Pictured is Tracey Minister with Helen Chambers at Tracey’s farewell morning tea.

It was with a lot of hugs and tears that MUDRIH farewelled Tracey Minster at a morning tea on Thursday 19 June.

Tracey has been at MUDRIH for nearly three years, contributing enormously to the efficient running of the unit during some challenging and stressful times.

Tracey has now decided to take up the challenge of a new role as Manager for SRH Latrobe Valley, West Gippsland and Churchill where she is certain to make her mark.

Everyone at MUDRIH will miss Tracey for her advice, efficiency and friendship. Staff would like to wish her well in her new position and expect to still see her around the traps.  “We hope that staff at SRH Latrobe Valley, West Gippsland and Churchill appreciate her as much as we did,” they said.

Penny's farewell cake

The Monash School of Rural Health  Research in Bendigo farewelled Dr Penny Buykx in June.

Penny has taken up a senior research position with the Alcohol Research Group at the University of Sheffield in the United Kingdom.

To ease the transition, staff provided a cake with a map of the journey at a farewell dinner. On Penny’s last day, morning tea treats included Aussie “must-haves”…pavlova, lamingtons, Tim Tams and Mint Slices as well as Sheffield delicacies such as Parkin, Flapjacks and Eccles Cakes.

Penny will continue to maintain her links with the school through her alcohol research work conducted jointly with Dr Bernie Ward.

Bernie Ward

Bendigo-based Bernadette Ward has been awarded a Monash Advancing Women’s Research Success Grant.

The grants are targeted at female academic staff at Level B and Level C with primary caring responsibilities (child/dependent/elder) and aim to support women to enhance or maintain their research productivity at a critical time in their careers.

Each grant is valued at $12,500 and can be used flexibly to reduce the impact of career breaks and/or intense caring responsibilities on an academic career. Recipients will also participate in career development coaching.

Congratulations Bernie.

Ros Pearce talks to Laurea Atkinson

Laurea is the Simulation Learning Environment Project Officer at the School of Rural Health – East Gippsland in Bairnsdale. Ros Pearce talks to her about her work.

Marita shows off her hard-won trophy

After many attempts, Bendigo-based PhD student, Marita Chisholm won the 8km Cohuna Bridge to Bridge swim in March. She came in 31 minutes ahead of the next female swimmer.

“I was interviewed for the Northern Times newspaper in which they refer to me at Mrs Chisholm just to make me feel old (which I feel today), ” she said the day after winning the swim.

Her son Thomas won the around the fountain swim as well. The Chisholm family is in great form.

Stephen and Michelle have announced their engagement.

Traralgon-based Michelle Ryan has announced her engagement to long-time love, Stephen, whom she has known since she was 12 and he 15. Her new fiancé took her to Tasmania on a holiday and proposed at the summit of Mt Wellington. Unaccustomed to wearing a ring on that hand, Michelle has been forgetting the engagement diamond and has been unable to show it off everywhere. Michelle and Stephen plan to marry within the next 18 months.

Elaine was part of the beginning of the School of Rural Health

FAREWELL, ADIEU, AU REVOIR, ADIOS

Dear everyone

I would like to take this opportunity to farewell to all my colleagues  at the School of Rural Health and a big thank you for the morning tea, dinner, gifts and good wishes.

The School has been a major part of my life for the last nearly 21 years (good English). I have seen so many changes. I have met some fantastic people, whether they were staff, students, international visitors or stakeholders.  The passion and commitment of staff to the cause of Rural Health never ceases to amaze me. Times have not always been easy, lots of belt tightening, uncertainty about continued funding and other external factors but this still hasn’t deterred people from their continued support of the School.

I think it will take a little while to realise that I am not just on holidays but will keep in touch as I have made many friends during my tenure. Thank you to everyone who has supported me, mentored me, guided me, laughed and cried with me and enjoyed me sharing my stories of my family (or at least been polite enough to pretend they have enjoyed them).  I honestly never thought that I would still be here all this time later, let alone in the position of a School Manager.

I wish the everyone at the School of Rural Health, no matter which site you are on,  every success in the future. You all are truly exceptional people.

Elaine

Elaine Evans

Charlotte at work in her 'office'

The youngest member of staff at Bairnsdale has just celebrated her first birthday. Charlotte has her own office/change room that she sometimes shares with mum, Eleanor Mitchell. Somewhat overwhelmed by all the fuss, she shared a large cake with Eleanor, Angelo (now back from parental leave) and the rest of the staff.

Matthew McGrail

Your name and position
Dr Matthew McGrail
Senior Research Fellow (based at the School of Rural Health – Churchill)

Describe your role
As a full-time researcher I’m leading two major projects: MABEL (Medicine in Australia: Balancing Employment and Life) with the CRE in Medical Workforce Dynamics where I lead the rural medical workforce supply and distribution research theme; and the CRE in Rural and Remote Primary Health Care. The main “deliverable” for this second project is the Index of Access, where I lead our research team on improved measures of access to primary health care services in rural areas.

Why is it important?
As a metro-bred researcher who’s moved to rural, I’m highly conscious of the poorer access rural people have to healthcare services and generally poorer health outcomes. Finding better ways to give people access to the services they need is important for minimising health inequalities.

What is the best aspect of your work with the School of Rural Health?
I love the autonomy I have in my role; I’m given a fairly long leash! My background is in maths, IT and statistics. This role brings together my love of analysing data and using that to improve rural health outcomes.

When you are not at work, what do you enjoy doing?
Janelle and I have twins in grade 6, so I spend a lot of time with them. They’re at a fun age at the moment. I also like long distance running. But right at the moment I’m injured and can’t run, which is a sore point. When I can run, I like getting out and enjoying the outdoors.

What was your most recent holiday destination and why did you choose it?
Can I talk about the holiday coming up in a month? We’re spending three weeks in the USA and taking the kids to visit Disneyland in California while we’re there.

If you were Emperor for a day, what is one thing you would implement?
I’d like fairer distribution of all sorts of resources and opportunities. It’s what drives the Index of Access: making sure rural people get a fair go in their health.

Surprise us! What is something about you that most of your peers would not know?
I’m not a product of a rural upbringing. I went to Melbourne High then Melbourne University so I’m inner-city metro-bred, but I love rural. Where many young people leave rural areas for the city, I ran in the other direction after study and went rural.

Warren Driscoll

Name and position

Warren Driscoll
Project Office, SRH – Bendigo

Job/role

Warren will be working with Graham Allardice and Kerrie Thomsen on various projects for the school as a whole and SRH – Bendigo including policies and procedures for the new Clinical Skills and Simulation Centre, and operational data preparation. He’ll also be an “expert” sim patient.

Warren worked as a Chief Financial Officer for many years, most recently at the Maryborough District Health Service. In his spare time he chaired the then Bendigo Regional Clinical School’s Community Advisory Committee, and had been chair of the Bendigo Bombers football team. His career was cut short when he fell while cleaning his roof. He spent 15 months in hospital, lost the use of his right arm and could not walk for nine months. Through a long rehab, he has learned to do everything left-handed and he’s now rightly proud that the wheelchair has been unused for over a year.

Interests outside work

Football is a long-time passion. In 1979, Warren signed up as a member of the MCG and he’s now looking forward to being able to go there and watch matches again. Last year he spent two months in Perth and went twice to the WACA, whetting his appetite for seeing the game live. He has also taken up lawn bowls – as a left-handed bowler with a mechanical bowling arm because he has trouble bending.

If emperor for a day, what is one thing he would implement?

Better knowledge on medical issues.

Surprise us! What is something about him that most of his peers would not know?

The accident had an unexpected outcome. Warren used to have to wear glasses all the time. Now he only needs them for reading.