Central Queensland's shortage of health professionals is driving the development of a new package of academic programs at CQUniversity.

Recently-arrived Deputy Vice-Chancellor Professor Mark Burton said research supports the need for new health and medical science programs in regional Queensland.

CQUniversity already offers hugely successful programs in nursing, midwifery, exercise science, psychology and social work, but will begin to roll out other programs especially developed to meet the health skills shortage in regional Queensland.

Deputy Vice-Chancellor Mark Burton.Firstly, the University's Bachelor of Biomedical Science program will undergo a facelift to align better with local demands.  Renamed as the Bachelor of Medical Sciences the program will offer three specialisations: nutrition, pathology and clinical investigation.

Professor Burton said the regions were crying out for professionals in all these areas.  He was particularly excited about offering regional students the chance to specialise in clinical investigation.

He said graduates from this strand could work in the diagnostic field in both private clinics and hospitals where there is a shortage in cardio and pulmonary diagnostic specialists.

CQUniversity has also announced the offering of medical imaging programs to train both radiographers and sonographers.

The University has purpose-built laboratories with state-of-the-art equipment on its Mackay campus, ready for a 2011 enrolment into these imaging programs.

In consultation with Queensland Ambulance, CQUniversity is also developing a paramedic program. This program will include clinical placements with the ambulance service.

All new programs are still undergoing academic approval and professional body accreditation and so are subject to change.

Professor Burton has previous experience with the introduction of new university programs, having developed and introduced dentistry and pharmacy at his last posting at Charles Sturt University, where he was Director of Dentistry and Professor of Biomedical Science.

He also has an affinity with regional universities. Born in country New South Wales, Professor Burton was an undergraduate at the University of New England where he trained as a physiologist. He began a medical research career back in 1983 at the University of Melbourne and in Western Australia, before working in academia at Charles Sturt University as Head of Biomedical Sciences. He later became the Dean of the Faculty of Health Studies and established the Faculty of Sciences.

However, when the opportunity to work in Central Queensland came up, Professor Burton was keen to put his hat in the ring.

"It is a great time to be part of CQUniversity with its new focus on the region.

"The power of place rings true for me. We're coming back to our regional roots ... it's where our students come from and where our graduates are going to go to and it's a really good place to be."