Marlene is pictured with Elaine Duffy (left) and Dot Angel at the morning tea in her honour.

The contribution of Professor Marlene Drysdale to the School of Rural Health will continue to be acknowledged through the development and naming of a garden in her honour.

A proud and strong Aboriginal woman who is currently Adjunct Professor for the School for Indigenous Health Clayton, Marlene was employed at Monash University from 2002 until 2012 as the Head of the Indigenous Health Unit and occasional Acting Deputy Director for the Department of Rural and Indigenous Health within the School of Rural Health and Faculty of Medicine, Nursing and Health Sciences. (more…)

At Traralgon the students and staff were delighted with the books. From left are student Sophie, teacher’s aide Paula, students Richard and Caleb, teacher Fiona Derham, student Jodie and Principal Barb Walsh.

A group of students and staff at another specialist developmental school has benefited from the assistance provided to Gippsland Regional Clinical School students throughout the year. The School presented two valuable learning books to the Traralgon Specialist Developmental School to say thanks for hosting the medical students at various times during the year. Students from the Latrobe Valley campus of the Clinical School spent time at the Developmental School, learning about communications and working with people with a disability.  A similar arrangement was in place with Baringa Special School in Moe for the Warragul students.

The students and staff were delighted to help out the medical students and nominated the books as their gift of choice as a way of saying thanks.

Dr Mandy Li at the Monash Regional Clinical School, which works alongside Latrobe Regional Hospital.

A warm and welcoming experience when undertaking rural rotations as a Monash University medical student has led to Dr Mandy Li returning to the Latrobe Valley as a consultant paediatrician. Dr Li started work in her paediatrics role with Latrobe Regional Hospital recently and it was like “coming home” to the place where she also worked after graduating from Monash University in 2004.

“I did a paediatric rotation as a fourth year medical student here, then came back as an intern and again later as a registrar, so I have come to know the hospital and the area very well over the years,” Dr Li said.

“It’s a lovely place and I enjoyed working here, so that helped make my decision to come back again as a consultant paediatrician.” (more…)

Laurea Atkinson brings a background in the post-anaesthetic /anaesthetic field and adult pain management to her role in the recently upgraded simulation suite in Bairnsdale.

Along with its new simulation training facilities established during this year, East Gippsland Regional Clinical School has recently welcomed a new Simulation Learning Project Officer, Laurea Atkinson.

The School this year secured a simulation grant from Health Workforce Australia to support clinical training in East Gippsland using simulation learning modalities.

The grant funded the purchase of a variety of mannequins that can be borrowed for clinical training. Some of the mannequins such as SimMan 3G, SimMom and SimNewb are utilised for high fidelity simulation and not easily transported, and are therefore housed in the Simulation Suite at East Gippsland Regional Clinical School. (more…)

The Monash University Centre for Chronic Disease Management, coordinated through MUDRIH, has received a major international award.

Dr Hanan Khalil accepted the award, the Evidence Transfer International Award for Development of the Node, on behalf of the Centre of Chronic Disease Management at the Joanna Briggs Institute Colloquium in Thailand.

It was presented for 39 new evidence summaries contributed in November 2012, and was one of only four awards at the ceremony.

The Centre for Chronic Disease Management is a collaboration between Monash Gippsland’s School of Nursing and Midwifery and the School of Rural Health through MUDRIH, partnering with Latrobe Regional Hospital and Latrobe Community Health Service. As well as evidence summaries, the centre’s work included establishing the executive members committee, the expert reference group and the corresponding reference group.

Representatives from more than 70 international centres were present at the colloquium for presentation of the awards.

The Joanna Briggs Institute is based at the Faculty of Health Sciences at the University of Adelaide and works with more than 70 entities across the world. The institute supports the synthesis, transfer and use of evidence through identifying feasible, appropriate, meaningful and effective healthcare practices to assist in improving global healthcare.

It maintains a free database of evidence-based resources, JBI COnNECT+, to help practitioners with clinical decision-making.

Monash doctorate student and rural general practitioner Dr Jenny May has earned a marvellous accolade by being awarded the Royal Australian General Practitioners (RACGP) Brian Williams Award 2012.

The award is presented by the RACGP National Rural Faculty to a member of the College who has made a significant contribution to the personal and professional welfare of rural doctors. (more…)

The next in-service will be on e-learning options for teaching and learning presented by Marianne Hicks and Rowan Brookes.

Marianne and Rowan will discuss the Monash approach to blended learning and explore e-learning possibilities for teaching and learning.

The session is scheduled for Wednesday 5 December from 10:30am to12:45pm at MUDRIH (Moe).  Please contact Julie Willems (5128 1030) if you would like to video conference into the session.

The monthly SRH Educational Technology In-service Program is now online, with videos, PowerPoints and other resources available for each of the in-services conducted.

Video recordings of the presentations are available on the SRH website.

Alongside each presentation, there is a feedback link. After you have viewed a presentation and/or looked the resources, could you please provide feedback?

If you have any questions or would like to present on a matter in the in-service series, please contact Julie Willems on 03 5128 1030 or email July.Willems@monash.edu.

The winners of the Rural Health photo competition have received their awards for their depictions of what Rural Health looks like.

Clare Kent won both first and third prize for her efforts and the people’s choice award was won by Carolyn Lade. Both are based at Latrobe Regional Hospital in Gippsland, so a morning tea was held in October to present their awards.

The second prize winner was Georgina Taylor who is based at Clayton and completing her honours year. Georgina collected her prize from our Clayton office.

Clare Kent with her award winning photos

Georgina Taylor won second prize with her image "Bare Footprints".

Carolyn Lade with the People's Choice photo

The achievements of Marlene Drysdale during her 20 years working with MUDRIH and in a range of other roles will be celebrated again this month.

A special ceremony will be held at MUDRIH in Moe on Friday 16 November, when the MUDRIH Courtyard Garden will be officially named in Marlene’s honour.  Appropriately, given her time with MUDRIH, the event is also part of the 20^th anniversary celebrations.

The event will also include an official ‘Welcome to Country’ presentation.

Marlene has now retired from MUDRIH but her strong legacy lives on and will be commemorated in the garden naming.

Anyone who would like to attend should RSVP to julie.irvine@monash.edu or phone 03 51281000 by this Friday (9 November). Arrivals are from 10am with the event to start at 10.30am.