MEDICAL ALUMNI MAGAZINE

Bachelor of MedicineJOINT MEDICAL PROGRAM

2014

2

Medical students in experienced rural GP hands DR JEN HEBBLEWHITE (Nee Hillman) BMed 1991

A pilot General Practitioner (GP) mentoring program delivered by the National Rural Faculty in conjunction with the Joint Medical Program (JMP) has gained the support of some of the state’s most well-respected rural doctors.

The program was established after the Royal Australian College of General Practitioners identified the need for a mentoring program for students in the early stages of their medical training.

The pilot program, which commenced in April 2014, aims to familiarise students with rural general practice and address the shortage of rural GPs by connecting medical students with experienced doctors in the long term.

Highly-regarded rural GP and alumna of the University of Newcastle, Dr Jen Hebblewhite, is participating in the program, which she considers a valuable way to contribute to medical education.

“I enjoy meeting new people as well as mentoring and teaching so the role, which combines all three, really suits me,” Dr Hebblewhite said.

“The program assigned to me a second-year medical student, Tania, with whom I share many interests and character traits, so my role is easy. I am based in Armidale while Tania is based in Newcastle. We communicate via Skype during the evenings from our homes, making it very convenient for both of us.”

University of Newcastle Rural Health Club spokesperson James Pearlman said the pilot program currently involved 13 second-year medical students and 13 rural mentors.

“While there are numerous events, resources and presentations on how to become a rural GP, there is nothing quite like having a chance to connect with someone who has already navigated the pathway,” Mr Pearlman said.

“The Rural Connections Student Mentoring Program aims to provide medical students with access to advice and education that will support their journey towards a career in rural general practice.”

Dean of the JMP, Professor Ian Symonds, said the JMP was committed to addressing the doctor shortage in rural and remote Australia.

“We actively recruit students interested in practising rural medicine and pursue opportunities to increase students experience in this area.

“Our students based at the University of New England have the opportunity to experience rural medicine from Year One and it is good to be able to also offer this to our Newcastle-based students early in their studies,” he said.

Dr Hebblewhite said the program was an achievable, safe and flexible way for rural doctors to contribute to general practice and medical education and is accredited as part of their continuing professional development for registration purposes.

“Even though the formal component is nearly over, I will continue to work with Tania via Skype, and I have invited her to our practice in Armidale for her GP placement,” Dr Hebblewhite said.

The Rural Connections Student Mentoring pilot program will be initially conducted in NSW with a view to potentially rolling it out nationally.

Message from the Dean

PROFESSOR IAN SYMONDSDean – Joint Medical Program (JMP)

It is a great pleasure to share with you the latest edition of our medical alumni magazine.

In this special edition, we celebrate the remarkable and inspiring journeys of our graduates. We highlight the work of Dr Chee Hsiang Liow, a highly accomplished medical professional committed to improving the community health care in poverty stricken areas of China.

We also interview third-year medical student Catherine Hicks who has returned from a life changing placement in Nepal, and highly-regarded rural General Practitioner and alumna of the University of Newcastle, Dr Jen Hebblewhite, who is part of a unique GP mentoring program piloted this year.

The Joint Medical Program (JMP) is committed to addressing the doctor shortage in rural and remote Australia and this issue highlights the work of some of our graduates who are committed to this vision.

Finally, a reminder to please keep us updated on what you are doing via the communication team

E: jmpcommunications@newcastle.edu.au

Until next time,

Professor Ian Symonds

Contents

Message from the Dean 2

Medical students in experienced rural GP hands 3

Community based health care in China 4

MEDICINE: Where will it take you? 6

UNE’s first Aboriginal medical graduate 10

Rural GP of the year 11

Improving clinical education in regional centres 12

Newcastle to host international medical conferences 13

The University of Newcastle 2014 Alumni Awards 14

Recognising excellence in both JMP universities 16

JMP student elected President of AMSA 17

LETTERS from the Ebola front line 18

Mental Health Trailblazer 21

HMRI Director’s Award for Mid-career Research 21

Our Medical Program in a changing health care environment 22

Familiar face becomes Head of School at UNE 23

Stay in touch! 23

Alumni 2014 JMP 3

“ I enjoy meeting new people as well as mentoring and teaching so the role, which combines all three, really suits me”

4

In 2002, Dr Liow joined Bless China International (BCI), an NGO operating across six sites in China’s Yunnan Province providing healthcare, community development and child services to 42,000 people annually. In a presentation to students and staff at the University of Newcastle, Dr Liow said he was honoured to return to Newcastle and share his story with the hope that it will inspire future students.

“I was always drawn towards life sciences and biology at school however it was the lack of health care in developing countries that gave me the idea of studying medicine so that I could contribute back to these communities,” Dr Liow said.

“Although I am passionate about medicine, public health and research, I see these only as tools to accomplish a greater goal. I am more passionate about building local leaders to help them achieve effective projects in any form.

“Sustainability remains one of the greatest challenges in a lot of poverty alleviation work and we have seen many well-meaning projects start and end as if it was never there in the first place. We call this the flash and ash effect. The key is to build local capacity and leadership.”

Dr Liow was integral to BCI’s Village Doctor Training Program, a three month training program that has been designed using the problem based learning style that Dr Liow experienced in his medical degree at the University of Newcastle. He spent two years designing and improving the program, which has now trained more than 500 doctors.

Another key project includes designing a multi-pronged, community-based pilot HIV/AIDS prevention program that targeted 30,000 high-risk candidates and has shown significant behavioural changes.

“My dream project is using HIV genotyping in combination with recent infection testing algorithms to map out high-risk behaviours and sexual networks in high HIV transmission regions in certain border regions of China. This will result in the development of more effective prevention strategies to curb HIV transmission,” Dr Liow commented.

“By looking at the basic reproductive ratio and the trends of HIV prevalence, we have reasons to believe that a strong unknown sexual network is in existence in certain areas. Our HIV prevention projects target high-risk groups, however we suspect that we are missing a key social network that may be hidden.”

Dr Liow was also among a team of expatriate doctors that provided medical support in the aftermath of the 2008 Wenchuan Earthquake in China, where it is reported that 87,150 people were killed or went missing.

Dr Liow returned to Newcastle this year as a finalist in the 2014 University of Newcastle Alumni Awards, in the category of Exceptional Community Service. His nomination recognises the valuable contribution of his work in medicine, public health and research.

Since graduating with a Bachelor of Medicine from the University of Newcastle in 1998, Dr Chee Hsiang Liow has become a highly accomplished medical professional committed to improving community health care in poverty-stricken areas of rural China.

Alumni 2014 JMP 5

Community based health care in China

6 Alumni 2014 JMP 7

DR SARAH MCEWAN BMed 2005

Originally from the central west of New South Wales, Dr Sarah McEwan’s unwavering passion for rural practice and desire to support the local community saw her returning to Port Hedland as a locum in 2009, after initially coming to the region as a medical student in 2001.

The remote Western Australian town is home to around 20,000 people and is known predominantly as a mining town, producing significant iron ore and salt exports.

“The town is hot, red and comprised predominately of middle aged men. The sea of reflective orange shirts that now covers the landscape is testimony to the ‘fly in, fly out’ workers of the town,” Dr McEwan said, describing the majority of Port Hedland’s workforce.

“Port Hedland is a melting pot of people from all over Australia. It is truly a unique location. The gorgeous landscape, the intact Aboriginal culture and also the diversity of people brought about by the nature of work available in the town, all add to the charm of the place.”

Thanks to this diversity, Port Hedland provides a unique and challenging workplace.

“Rural medicine is not straightforward. You not only need to deal with the health issues of the community, you also have to consider much broader impacts such as social isolation issues or other aspects of disadvantage when making decisions for patients. It is about offering a holistic approach and trying to amend inequalities, while also dealing with distance and service constraints,” she explained.

Dr McEwan’s country upbringing instilled a strong sense of place and culture, which evolved into a determination to address disadvantage in her community.

“Disparities between non-Indigenous and Indigenous Australians are extremely obvious in this particular area. It’s a constant struggle attending to all types of presentations with very few resources. This, combined with an acute shortage of GPs, infrequent access to specialist support and added load of trauma and workplace accidents from the mines, requires unwavering dedication. Often the challenges of working in a rural community pale in comparison to the moments that make it all worthwhile.”

Dr McEwan proudly recalls the recent experience of delivering an Aboriginal patient’s baby with an Aboriginal midwife.

“Apart from the obvious joy of the birth, it was also a moment where it felt like we were finally witnessing progress. We are making the shift to community control in healthcare, something governments have been trying to do for years.”

Dr McEwan believes this signals a bright future for Indigenous doctors.

“It’s fantastic to see we are starting to make a difference to the quality of healthcare in Australia. I was one of the first 70 Aboriginal doctors in the country – there are now around 140. It is a long term goal to continue to increase these figures, challenging the views of mainstream health and bringing to focus the struggles our people face.”

Dr McEwan believes a lack of resources and infrastructure is a significant problem in these communities. Despite the significant mining population residing in the area, the town is without planned infrastructure and relies on already stretched community medical services.

“If governments are going to entice people to live in regional, rural or remote locations throughout Australia, it is imperative adequate resources and infrastructure to support these growing communities is provided. These investments will ensure places like Port Hedland receive adequate medical services and continue to thrive accordingly.” >*Article provided courtesy of The Royal Australian College of General Practitioners

MEDICINE: Where will it take you?The JMP is committed to addressing the doctor shortage in rural and remote Australia and this issue highlights the work of two of our graduates who are committed to this vision.

“ If governments are going to entice people to live in regional, rural or remote locations throughout Australia, it is imperative adequate resources and infrastructure to support these growing communities is provided.”

8 Alumni 2014 JMP 9

MIGA GRANT – CATHERINE HICKS

The JMP has a strong focus on clinical experience, ensuring its graduates are prepared for a rewarding medical career. Third-year medical student, Catherine Hicks, travelled to Nepal for one of the most awe-inspiring experiences in her three years as a medical student.

Catherine spent eight weeks at a regional hospital in Pokhara, Nepal in the Paediatrics, Neonatal Intensive Care and Obstetrics, and Gynaecology departments as part of her Health Equity Selective in third-year.

“In the paediatric ward, doctors would see 36 coughing and sneezing patients with a mouldy sink, a tiny flake of soap and sodden towel to wash their hands. In the obstetrics department, pregnant women would overflow on benches in the corridor or thin foam mattresses on the floor. A walk down the hallways would take you past several dogs and the occasional cow.”

The hospital has only 300 beds and sees over 1,000 outpatients each day, with ratios of one physician for every 21,205 people.

The contrast between the overcrowded, under-resourced and unhygienic hospital to the gleaming, sterilised surfaces of Australia’s hospitals was formidable.

“The doctors and nurses demonstrated remarkable resilience and determination to make the best of their circumstances.

Staff seemed to have a skill for using minimal resources for maximum benefit and the lack of equipment did not falter their patient management,” Catherine said.

“The healthcare situation in Nepal is not of their making, yet with their patience and skill in the midst of nothing - hold the system together.”

Catherine received a grant from the Medical Insurance Group Australia and allocated the funds to the paediatrics, neonatal and obstetrics wards to purchase what are considered basic medical supplies in Australia: foetal dopplers, pulse oximeters and blood pressure cuffs in adult and paediatric sizes.

“It is a seemingly small step, I smile every time I think of a mother listening to the foetal heart beat of her baby for the first time.”

Despite being unsure of where her medical career is taking her, Catherine is sure that this experience will always guide her to serve those less fortunate.

> Medicine: Where will it take you?

DR ANDREW CROSSMAN BMed 2003

Broken Hill GP Dr Andrew Crossman shares some of the more interesting aspects to rural life from the delights of the hospital women’s auxiliary cakes and pastries, lessons in bush tucker, mishaps with kangaroos and the desert by night.

Originally a country boy, Dr Crossman always suspected he would eventually pursue a career in rural medicine. Today, Dr Crossman finds himself back in Broken Hill in the far west of New South Wales, where he had earlier trained in general practice.

“It seemed natural to come back. I was a John Flynn Placement Program student here in the 1990s, seconded as a resident in the early 2000s and did some of my general practice training in the area,” he explains.

Dr Crossman’s transition back to country life was preceded by occasional stints overseas and locally in academia.

“Before rural practice I worked at a clinic at the University of Sydney for three-and-a-half-years and spent time abroad, including two years studying tropical medicine at the London School of Tropical Medicine and Hygiene and working as a doctor for the television program Survivor Nicaragua.”

Dr Crossman certainly sees in rural life what others with less enthusiasm for the bush may dismiss; listing the cakes and pastries from the hospital women’s auxiliary as one of the more enjoyable aspects of working and living rurally. On a serious note, he praises the extra responsibility and diversity associated with practising medicine.

“The diversity of medicine makes for an interesting day and the geography and people are beautiful, honest and natural here.”

The experiences in Broken Hill are distinctively rural. His description of the open desert sky at night, the “mesmerising stars against the pitch black desert sky” would tempt even the most urban minds. In yet another lure, Dr Crossman boasts that there are not many city doctors who can obtain coveted bush recipes, such as Quangdong pie, (a native berry used in traditional bush food), from their patients.

Dr Crossman’s recollections of the types of presentations he attends truly demonstrate the diversity of rural practice and one of his most unusual experiences stemmed from a local native of a different kind.

“I once treated a patient who fractured his tibia/fibula after a kangaroo knocked him off his motorcycle by running straight into the side of him. Although, perhaps beating that, would be the patient with third degree burns obtained while collapsing from alcohol intoxication onto the hot concrete slab next to his caravan during a 45 degree outback day,” Dr Crossman recounts with an empathetic shudder.

Incidents of this kind are of course the reality of rural practice. Like many remote areas, the far west of NSW rates poorly on measures of health status, with some of the highest occurrences in terms of disease burden and other risk factors in Australia – diabetes, smoking and obesity are some examples of the main problems. However it is the more unusual illness that comes with rural life, such as Leptospirosis, Q fever and Kunjin virus that present challenges.

“There is a need for these types of illnesses to be included in the curriculum. They are rarely taught in medical schools in any depth, yet are present in these communities where GPs are practising.”

Broken Hill has a population of around 18,000 people, with the outlying towns accounting for an additional 8,000 and spanning a distance of 350km. These outlying areas also rely on services out of Broken Hill and the Royal Flying Doctor Service (RFDS). The demand and strain on local resources is clear and demonstrative of remote areas where there is a strong reliance on rural GPs.

Dr Crossman’s small two-doctor practice was opened in March last year and already has roughly 5,000 patients.

“Such is the need for GPs out here! In only 10 months we have acquired this number, I see 40 to 50 patients in a day and work 60 plus hours a week. We have two nurses, a psychologist and provide comprehensive service including mining medicals, procedures and minor surgery, aged care visits, joint injections and vaccinations.”

Despite the significant sector constraints and difficulties in recruitment and retention, rural life certainly agrees with Dr Crossman and he encourages others to pursue this path.

“Those looking to embark on a career in rural medicine should know that, despite the ups and downs, it’s like living the dream!” he says. >

*Article courtesy of The Royal Australian College of General Practitioners

10 Alumni 2014 JMP 11

Rural GP of the yearDr Jenny May (BMed 1985) has been named Rural Doctor of the Year by the Telstra Rural Doctors Association of Australia (RDAA) in recognition of her contribution to rural health on a local, regional and national scale.

Dr May has worked as a GP for nearly 25 years, while at the same time teaching, conducting research and taking on leadership roles within the rural community.

The Clinical Dean of the University of Newcastle’s Department of Rural Health, Dr May is responsible for supporting 32 JMP students studying at the Rural Clinical School in Tamworth.

Dr May said she was incredibly honoured to have received the award, and accepted it on behalf of the advocacy and leadership groups she was fortunate to be involved with.

“Rural medicine has offered me and my family the most wonderful opportunities and we are grateful to have been able to be a part of the fabric of a number of rural communities over the course of our working lives.

“My husband, Dr Peter May (BMed 1985), was responsible for bringing me to Tamworth after we graduated from medical school together, and we have shared a remarkable journey over the years.

“We have had the opportunity to live and work in rural Canada, in a variety of remote locations in Western Australia, in Alice Springs, and of course always coming back to our home town of Tamworth.

Dr May is Chair of the RDAA Female Doctors Group and is a past chair of the National Rural Health Alliance. She was also a member of the National Lead Clinicians Group as well as the National Dental Advisory Council.

“My advocacy work has been an extremely rewarding part of my career, and I am honoured to have been able to be part of, and contribute to, a number of great organisations.

“The RDAA Female Doctors Group has provided the opportunity to have input into policy at a high level, and I am really proud of the work we have done in the area of violence against all rural professionals.

“My role with the National Rural Health Alliance has allowed me to support our colleagues within rural health, as well as be involved with a number of very important, non-doctor issues, that relate to the heath of not only individuals but to that of rural communities.

“I can’t tell you how great it is to have the important work of these organisations recognised through this award.”

Dr May is completing her PhD, studying the recruitment and retention issues affecting regional centres for both specialists and GPs.

“ It has been great to be able to inspire the next generation of medical students with all the positive aspects of working in rural medicine, and it is wonderful to become such an integral member of the community as a rural doctor.”

UNE’s first Aboriginal medical graduate Ben Jarvis (BMed 2013) is a graduate of the Bachelor of Medicine – JMP at the University of New England (UNE) and was UNE’s first Aboriginal medical graduate.

A Kamilaroi Wiradjuri man from Banora Point, Ben was one of the original candidates when the JMP commenced in 2008. He is currently employed on the NSW Central Coast, working at Gosford District Hospital.

“One of the advantages of studying medicine at UNE is having a smaller cohort of students and a close knit group,” Ben said.

“UNE has state of the art facilities and the personal satisfaction I get from going to work each day is fantastic.”

Whilst Ben enjoys his work at Gosford District Hospital, he hopes to return to Griffith one day and work in the Aboriginal Health Service as a GP.

WATCHwww.youtube.com/watch?v=vwnDa-PAcNU

Graduate story

12 Alumni 2014 JMP 13

More than 400 medical education experts will come to Newcastle in March for the Asian Medical Education Association (AMEA) Conference 2015 and the Australian & New Zealand Association for Health Professional Educators (ANZAHPE) Conference.

This is the first year that delegates from both conferences will come together and the first time that AMEA has been held outside Asia. The conference themes are Stakeholder Engagement in Health Professional Education (ANZAHPE) and New Directions in Patient-Centred Medical Education (AMEA).

The University of Newcastle’s School of Medicine and Public Health won a bid for the prestigious international event, which is expected to inject more than one-million dollars into the Newcastle economy.

The conferences will be attended by healthcare professionals and educators from around the world and will cover topics such as education leadership, education standards, innovation in medical education and challenges in clinical training.

The successful bid for the AMEA conference was led by the University’s Head of the School of Medicine and Public Health, Professor Ian Symonds, who worked alongside Business Events Sydney (the NSW Convention Bureau) and the Newcastle Convention Bureau to secure the conference.

“The University of Newcastle is ranked among the top three per cent of universities worldwide,” Professor Symonds said.

“We have a reputation for delivering world-class innovation, with more than 40 fields of research undertaken at the University being rated at, above, or well above world standard. World-class facilities such as the Hunter Medical Research Institute also enhance our attractiveness for visiting medical education experts.”

Showcased at the conferences will be the innovative Joint Medical Program (JMP).

The industry-leading JMP offers students the opportunity to practise medicine in regional, rural and remote Australia through a high quality regional university, and provides urban opportunities through a high quality metropolitan university. It provides a strong base for postgraduate training and research in urban, regional, rural and remote medicine.

“There has been a great deal of international interest in our Joint Medical Program model for medical education as a way to help

ease the health workforce shortage in rural areas,” Professor Symonds said.

Business Events Sydney CEO Lyn Lewis-Smith said the conference provided an excellent opportunity to showcase the expertise and innovation of the School, the JMP and the University of Newcastle, as well as the appeal of NSW’s regions.

“The University is engaged in ground-breaking research in the fields of health and medicine and the AMEA conference is the perfect opportunity to showcase this on the world stage,” Ms Lewis-Smith said.

“The conference will shine the spotlight not only on the University, but also on Newcastle and the vast array of venues, knowledge hubs and attractions the region has to offer.”

Mark it in your diary and watch the website for further updates.

ANZAHPE - AMEA 2015 CONFERENCE www.anzahpeamea2015.com.au

Improving clinical education in regional centresThe Tamworth Education Centre (TEC) is now operational after five years of planning and significant fundraising.

The $18 million facility is home to the University of Newcastle Department of Rural Health providing training for allied health, nursing and medical students. It comprises accommodation for 57 students, lecture theatres and study areas as well as simulation laboratories.

The education centre, which was funded by the Federal Department of Health and Health Workforce Australia, complements the University’s Department of Rural Health on the grounds of Tamworth Hospital.

Newcastle to host international medical conferences

Assistant Minister for Health Fiona Nash MP experiences simulated technology

ANZAHPE - AMEA 2015 CONFERENCE

Key Dates:

ANZAHPE/AMEA 2015: 29 March – 1 April 2015

ANZAHPE: 29 – 31 March 2015

AMEA: 30 March – 1 April 2015

Pre-Conference ANZAHPE Workshops:

Sat 28 March 2015

Early Bird Registration Closes:

Thurs 8 Jan 2015

The Tablelands Clinical School (TCS) was officially opened in October this year and is situated within the grounds of Armidale Rural Referral Hospital.

It provides students with state of the art training facilities including some of the most active simulation laboratories in the State. The facility also offers student and staff common rooms, meeting facilities, lecture and tutorial rooms, and 15 GP consultation rooms.

The School has one of the most advanced telehealth capabilities in the nation, allowing UNE’s School of Rural Medicine and allied health students to receive training from sources nationally and internationally. Along with medical students, UNE students in pharmacy, nursing, social work, psychology and exercise physiology are able to access and utilise the TCS building.

The Tablelands Clinical School is the result of funding by the Department of Health and Ageing under the Rural Education and Infrastructure Development funding pool and UNE.

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THE UNIVERSITY OF NEWCASTLE 2014 ALUMNI AWARDS

Alumni 2014 JMP 15

RECIPIENT OF THE NEWTON-JOHN AWARD This award recognises innovation or creativity in any field that has improved cultural life.

DR CHRISTIAN HEIMBachelor of Medicine 2000

Christian is a composer and psychiatrist with a research interest in the art/medicine interface. An Associate Senior Lecturer at the University of Queensland, his work on the therapeutic use of Baroque music in dementia has been published in the Australasian Journal on Ageing. Christian is a pianist and percussionist, and co-founder of Crossbow Productions – a theatre company focusing on biographical and historical verse plays. Christian has lectured in composition at the universities of Wollongong, Newcastle and at the Manhattan School of Music; and has conducted the Manhattan Contemporary Music Ensemble, the Western Sinfonia and the Newcastle Medical Orchestra. A psychiatrist and Fellow of the Royal Australian and New Zealand College of Psychiatrists, Christian has worked in NSW and Queensland hospitals.

MEDICAL ALUMNI FINALISTS FOR 2014ALUMNI MEDAL FOR PROFESSIONAL EXCELLENCERecognises an outstanding record of professional excellence in leadership, knowledge and professional practice.

DR SUZANNE HILL PhD (Medicine) 1994, Graduate Diploma in Epidemiology 1997, Bachelor of Medicine 1983

Suzanne is an internationally-recognised leader in pharmacoeconomics and public health. She began her career as a Medical Officer before joining the Therapeutic Goods Administration in the early 1990s. In 1996 Suzanne joined the academic staff at UON where she established a program for teaching pharmacoeconomics and health technology assessment to low and middle-income country public sector employees. In 2005 Suzanne was appointed Secretary for the World Health Organisation Model List of Essential Medicines. Later she served as the Principle Investigator and scientific lead on a global program to improve access to medicines for children in Ghana, Tanzania and India, utilising a US $10 million grant from the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation. In 2011 Suzanne commenced her current role as Chair of the Australian Pharmaceutical Benefits Advisory Committee. She is a member of the Editorial Board for the peer-reviewed medical journal PLoS MEDICINE, and holds two visiting professional appointments, at the University of Melbourne and Australian National University.

NEWTON-JOHN AWARDRecognises innovation or creativity in any field that has improved cultural life.

DR KAREN HITCHCOCKPhD (English) 2010, Bachelor of Medicine 2002

Karen is an author and doctor working in Acute and General Medicine at the Alfred Hospital in Melbourne. Combining her diverse skills, Karen has published in both medical and literary journals, including the Best Australian Short Stories anthologies. Her first book Little White Slips won the 2010 Steele Rudd Award in the Queensland Premier’s Literary Awards and was shortlisted in the 2010 NSW Premier’s Literary Award and the Kibble Award for Women Writers. Karen is a columnist and essayist for The Monthly magazine, an Australian national magazine of politics, society and the arts; and is a contributor to Good Weekend magazine and sub-editor to the medicine issue of The Lifted Brow. Her novel Read My Lips, and a Quarterly Essay about health care for the elderly are both due for release in 2015.

BERYL NASHAR YOUNG RESEARCHER AWARD Recognises outstanding research achievements and contributions by a graduate aged 35 years or younger at the time of nomination.

DR LAKSHMI NAYANA VOOTAKURUBachelor of Medicine 2006

Lakshmi Nayana is completing her training as an anaesthetist and aspires to work at the nexus of policy, governance and clinical medicine. She holds a Master of Public Health in Health Policy and Management from Harvard University where she studied with a full academic scholarship as a Menzies Scholar and where she was the graduation speaker. Prior to Harvard, Lakshmi was a physician in NSW, and also worked as a policy officer for the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade on issues of aid, trade and humanitarian assistance. After completing her Masters, Lakshmi – who speaks English, Telugu and basic French – worked with Harvard’s School of Public Health as a researcher on humanitarian policy and conflict.

16

Recognising excellence in both JMP universitiesThe University of Newcastle is Australia’s number one University in the 2014 QS “Top 50 under 50” rankings.

Importantly, UoN also ranked in the world’s top 20 universities under 50 years of age, after rising 12 positions to be ranked at number 19.

The independent rankings are evidence of a commitment and focus across the University on research excellence and education outcomes.

The QS ‘Top 50 under 50’ ranks universities established since 1965 according to their positions in the QS World University Rankings 2014/15.

The rankings saw UoN achieve a 16 per cent rise in academic reputation during the past year and a 17 per cent rise in UoN’s employer ranking, while citations in research publication per Faculty rose 16 per cent.

Now in its 10th year, QS World University Rankings rank the world’s top 863 universities based on research, teaching, employability and internationalisation. Institutions are assessed on six indicators – academic reputation, employer reputation, faculty student ratios, citations per faculty, international students and international faculty.

Students give UNE a five-star rating

The University of New England has maintained its reputation for excellence by again achieving a five-star (maximum) rating for Overall Satisfaction in the 2015 Good Universities Guide.

UNE academic staff were also awarded five stars for Teaching Quality.

A five-star rating in these categories means that UNE students rated their university experience better than students from 80 per cent of other universities.

UNE has also been awarded five stars for Socioeconomic Equity, a well-deserved nod to the University’s commitment to one of its core values: inclusiveness.

Each year Hobsons compiles extensive data on each of Australia’s universities to indicate where they stand in various categories relating to student experience, quality and quantity of staff, student demographics, international students and university income. The data collected is based upon extensive surveys and interviews, as well as information publically released by universities.

Alumni 2014 JMP 17

JMP student elected President of AMSAJoint Medical Program (JMP) students are at the forefront of Australia’s peak representative body for medical students.

James Lawler has been elected President of the Australian Medical Students’ Association (AMSA) for 2015, becoming the first student from the University of Newcastle to be elected to this position.

“AMSA is a fantastic organisation that is very influential in terms of health advocacy,” James commented.

“While this is a demanding role requiring me to spend six months on the road, I’m looking forward to being part of the decision making and advocating in Canberra on the bigger issues such as internships, health workforce and university fee deregulation.”

Joining James on the committee are fellow Newcastle based JMP students Maria Bilal, Joshua Darlow and Ming Yong. They too will form part of the voice for young people on key health issues such as mental health, sexual health and other health issues affecting young people.

“In 2014, AMSA launched a national campaign to tackle the burden of mental health affecting Australia’s youth. We will continue this campaign by lobbying for improved access to mental health services in tertiary education centres and the community,” said James.

“The Australian Institute of Health and Welfare found that young Australians are at a greater risk than other age groups in Australia of developing a mental health disorder, with just under a quarter of those aged between 16 and 24 years experiencing a mental health disorder in the previous 12 months.”

Professor Ian Symonds, Dean of the JMP said James’ election highlights the JMPs commitment to selecting students whose personal qualities reflect a commitment to their communities and is pleased to see James accept such a high profile position.

“We are excited that James recognises the value of his role with AMSA and has chosen to put his studies on hold for 12 months. The school will provide any support James needs to allow him to focus on raising the profile of the key issues that face medical students as well as possible solutions.”

“ It acts on behalf of Australia’s 17,000 medical students through direct advocacy with politicians and stakeholders in medical education.”

JAMES LAWLER

18 Alumni 2014 JMP 19

LETTERS from the Ebola front lineMaster of Public Health course coordinator at the University of Newcastle, Associate Professor John Hall, has recently received letters from two key members of teams fighting the Ebola epidemic in Africa.

Dear John,

In October, a pr

imary school exp

erienced an outb

reak of

“a strange dise

ase” manifesting

with fever, hea

dache, general b

ody

pains, vomiting

and diarrhoea. W

ithin a week the

disease attacke

d

more than 30 pup

ils and two were

admitted to the

St Gabriel

Namitondo Missio

n Hospital.

Following a rumo

ur that several

pupils from Guil

leme Primary Sch

ool

were presenting

with signs and s

ymptoms of a ‘st

range disease’,

the

team immediately

followed up the

cases to establ

ish whether this

rumour was true

or not,” Dr Kamb

a said. “It is p

art of our effor

t

to fight the Ebol

a virus disease

threats in our d

istrict, and ind

eed

any other diseas

e.

Notably, all the

cases tested ne

gative for malar

ia. Full blood

count results sh

owed nothing of

significance and

stool and urine

results were als

o negative. In f

act, all tests c

ame out negative

.

It is now suspec

ted that food po

isoning from ins

ecticides could

be

the cause. Howev

er, the case is

still under inve

stigation.

Thank you to the

University of N

ewcastle and my

epidemiology

lecturer, Dr Mil

ton Hasnat.

The skills learn

t in food poison

ing lectures wer

e put into pract

ice

in this situatio

n.

I just thought o

f sharing with t

he University of

Newcastle Schoo

l

of Medicine and

Public Health wh

at I am doing he

re as the MPH

Graduate. Honest

ly, the UON MPH

is making a huge

difference in m

y

community and pe

rhaps my country

.

Edson Kamba

Dear John,

I just wanted to keep you in the loop of things since my return home to Monrovia in Liberia.

I am presently with the Liberian National Red Cross Society serving as the National

Ebola Coordinator. I am responsible for high-quality planning, developing, implementing,

strengthening, coordinating and monitoring the Ebola emergency program activities.

This is a huge task for me but I am coping very well with all my skills acquired during my

MPH studies, especially my global health skills, which give me leverage to coordinate and

collaborate.

It is really disheartening for me daily when I get to read the National SitReps (situation

report) and see that our figures increase. The Red Cross is involved in social mobilisation/

awareness, psycho-social support, contact tracing and dead body management in the capital.

Since the outbreak in Liberia in May, we have lost more than 1500 persons even though all

the deaths have not been confirmed yet.

We are having lots of discussions surrounding events here and I think it is best for you to be

in the loop every now and then because you are such an experienced public health person and

I

value all your training. It is working here, John.

Neima Nora Candy

Both were tutored in the Master of Public Health (MPH) program at the University of Newcastle and were writing to express their gratitude for the training they received and to recount how it is contributing to their work dealing with the ebola virus.

Neima Nora Candy, a nurse, worked for the Ministry of Health in Liberia and jumped at the chance to apply for an AusAid African Award Scholarship. She chose the University of Newcastle to study an MPH in 2012 and 2013. After doing extremely well in her course she returned to Liberia and is working for the Liberian Red Cross.

Edson Kamba, a doctor from the rural districts of Malawi, also won an AusAid African Award Scholarship and in 2013 chose UoN to study his MPH. He is now using this knowledge as a key member of a Malawi disaster, emergency, and rapid response team fighting the Ebola crisis.

UoN’s School of Medicine and Public Health is extremely proud of the remarkable efforts of the two MPH graduates.

20 Alumni 2014 JMP 21

Mental Health TrailblazerOn an evening when more than 70 donor-funded grants worth $3.5 million were awarded or acknowledged, mental health trailblazer Professor Brian Kelly (BMed 1983) has been heralded as the HMRI Researcher of the Year for 2014.

Few clinical researchers have made such a profound contribution as the University of Newcastle and Hunter New England Health psychiatrist, whose distinguished track record spans rural health, palliative care and psycho-oncology, substance use, social determinants of mental health and clinical ethics.

In 2004 Professor Kelly was appointed Director of the NSW Centre for Rural and Remote Mental Health, subsequently leading the ground-breaking Australian Rural Mental Health Study for farm communities. Flow-on projects included Farm Link, supported by the National Suicide Prevention Program, and the XTEND study investigating the role of social support in mental health outcomes.

His work has also established international collaborations addressing workplace mental health and the impacts of environmental adversity.

Based at the Calvary Mater Newcastle, Professor Kelly has obtained almost $12 million in research grants and produced more than 110 papers in peer-reviewed scientific journals.

HMRI Director Professor Michael Nilsson praised Professor Kelly for demonstrating sustained excellence in community engagement.

“It’s the quality of the research relationships he has fostered and the compassion he shows to patients which make him a thoroughly deserving recipient of our Award for Research Excellence.”

Professor Kelly joins an impressive honour board dating back to 1999 for the annual award, sponsored by the Sparke Helmore/NBN Television Triathlon Festival.

HMRI is a partnership between the University of Newcastle, Hunter New England Health and the community.

HMRI Director’s Award for Mid-career ResearchAlso announced at the awards, the inaugural HMRI Director’s Award for Mid-career Research went to neurologist Professor Mark Parsons (BMed 1992) whose pivotal research into acute stroke interventions are changing clinical practice and policy.

Professor Parsons is currently leading a Phase-3 trial of a clot-busting drug known as Tenecteplase, securing almost $4 million last month from the National Health and Medical Research Council.

“ Beyond his outstanding research and academic achievements, Brian is making a meaningful difference for sufferers of chronic health and psychiatric conditions, for the terminally ill, for farmers and rural communities, and for medical students and health professionals”

PROFESSOR NILSSON

WATCHhttp://youtu.be/9BcI1v2qU1k?list=UUv18msmM-TjCOi0QwODJUqg

The Life of Brian Kelly

Our Medical Program in a changing health care environmentThe Joint Medical Program (JMP) continues to hold a high national and international reputation for producing excellent graduates and as a leader in innovation and teaching.

The program’s partnerships between the University of Newcastle, the University of New England, Hunter New England and Central Coast Local Health Districts shows commitment to delivering a program that is relevant and responsive to the rapidly changing health care environment.

The JMP continues to provide students with the opportunity to develop comprehensive theoretical knowledge, research skills and clinical expertise, under the guidance of experienced academics and specialists who are world-leaders in their field.

There is a strong focus on experiential learning and use of state-of-the-art educational technology including simulated learning environments. Clinical exposure through placements begins early in first year and ensures students develop hands-on skills and learn to apply the theory to clinical practice from the very beginning.

The JMP is committed to addressing the doctor shortage in rural and remote Australia and as such actively recruit students interested in practising rural medicine.

22 Alumni 2014 JMP 23

Stay in touch! To ensure you are receiving the latest news keep your details up to date with:

THE UNIVERSITY OF NEWCASTLE VIA GRADLINK www.newcastle.edu.au/community-and-alumni/alumni/update-your-details

UNIVERSITY OF NEW ENGLAND ALUMNI www.alumni.une.edu.au

Familiar face becomes Head of School at UNE In May this year, Professor Steve Doherty was appointed as Head of School of Rural Medicine at UNE.

Steve has extensive experience in rural medicine and rural medical education. Many of you will know Steve from his position as Director at the University of Newcastle Rural Clinical School (RCS) and the University of Newcastle Department of Rural Health in Tamworth. During this time he held the position of Director for 4.5 years and was Chair of the National Institute of Clinical Studies Fellowship Review Committee and Chair of the NHMRC Pain Management Initiative.

Steve has an excellent understanding of the Joint Medical Program and has 20 years’ experience working in rural hospitals across New South Wales. Prior to his role as Head of School at UNE he was the Visiting Medical Officer (VMO) in critical care at Tamworth Rural Referral Hospital, and the VMO in Emergency Medicine at Dubbo and Armidale Rural Referral Hospitals.

UoN CRICOS Provider 00109J

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FURTHER INFORMATIONUniversity of New England

School of Rural Medicine

P: 6773 3048 W: www.une.edu.au

The University of Newcastle

School of Medicine and Public Health

P: 4921 6852 W: www.newcastle.edu.au