Carolyn Ee

Dr Carolyn Ee

Year of academic post: 2007

Research area in academic post: Acupuncture and women’s health. I conducted a systematic review on acupuncture for pelvic and back pain in pregnancy, published in American Journal of Obstetrics and Gynecology in 2008.

Skills that you learnt during your academic post that have influenced your current career: Doing a systematic review was an excellent way to learn the fundamentals of clinical research, particularly in understanding randomised clinical trials. It was also a fantastic complement to my clinical work as a GP registrar and acupuncturist. Since then I have gained extensive skills in conducting randomised controlled trials, first as a Masters of Medicine student in 2010, then as a PhD student from 2011-2016. I am now a research fellow at Western Sydney University and have been Chief Investigator on multiple randomised controlled trials. Postdoctorally I have focussed on translational research and on ensuring that my research is co-designed and aims to have real-world impact. To do this I have expanded my research skills to include qualitative research methods, co-design and observational studies. I am leading the development of an academic integrative healthcare centre at Western Sydney University and have taken on several leadership roles including Chair of the RACGP Integrative Medicine Specific Interest Network.

Advice for GP registrars considering an academic post or career: Research can be an excellent additional skill for GP registrars. At the very least, you will leave your academic post having gained valuable skills in understanding different types of research, critical appraisal of evidence, and most importantly, how to find, read and interpret a research paper. For others, an academic post may lead to a career in research which can be very rewarding.