Reflections from the Head of School

It’s hard to believe we are already at the halfway point of the year. It’s been a busy time at the Melbourne Medical School, and I couldn’t be prouder of the many exciting initiatives underway and the collaborative energy that’s buzzing within our School community.

One of the many highlights was our annual Melbourne Medical School Symposium, held on Monday 23 June, which focused on shaping the future of clinician-scientists. It was a pleasure to welcome Professor Sir John Savill as our keynote speaker, followed by a thought-provoking panel discussion chaired by Nicole Tweddle to explore the opportunities and challenges ahead. The conversations sparked valuable insight, and the next step is to translate these into meaningful actions that will strengthen support for both clinician-researchers and health-focused scientists across the School.

At the Symposium, I also spoke about the launch of the MMS Network podcast, which is the School’s new platform to amplify the diverse voices within our community. From students and staff to our extensive alumni network, it’s been a pleasure to share the many stories that reflect the passion and innovation shaping our School community.

In the latest episode, I had the pleasure of chatting with the co-convenors of this year’s MD Student Conference and I was also fortunate to attend the event this week. It was fantastic to see students lead the charge on the largest student-led initiative in our calendar. A highlight for me was day 1’s theme, Humour in Medicine, which served as a timely reminder of the importance of connection through humour in medicine.

In May, I was thrilled to tour the brand-new Aikenhead Centre for Medical Discovery (ACMD), which will soon house St Vincent’s Clinical School. As part of the Doctor of Medicine (MD) program, the Clinical School will foster the next generation of exceptional clinicians and clinician-researchers. Additionally, students will also benefit from the newly established MD-Masters in Bio-Engineering program, which will enhance their learning experience and promote interdisciplinary teamwork. You will hear much more about the opportunities the ACMD will afford both our students and researchers in due course.

In more teaching news, colleagues from the Department of Medical Education have been recognised for their outstanding student satisfaction scores at the end of the Semester survey, which is a testament to their commitment to teaching excellence. Congratulations to Professor Peter Morley, Associate Professor Sharon Lewis, Professor Jan Hodgson, Ms Linda Cicciarelli, Dr Gabrielle Reid Vogl, Dr Phillipa Bellemore, Dr Nathalie Martinek and Dr Justin Bilszta.

And last but certainly not least, I’m pleased to welcome the following appointments to the Melbourne Medical School’s senior leadership team:

  • Professor David Eisenstat, Children’s Cancer Foundation and My Room Children’s Cancer Charity Chair in Childhood Cancer
  • Dr Karyn Ferguson, MMS Indigenous Development Director
  • Professor Jason Trubiano, Head of the Department of Infectious Diseases
  • Professor Christobel Saunders, Research Director of the Melbourne Medical School

Thank you for your incredible work during the first half of the year, and I look forward to the many conversations that lie ahead for the remainder of 2025.