Thriving in transition: A model for student support in the transition to Australian higher education

Low SES students are significantly more likely to be drawn from a rural background and be entering into the traditional 'first generation' pathways of health and education. This project addresses the characteristics and processes of successful transition for rural and remotely located students planning a career as a health care professional. The CI's cyclic model (Harris, 2009) identifies the recursive, disjunctive and interdependent qualities at each stage of the transition and a framework for the examination of the transition process. The focus is upon the positive rather than the negative sequels associated with transition, thus the project has adopted the term 'thriving', rather than (for example) 'coping' or 'adjusting' to transition. This project will contribute to our understanding of the pathways and trajectories appropriate for challenging circumstances; and produce guidelines and training to assist with both the nature and timing of interventions to provide students with the best opportunity to thrive