Feedback: Eli Ristevski presents her research proposal to an expert panel

Eleven presentations culminated Stage 2 of the Grantspersonship Program in Moe on 28 and 29 January. A panel of experts from other schools and faculties at Monash, the University of Sydney and Federation University provided feedback to presenters.

All the presenters commented that that feedback provided was excellent, honest, critical and useful in progressing their plans for research projects or funding applications.

A list of general tips on writing funding applications will shortly be available the Research page on the intranet for all to use.

The program will be run again later in 2014 – the Research Committee will announce those dates towards the middle of the year.

Visitors: left-right - Laura (SRH - East Gippsland), Kerry (Latrobe Community Health Services), Matt and Emma (Department of Health), Tracie (Latrobe Regional Hospital), Mollie (MUDRIH).

The simulation centre at Latrobe Regional hospital played host in late January to staff from the Department of Health Victoria, including two who had only started with the department the previous day.

MUDRIH, SRH – East Gippsland, Latrobe Community Health Services and Latrobe Regional Hospital are partners in the simulation learning environment extension program and met at the Traralgon simulation centre to give the department an update.

The project involves increasing the use of simulation in clinical training for both students and staff across the partner organisations and has also seen the development of equally sophisticated facilities in Bairnsdale. In Traralgon, Latrobe Community Health Services has set up consulting rooms which allow audio and video capture, and replay for participants. Simulated patients also provide cases for students to develop skills in using the interprofessional referral tool and treatment plan.

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.

Collaboration: Prof. Jane Farmer (La Trobe) and Prof. Judi Walker (Monash) jointly chair a bootcamp session.

A five-day research bootcamp run by La Trobe and Monash Universities in Bendigo in January will ensure that programs to improve rural health are based on the best evidence available.

The research bootcamp, jointly hosted by the two universities in the health sciences research and education precinct near the new hospital, provided a week of intensive training to develop the skills of academics and research students.

Fifty academics, researchers and students from university sites in Albury/Wodonga, Bendigo, Bundoora, Clayton, Mildura and Gippsland attended.

Evidence-based practice

Professor Jane Farmer, Associate Dean Research at La Trobe University, said we need good evidence to understand how health problems arise and are experienced in rural places, and how to give rural people as good health and wellbeing opportunities as possible.

Professor Judi Walker, Head of the School of Rural Health, Monash University said that both La Trobe and Monash Universities are contributing to policy and program development through their rural health research.

“But rural health research also has its own challenges and can be a lonely task,” said Professor Walker.

“The aim of the bootcamp was to help build connections between researchers, especially from the two universities working together, as well as specific skills.”

Communication skills – the three-minute pitch

The bootcamp emphasised the importance of communicating research results and included guest speakers from journals publishing in rural health and health sciences.

“One of the key skills researchers need to develop is the ability to communicate their findings in exciting and engaging ways to citizens and policy so they have a good chance of getting implemented – thus helping to meet social, economic and sustainability agendas of rural places, even in addition to health,” said La Trobe’s Professor Farmer.

“The three-minute pitch is as important a skill as writing up your research for publication,” said Monash’s Professor Walker.

La Trobe and Monash Universities signed a formal agreement in 2013 to collaborate in researching Victorian rural health so that they bring together each other’s expertise.

The universities plan to run further bootcamps on the Bendigo precinct to nurture the next generation of researchers.

Presentions from the bootcamp will be progressively added to the bootcamp page on the intranet.

Enthusiastic: eight Year 3B students have begun their first clinical year at Sale.

Eight enthusiastic Year 3B students have begun their first clinical year at Sale under the guidance of new Year 3B academic coordinator, Alda Dunlop.

The students will spend much of their time at the Central Gippsland Health Service where local clinicians teach on the wards and in the Monash tutorial rooms.

Orientation week included a clinical skills workshop in the simulation suite, pathology tutorial and hospital orientation as ward rounds start in only their second week in Sale.

Alda Dunlop began at Sale mid-2013, taking over from Jennie Casey who is now running the year 4C program in South Gippsland. She brings a wealth of experience to the program and is excited to have her very own cohort of students to guide throughout the year.

Germany's hope for Vince: walkers set off in the dark to raise funds to send local cancer sufferer to Germany for treatment

A walkathon to raise funds to send well-known Sunraysia local, Vince Manno, to Germany for liver cancer treatment looks set to raise over $10,000 with SRH – Mildura’s Kristy Allen raising over $1,000 towards the total.

Fifty-five-year-old Vince was diagnosed with inoperable liver cancer 18 months ago. He and his family had exhausted treatment options in Australia when a private oncology clinic in Germany offered further treatment. The clinic is confident of successfully treating his condition.

To help with the financial burden a family friend organised a walkathon on Sunday 2 February when the temperature was forecast to hit 44. Walkers left Red Cliffs at 6 am for Nangiloc, a distance of roughly 32 km, with most finishing by 11.30 and heading straight for the showers.

The entry fee of $10 was bolstered by further donations to support the cause with all funds raised going straight to the family.

Anthony Weller

My name is Anthony Weller. I am a GP working in Mildura. I have really enjoyed my learning experiences throughout my career, and in 2013 wanted to give something back.

I started sessional tutoring with Monash’s School of Rural Health – Mildura in 2013, and liked it so much I came on board 0.4 FTE ( Tuesday and Thurday) as a senior lecturer, and assisting in Year 4 and 5 coordination in 2014.

In 2006, I graduated from Newcastle University and obtained my FRACGP in 2012. I have special interest areas in paediatrics and palliative care, but became a GP due to my desire to practise a broad range of specialties.

I am married with three children aged 9, 6 and 1, and love spending my spare time with them, along with fishing, walking and reading.

It’s going to be a busy and productive 2014, and I look forward to meeting people throughout the year. I wish you all well in your endeavours in 2014.

– Anthony Weller

Pam Harvey talks about the use of the humanities in healthcare education.

Pam works with the North West Rural Medical Education Unit based in Bendigo. She talks about her particular interest in the use of the humanities in healthcare education and her new blog. Watch the video. Visit the blog.

Dr Sallyann Middleton

Dr Marion Shuttleworth

Dr Sallyann (Sally) Middleton and Dr Marion Shuttleworth have been appointed this year as fixed term contract staff to support the Year A program.

Both Sally and Marion have been associated with us for some time as sessional staff. Sally has also been involved in the Year 4C program for the School of Rural Health – Latrobe Valley.

A Year A PBL tutor for many years,  Sally now takes on the role of PBL Coordinator from Brian Chapman. Marion will continue her good work in the Year A clinical skills program supporting Kathy Brotchie.

Deputy Chancelor, Mr Ian Pyman, presides over the December graduation ceremony.

Sixty students received their testamurs at the third graduation ceremony of the graduate entry MBBS in Churchill on 9 December last year.

Three students received prizes recognising their hard work. Jacqueline Fankhauser who received the Gippsland Medical School graduation prize for top achieving student in 2013. Jackie has lived in Warragul all her life and did most of her clinical training at the West Gippsland Health Care Group. Lisa Gilbert received the Royal Australasian College of Physicians (Victoria State Committee) Gippsland Prize in Clinical Medicine, and Katherine Schelberger was awarded the Monash Medical Alumni (Gippsland) Prize.

Jacqueline Fankhauser received the Gippsland Medical School prize for top achieving student.

The Deputy Chancellor, Mr Ian Pyman, presided over the ceremony. While the Deputy Dean MBBS, Professor Ben Canny, led the graduates in saying the Declaration of Geneva (Physician’s Oath). Dr Ranjana Srivastava, a published author and Monash medical graduate, gave the occasional address, speaking about being and compassionate and empathetic doctor.