MMS Indigenous Development Grant Outcomes
The inaugural round of the Melbourne Medical School (MMS) Indigenous Development Grants has drawn to a close. Developed by the MMS in collaboration with MDHS Indigenous Development. These grants are designed to foster the career development of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander professional and academic staff, including prospective staff, and graduate research students in our School.
We are pleased to announce the recipients of the inaugural round of the Melbourne Medical School’s Indigenous Development Grants:
Brooke Conley
Department of Surgery (St Vincent’s Hospital) and Department of Medical Education
Brooke Conley is a proud Ngiyampaa woman from Cobar, New South Wales. She has completed a Bachelor in Exercise Science and a Master in Physiotherapy Practice. Brooke is currently a PhD candidate in the Department of Surgery, investigating what culturally appropriate information resources look like for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples with osteoarthritis.
Alongside her PhD, Brooke holds a Physiotherapy position at a Melbourne private practice clinic and an Associate Lecturer position in the Department of Medical Education. This grant will support Brooke’s academic career goals by supporting training as part of her PhD studies, as well as her teaching role.
Charlotte Dodds
Department of Medicine (Royal Melbourne Hospital)
Charlotte Dodds is a proud Wiradjuri woman and member of the Aboriginal community of Condobolin, NSW. She has completed a Diploma in Health Science is works through the Department of Medicine as the Indigenous Community Engagement Officer, Australian Stroke Alliance (ASA). Charlotte was the first Aboriginal Ambassador for the Stroke Foundation Australia and is currently the Indigenous representative on the Consumer Council of the ASA.
Charlotte will use the grant to utilise Indigenous research methodologies to connect with Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people impacted by stroke, creating a safe space for community members to speak openly about their experiences and needs. Charlotte plans to develop a Community voices library as a resource for future Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people affected by stroke but also ensuring community needs and priorities are integral to the research process for stroke researchers and clinicians.
Dr Simon Graham
Department of Infectious Diseases
Dr Simon Graham is a NHMRC and senior research fellow based in the Department of Infectious Diseases. A researcher of sexual health in Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities, Simon has been awarded $3 million in competitive funding and held externally funded fellowships since receiving his PhD in 2014.
In 2015, Simon received a McKenzie Postdoctoral Fellowship at the University of Melbourne and has worked as a postdoctoral researcher at the PRIDE Health Research Consortium in New York City, the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, and the First Nations Health Authority in Vancouver.
This professional development grant will enable Simon to collaborate with global experts in sexual health at the World Health Organization in Geneva in designing interventions to reduce the incidence of sexually transmitted infections and reduce the poor health outcomes associated with these infections.
Ryan Prehn
Department of Surgery (St Vincent's Hospital)
Ryan Prehn is a researcher in the Department of Surgery, working in the 'Enhancing Equity, Collaboration and Culturally Secure Osteoarthritis Care for Aboriginal Australians (ECCO)' stream of the Centre for Research Excellence in Total Joint Replacement (OPUS). In this role, Ryan assists with research interviews and qualitative analysis of data, co-chairs a community reference group, builds and maintains essential relationships with community members and Aboriginal health services, and provides important cultural advice and cultural brokerage to his colleagues.
This grant will allow Ryan to assume the lead on a new consumer engagement arm of arthritis research in collaboration with Budja Budja Aboriginal Co-operative. Ryan will also have the opportunity to travel to Western Australia to develop his research skills by undertaking training in research yarning.
The Melbourne Medical School acknowledges and thanks the MDHS Indigenous Development team for their support in developing and delivering this initiative.
For more information regarding this scheme contact mms-research@unimelb.edu.au