Newsletter | Issue 2 | April 2016

Welcome to the first Melbourne Medical School Newsletter for 2016. This year will be an important year of consolidation for our new governance structure and further exploration of our budget in the light of constant changes in the funding environment. There are also some important developments to be reported relating to the imminent opening of the Victorian Comprehensive Cancer Centre (VCCC), Critical Care Medicine (CCM) and Ageing

The new $1 billion Victorian Comprehensive Cancer Centre (VCCC) facility in Parkville is on track to open in mid-2016. Professor Sean Grimmond who will be located in the VCCC when it opens will lead the Cancer Research Strategy for the Faculty and University..

The Department of Psychiatry is proud to announce the launch of the graduate Master of Psychiatry course online.  The photograph is behind the scenes of a video shoot featuring Associate Professor Trevor Norman.

During 2015, The Department of Medical Education developed the Standardised Case Based Discussion (SCBD) as a way to explore student clinical reasoning in depth with a standardised format. Clinical reasoning is one of the fundamental skills that medical students must master to practice as a clinician.

The Teddy Bear Hospital (TBH) is the major draw-card at The Good Friday Appeal Kids Day Out and the University of Melbourne’s largest student engagement activity for the year. TBH expanded in 2016 to include over 900 student volunteers from both medical and allied health disciplines. Teddy's underwent a number of health related activities including triage (to assess which Teddy's needed to be flown to the hospital or taken by ambulance)..

In 2015 Helen Dedman reached a milestone, 25 years at the University of Melbourne.  The Melbourne Medical School held a small celebration to recognise her 25 years of service to the University.

Professor David Amor has been appointed as the inaugural Lorenzo and Pamela Galli Chair of Developmental Medicine, in the Department of Paediatrics, Melbourne Medical School..

The Melbourne Children’s Campus continues to cement itself as a leader in genomics, and welcomes Professor John Christodoulou as Chair in Genomic Medicine..

The inaugural Financial Markets Foundation Chair Developmental Mental Health, a  joint appointment between the Department of Paediatrics and the Department of Psychiatry based at the Royal Children’s Hospital, is Professor David Coghill.

Fergus Cameron Head of the Diabetes Services and Deputy Director of the Department of Endocrinology Unit at the Royal Children’s Hospital Melbourne and a group leader of Diabetes Research at the Murdoch Childrens Research Institute has been an honorary appointment with the MMS Department of Paediatrics since 2002.

Peter McDougall the Executive Director Medical Services and Clinical Governance at the Royal Children’s Hospital (RCH) was appointed a clinical professor of the MMS Department of Paediatrics in 2015.

Professor David Swanson Vice-President of Academic Programs and Services for the American Board of Medical Specialities visited the MMS Department of Medical Education in March.  Professor Swanson has an honorary professional appointment at the University of Melbourne.

The newly formed Primary Care Diabetes Society of Australia (PCDSA) will host their Inaugural National Conference on 30 April 2016. The PCDSA aims to support primary care health professionals to deliver high quality clinically care to improve the lives of people living with diabetes.

Geoff McColl joined the Vice-Chancellor, Provost and other senior staff at this year's Midsumma Pride march.

The Departments of Paediatrics and Psychiatry (generously supported by the Creswick Foundation) recently hosted two public lectures by Professor Robert Emde, Emeritus Professor of Psychiatry, University of Colorado. Professor Emde spoke on:'The importance of pioneers: Personal reflections on Rene Spits and Selma Fraiberg: Infant Mental Health and using your emotions''Infancy and our Endowments in Development'

The MMS Department of Rural Health was recently excited to support Indigenous art initiatives and local artists in the Shepparton community by hosting an exhibition ‘Strong Spirit’ on behalf of Gallery Kaiela in the foyer of the Department of Rural Health building.