Why this university has a referral writing assignment for its medical students
Sloppy referrals are unsafe, says Dr Jennifer Neil from Monash University’s department of general practice
As AusDoc columnist Dr Beth Oliver said last month, some doctors’ referral letters are literary masterpieces and some are wartime telegrams.
Perhaps this is because doctors presumably learn the art by looking over the shoulder of a more senior colleague.
However, two years ago Monash University’s department of general practice decided to make referral writing a mandatory assessment across its GP training network.
Dr Jennifer Neil, the department’s curriculum and assessment lead, explains.
