Professor Mike Jones from Macquarie University will be visiting the School from 2-6 December 2013 and will be based in Bendigo. Professor Jones will be presenting a research seminar on Wednesday 4 December from 2-4pm. A flier with more details will be distributed in the next week. Please direct any questions regarding Professor Jones’ visit to either Leigh Kinsman or Cathy Ward.
Research Bootcamp – Monday 20 January to Friday 24 January
Don’t forget to register to attend any or all of the Research Bootcamp being held in January in Bendigo. Please send your registration details to Cathy Ward and remember there is no charge to attend the bootcamp.
Confirmed speakers so far include Luke McAvaney from the Monash University Research Office who will be part of panel discussing funding opportunities, Kaye Lassere from Monash University Library who will be running an information session on indexes, journal rankings and Google Scholar, Simon Barrett, from the Monash University Research Office who will be leading a session on Working in a team to produce publications and authorship issues in a team.
The following research funding opportunities are available over the next three months. New searches are currently being added to the Rural Health page on Research Professional – if you are interested in Aged Care, you might want to check out the dedicated Aged Care search.
Remember – if you would like to learn more about Research Professional, please contact Helen Chambers or Cathy Ward who can help you set up specific searches or alerts for your particular area of research.
PhD scholarship investigating primary lymphoedema (national): Australian Rotary Health
This supports research in any area of primary lymphoedema. The annual value of the scholarship is AU$29,000. The award will be made for one year in the first instance but can be extended for a maximum of three and a half years.
Closing date: 13 Dec 13
PhD scholarship investigating Alzheimer’s disease – South Australia: Australian Rotary Health
The scholarship will provide salary and incidental support for a postgraduate student undertaking full-time research in Alzheimer’s disease in South Australia. The annual value of the scholarship is AU$29,000. The award will be made for one year in the first instance but can be extended for a maximum of three and a half years.
Closing date: 13 Dec 13
PhD scholarship investigating children’s heart disease – national: Australian Rotary Health
The scholarship will provide salary and incidental support for a postgraduate student undertaking full-time research in children’s heart disease. The annual value of the scholarship is AU$29,000. The award will be made for one year in the first instance but can be extended for a maximum of three and a half years.
Closing date: 13 Dec 13
PhD scholarship investigating oncology – national applications: Australian Rotary Health
The scholarship will provide salary and incidental support for a postgraduate student undertaking full-time research in gynaecological oncology. The annual value of the scholarship is AU$29,000. The award will be made for one year in the first instance but can be extended for a maximum of three and a half years.
Closing date: 13 Dec 13
Health research grants: Bupa Health Foundation
The purpose of this programme is to fund health research in the strategic key areas of wellbeing, chronic disease, healthy ageing, empowering people about their health and promoting affordable healthcare. Initiatives applying for between AU$100,000 and AU$500,000 for up to three years will be considered.
Closing date: 16 Dec 13
Behavioural and social science research on understanding and reducing health disparities (R21): Aids-related: NIH: Office of the Director
This Aids-related R21 funding opportunity announcement supports behavioural and social science research on the causes and solutions to health and disabilities disparities in the US population. Direct costs are limited to US$275,000 over a two-year period.
Closing date: 07 Jan 14
All education, clinical, research staff and students are welcome to join us on the second Wednesday of each month, either in Bendigo, Gippsland, and Mildura in person or by tele/videoconference link.
Article:
‘Efforts to Graduate More Primary Care Physicians and Physicians Who Will Practice in Rural Areas: Examining Outcomes From the University of Minnesota–Duluth and the Rural Physician Associate Program.’
Facilitator:
Natalie Radomski
When:
Wednesday, 13 November 2013
Time:
12 noon- 1pm
Where:
Meeting Room 3 (Level 2), School of Rural Health, 26 Mercy St Bendigo or
by videoconference (IP 130.194.213.113) or teleconference (9903 5988) from other sites
Questions to consider:
1. What was the main purpose of this paper?
2. What are the challenges in describing educational programs and their contexts for journal publication?
3. Is the study design adequate? Why, why not?
4. Are the results presented in a clear and understandable way?
5. How effective is this article in demonstrating the outcomes of the University of Minnesota – Duluth and Rural Physician Associate Program?
6. What can we learn from this article in planning our SRH graduate outcome/rural workforce impact studies?
Please inform Deb Russell if you are able to attend this journal club or ring her on 5440 9046.
Dinner to celebrate Laura Major's 25 years with Monash
On 8 October, 25 people gathered to celebrate a quarter of a century that Laura Major has been with Monash University. Laura began working at Monash in 1988 and during that time worked in 5 areas, currently settled in the School of Rural Health as Rural Education Manager in Clayton.
It was a lovely evening, with Head of School, Professor Judi Walker, acknowledging Laura’s contributions and good company sharing food and raising the glass in celebration.
Congratulations, Laura!
Kristy Allen
Your name and position
Kristy Allen, Simulation Technician/ Sessional Teacher
Describe your job/role
I began at Monash 16 months ago in a funded position by HWA for the delivery of Simulated Learning to the Lower Murray Region. I coordinate the bookings for the skills lab. I am responsible for controlling the high fidelity manikins during simulation scenarios while our lecturer teaches within the session. I am also a current practicing registered nurse and occasionally teach procedural skills to our medical students.
Why is it important?
My role is important for the delivery of simulated learning to the students of Monash University and to keep Howard Cook company.
What is the best aspect of your work with the School of Rural Health?
The best aspect of my job would be the opportunity I have to work and learn so closely with the university’s lecturer.
When you are not at work, what do you enjoy doing?
When I’m not at work I love being a wife and mum.
What was your most recent holiday destination and why did you choose it?
Sydney – for the shopping!
If you were Emperor for a day, what is one thing you would implement?
I would give us each a set of wings to spread, fly, feel free and have faith.
Surprise us! What is something about you that most of your peers would not know?
I was a competition line dancer (bootscooter)
Anton Isaacs (lecturer at MUDRIH) and Berwyn Lampitt (senior mental health nurse at Latrobe Regional Hospital) presented a paper at the 5th Australian Rural and Remote Mental Health Symposium at Geelong on 14 October. Title of the paper is: Working together to develop an innovative model for the early detection of mental illness among rural Aboriginal men.
Pictured is Sue Barker, Anske Robinson and Kate Templeman, another of Anske’s PhD students from NSW.
Congratulations to Dr Anske Robinson of MUDRIH on her recent nomination for the Monash Postgraduate Supervisor of the Year award. Anske was nominated by one of her PhD students, Sue Barker, who firmly believes that Anske is well deserved of the award. One of the comments that Sue made on the nomination form was that ‘Anske is exceptional and does things to ensure that I achieve my goals that are above and beyond the call of duty’.
Anske is one of six supervisors nominated for the award and we would like to wish her all the best. The winner will be announced at the award ceremony to be held in Clayton Wednesday 13th November.
Dr Hanan Khalil, the Chronic Disease Management director with the Evidence Transfer Award
At the Joanna Briggs Institute (JBI) 2013 International Convention in October, special recognition awards and certificates of recognition were presented to four international centres/nodes, including the Chronic Disease Management Node. Dr Hanan Khalil, Director of the Chronic Disease Management Node (CDM), received the Evidence Transfer Award for the significant development and maintenance of the CDM.
The Joanna Briggs Institute is an international organisation, operating more than 50 collaborating centres and groups around the world. JBI is a global collaboration of health scientists and clinicians that operate as an independent, not-for-profit organisation that seeks to improve global health, focusing on researching evidence-based healthcare. JBI is based in University of Adelaide, South Australia.
The Chronic Disease Management Node (CDM) is a collaboration between the Monash University School of Rural Health and the School of Nursing and Midwifery with Latrobe Community Health Services (Inc.) and Latrobe Regional Hospital. The CDM is based at Monash University and is an affiliate centre of the Joanna Briggs Institute (JBI).
The CDM centre focuses on promoting the development and implementation of evidence-based health care in chronic disease. To date the CDM centre has developed over 70 evidence summaries related to chronic diseases to help clinicians make decisions ‘at-the-bedside’. The centre conducts five executive committee meetings throughout the year, publishes two newsletters, has an internationally recognised expert reference group and a corresponding reference group that contributes to peer reviewing of the materials published by the centre. The CDM also focuses on offering electives for students interested in evidence-based health care research and publications. In the near future, the centre will focus on training clinicians, academics and students to undertake quantitative, qualitative and economic evaluation systematic reviews.
Mildura Regional Clinical School have developed Mini Medical Academy Days (MMAD) to expose local secondary school students in the Sunraysia region to rural health careers. The days involved hands-on clinical experience run by medical students and Monash University staff to raise awareness of pathways to further studies in health. The students have the opportunity to engage with current medical students at the clinical school and to learn about what it is like to study in the rural setting.
The half-day program consists of four stations focused on a different skill required of a medical student, which the students rotate through over the course of the session. These involve a grand tour of the hospital, plastering, a simulation session with SimMan 3G and basic life support. For some students this may be their only exposure to life at university, which may otherwise be offered at open days in Melbourne. It gives them a chance to ask questions and experience a day in the life of a medical student.
One of the highlights of the program so far is the stories from Monash medical students about their personal journeys at university and the application process. This highlights to the secondary students that attending university is a real and achievable goal. To date, four local secondary schools have participated in the initiative and in future years this will be offered to all schools in the Sunraysia region.