two of the University’s leading lights have been appointed to the Order of Australia. Director of the Institute for EvidenceBased Healthcare, Professor Paul Glasziou, has been announced as an Officer of the Order (AO) while his colleague Professor Chris Del Mar becomes a Member of the Order (AM). Professor Glasziou received his AO for distinguished service to medical education and standards, and to evidencebased medical research.

“This award is a recognition of the important work my colleagues and I have done to reduce the gap between research and practice, especially in the neglected areas of non-drug treatments, antibiotic resistance, and overdiagnosis – the central focuses of the Institute for Evidence-Based Healthcare,” Professor Glasziou says.

Professor Del Mar received his AM for significant service to tertiary education, to health and medical research, and to professional bodies. The academic has an international reputation in the management of acute respiratory infections, general practice research, evidence-based medicine, systematic reviews, and randomised controlled trials. He is a former Dean of the University’s Health Sciences & Medicine faculty and oversaw the establishment of Bond’s Medical Program and the graduation of the first cohort of medical students.

“I am deeply honoured by this award and it’s been a privilege to have used my expertise to serve the community,” Professor Del Mar says.

Vice Chancellor and President Professor Tim Brailsford lauded the colleagues who were instrumental in cementing Bond’s global reputation for world-class health and medical research through the establishment of the Institute for Evidence-Based Healthcare. “Their impact has been global through their research, and Bond University has always been grateful for their leadership in this space,” he says. “We are very proud of Chris and Paul and congratulate them on this honour recognising their illustrious careers.”

International recognition for the Arch magazine

The ARCH has collected an international award for excellence. Bond University’s alumni magazine took silver for Publishing Improvement in the Council for Advancement and Support of Education (CASE) Circle of Excellence awards. Physical copies of the ARCH are distributed to 12,000 alumni in more than 70 countries, with a digital version circulated to 20,000 alumni, 4500 students and 1000 staff. The Circle of Excellence awards received almost 3000 entries from 530 institutions in 27 countries, across 100 categories.

Colts loosen reins at reunion

The University’s first rugby premiershipwinning side reunited 31 years after lifting the silverware. The 1990 Colts team toasted their success with former players, management and volunteers celebrating their historic title over a few beers at the Fabian Fay Clubhouse. Mr John Massey (Class of 1990) was the assistant manager of the team and says the legend of that day has grown over time.

“There were certainly some good stories - it was a goldfish and now it’s probably a whale. It was a really good day,” Mr Massey says. “The most special thing was to see John Taylor, John Samson and Jim Corkery who were the president, manager and law professor who were highly involved in the club.”