Final Year Medical Students' Views on their Clinical Placement in a Residential Aged Care Facility (RACF), Specialising in Dementia and Palliation

Background In Australia medical student clinical placements conducted in RACFs have consistently been overshadowed by those offered in the areas of General Practice (GP) and Internal Medicine. In the light of the increasing need for a palliative approach to dementia in RACFs, the Wicking Dementia Research and Education Centre in Tasmania has instituted a Teaching Aged Care Facilities (TACFs) research program which aims to address the increasing need for professionals working in dementia care in RACFs by providing quality student clinical placements.