Welcome to our 2025 student cohort

• The Department welcomed the first MD4 Research Scholar and Clinical Scholar cohort of the MD redesign.
• Read more

Dulashi (Anna) Withanage awarded the Outstanding Abstract Award by the University of Hawai‘i Cancer Center.

• Anna received this award for her abstract Considerations for simplifying breast density and risk assessment in primary care. She was also awarded the $500 Travel Award, which enables her to attend the International Breast Density & Cancer Risk Assessment Workshop in Hawai'i in June.

Largest turnout at the GP Supervisor workshop in five years!

• Clinicians were welcomed and given an overview of the program by Prof Lena Sanci, followed by a presentation on the LINKME+ research project in mental health by A/Prof Caroline Johnson and an outline of the new Doctor of Medicine curriculum by Dr Rebecca Starkie, Tamara Clements and A/Prof Justin Tse. Total of 780 students will experience a GP placement this year. That's a 10% increase on 2024.

Dr Jimmy Tseng named as 2025 Recipient of the Dr Leon Carp Award

• Jimmy’s research will look at the intervention for asthma management in high schools. Asthma is a huge issue for Australian families with around 10 per cent of children up to the age of 14 suffering from the condition and rural Victoria has been identified as an asthma hot spot.
• Read more

Prof Laura Tarzia and Dr Mandy McKenzie awarded ARC Discovery Grant

• Prof Laura Tarzia and Dr Mandy McKenzie were awarded an ARC Discovery Grant to explore the hidden issue of sexual violence against older women. This project will examine the impacts of sexual violence for older women through in-depth interviews that explore their lived-experiences and support needs. It will also analyse media and legal documents to understand how sexual violence against older women is perceived.

National Multidisciplinary Primary Care Research, Policy and Advocacy Consortium awarded $5.2M funding over five years

• Co Led by Professor Michael Kidd and Prof Lena Sanci, the Consortium aims to improve primary care delivery and patient outcomes through a multidisciplinary team (MDT)-based approach to care. The Consortium will be one of Australia's largest research collaborations, fostering partnerships among researchers, consumers, government organisations, and expert partners to design and test new models of health service delivery that better address Australia's healthcare needs.
• Read more

A/Prof Kylie Vuong joins the Department

• Kylie's research is focused on improving patient health outcomes through comprehensive patient-centred care and the development of strong, trusting relationships.

WEAVERs deliver first session on recognising and responding to domestic and family violence to Doctor of Medicine students

• A team of WEAVERS from the Safer Families Centre delivered the first lived-experience led training session to medical students, teaching them how to identify, engage and respond to victim survivors of domestic, family and sexual violence. This initiative is planned to roll out across other areas of the University including with nurse practitioner students, dental students and social work students.

Prof Jon Emery and Dr Sibel Saya present at Australian Polygenic Implementation Research Summit in Melbourne

• The summit aimed to expand awareness of major PRS research efforts in Australia, identify common obstacles in implementation and share insights from leading teams in the field.

Prof Jon Emery, Dr Sibel Saya, Dr Dulashi (Anna) Withanage Dona and Madeline Luke presented at the Public Health Association of Australia 2025 Screening Conference in Sydney

• Screening 2025 showcased Sibel's work on polygenic risk score-tailored cancer screening in primary care, Madeline's efforts in making the Colorectal Cancer Risk Prediction (CRISP) Tool publicly available and Anna's work in personalised approaches to breast cancer screening.

Dr Allison Drosdowsky, Dr Shaoke Lei and Prof  Jon Emery from the Data connect team present at Showcasing linked data for cancer research event in Melbourne

• The event was attended by key figures in cancer research and healthcare policy, including Victorian Health Minister, The Hon Mary-Anne Thomas MP.

Led by Prof Laura Tarzia, RESTORE Centre of Research Excellence officially launched.

• This centre aims to transform health systems to restore wellbeing and enhance access to healing after sexual violence in adulthood

Cancer in Primary Care Research Team presents at CaPRI 2025 in Manchester, UK

Sophie Chima, Dr Sibel Saya, Dr Allison Drosdowsky, Dr Meena Rafiq, Dr Javiera Martinez Gutierrez, Prof Jon Emery represent the Department at the 2025 CaPRI conference in Manchester, UK.

Dr Allison Drosdowsky, Dr Shaoke Lei and Prof  Jon Emery from Data connect team present at the VICS Optimal Care Summit

The summit highlighted the critical importance of a linked data system with research capabilities to analyse cancer patient data where primary care and hospital systems intersect across the cancer journey.

Dr Elizabeth McLindon and team developed the Psychological Violence in Relationships (PAR) Scale in consultation with lived experience and academic experts

The PAR scale is a new tool that can help researchers to identify and measure the victimisation and impact of psychological abuse in relationships.

The Department's Annual Award Night was held at the Woodward Centre

2024 Department of General Practice and Primary Care Award
Awarded to the students placed first overall in the general practice component of Principles of Clinical Practice 3.
Winner: Cassandra Hocking

2024 RACGP Victoria Prize
Awarded to the students placed second overall in the general practice component of Principles of Clinical Practice 3.
Winner: Jasmine Fraser

2024 Therapeutic Guidelines Award
Awarded to the students placed third overall in the general practice component of Principles of Clinical Practice 3.
Winner: Tim Duff

2024 Graduate Primary Care Nursing Student Award
Awarded to the student placed first overall in the Graduate Certificate in Primary Care Nursing.
Winner: Wang Yan Kau (Jannifer)

2024 Healthcare Discovery Award
Awarded to the students who achieved the highest marks in the inaugural running of the MD2 selective Discovery subject: Making Healthcare Work: from home to hospital and back again.
Winner: Jesse Osbourne

2024 Graduate Research Completions
Dr Allison Drosdowsky
Dr Amy Coe
Dr Maddie Lim
Dr Amita Tuteja

A/Prof Justin Tse appointed board director of Cancer Council Victoria and the Clinical Network Executive and Medical Scientific Committee

A/Prof Carolyn Ee appointed Director of PC4

Justin Tse is a key speaker at VCCC alliance lung cancer screening symposium

Dulashi (Anna) Withanage presents at the 11th International Breast Density and Cancer Risk Assessment Workshop

• Anna presented her award winning abstract Considerations for simplifying breast density and risk assessment in primary care at the 11th International Breast Density & Cancer Risk Assessment Workshop, which was held from 4-6 June on Līhuʻe, Kauaʻi Island, Hawaiʻi.

Dr Amita Tutija wins RANZCOG Outstanding Contribution to Woman’s Health Award

• Dr Tuteja was honoured for her PhD research focused on developing culturally sensitive consent processes and creating a best practice resource for healthcare practitioners working with interpreters in refugee contexts.

Prof Kelsey Hegarty chaired the 2025 review of the World Health Organisation (WHO) clinical and policy guidelines for Responding to intimate partner violence and sexual violence against women

Led by Dr Fiona Giles, UNCOVER team released pioneering research on how different types of violence in relationships change over time

• This research reveals compelling evidence for early intervention by health practitioners to identify psychological aspects of coercive control at the beginning of relationships.

We said farewell to Prof Jon Emery

Jon will be a Professor of Family Medicine at the newly established Centre for Cancer Prevention and Early Detection at the Lee Kong Chian School of Medicine, Nanyang Technological University. He remains an Honorary Professor with us.

Prof Justin Tse and Dr Annabelle Willems present innovations in the MD course at the ANZAHPE conference in Perth

23 4th year MD students completed their clinical and research scholar components as part of the newly redesigned MD course

Dr Sibel Saya wins MRFF genomics health futures grant for the ROSELLA project

• This trial will determine how best to implement polygenic risk assessment for Australia's four most common cancers (colorectal, breast, prostate cancer, and melanoma) in a one-off test that can be accessed through general practice.
• Read more

Dr Meena Rafiq chosen as one of the faces of Sarcoma UK's Awareness Month Campaign.

• This recognition highlights Meena's invaluable contribution to sarcoma research and patient care.
• Read more

Chloe Dawes Joins DGPPC as GP Liaison and Placement coordinator

Dr Lu Yang joins DGPPC as MPhil Candidate

A/Prof Justin Tse is the face of the new lung cancer screening program

Dr Rim Ghali is awarded the RACGP Walpole Grieve Award

• This award is for Rim's project "Osteoporosis prevention in perimenopausal women: General practitioner perspectives of implementation of lifestyle interventions and screening practices".

A/Prof Kylie Vuong is awarded the RACGP General Practice Wellbeing Grant

• This grant is for the project "Rapid experience co-designing an emotional resilience intervention to improve rural general practice workforce retention".

Dr Annabelle Willems, Prof Lena Sanci, Prof Meredith Temple-Smith and Dr Brett Vaughan are awarded the RACGP Family Medical Care Education and Research Grant

• This grant is for "Improving Dermatology Capability in General Practice (IDERM): A mixed-methods study of GP confidence, learning behaviours, and health system influences."

Dr Lucas De Mendonca completes Master of Primary Health Care

Huge Department turnout at the AAAPC 2025 conference

A/Prof Magda Simonis publishes article in the Australian on life after beating cancer

Dr Sibel Saya and Dr Georgia Ramsay present at the International Meeting of the Psychosocial Aspects of Hereditary Cancer (IMPAHC) in Kingscliff, NSW

Prof Laura Tarzia and team launched key national resources from the INVEST study

• The INVEST Study is the INternational students’ sexual and intimate partner Violence Experiences Study for the tertiary sector, policy makers and international students.

Dr Rachel Canaway presents at the 25th WONCA World Conference

• The conference took place from 17 - 21 September at the Lisboa Conference Centre, Portugal. This year's theme was: A new vision for primary health care and sustainable development.

The VCCC celebrate 10 years of program work and Data Connect

Dr Lu Yang guest editor role at BMJ – digital health and primary care special edition

Dr Elizabeth McLindon and Prof Kelsey Hegarty were featured on This Medical Life discussing the timelines for coercive control and Intimate Partner Violence

Engaging speakers and panel discussion at the TROPHI forum

• TROPHI stands for Translation of Research Outcomes into the Primary Health Interface. This is a partnership between Monash University Department's of General Practice, DGPPC and The Royal Australian College of General Practitioners (RACGP) and is supported by the Windermere Foundation Limited.

Integrated healthcare research symposium held on the 10th of  September at Sydney Myer Asia Centre

• This symposium was organised by Dr Rachel Canaway

Prof Kelsey Hegarty and Dr Jennifer Neil present at the WONCA World Conference 2025 in Lisbon, Portugal

Dr Rachel Canaway presents at the 20th International Congress on Traditional, Complementary and Integrative Medicine Research

• This conference took place on October 15-18 in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.
  The theme was Strengthening Global Public Health through Traditional, Complementary & Integrative Medicine: Knowledge Diversity, Well-Being Societies, and Planetary Health.

Dr Meena Rafiq wins the MMS Award for Early Career Academic (Discovery Researcher)

Tracy Murphy Promotes Grad Cert in Primary Care Nursing at the INSIG Inc Biennial Immunisation Conference 2025 in Melbourne

Safer Families Centre partners with Primary Health Tasmania to train all primary care providers in Tasmania how to respond to DFV

Dr Allison Drosdowsky awarded a Doctor of Philosophy in Cancer Epidemiology, attaining the highest academic credential.

Madeline Luke earned her Honours Degree in Bachelor of Science

Ekmini R. received her Masters Degree in Epidemiology

Prof Kelsey Hegarty appointed to the International Advisory Board of the new The Lancet Obstetrics, Gynaecology, & Women’s Health journal.

• Kelsey is among only three Australians invited to this Board

We mourn Emeritus Professor John Murtagh AO

VCCC PREDICT symposium held at Science Gallery

• The Primary care session was presented by Dr Sibel Saya, Dr Javiera Martinez Gutierrez, Dr Allison Drosdowsky, Dr Anna Dona Withanage and A/Prof Justin Tse

Dr Katie Lamb and Dr Fiona Giles present at the Australasian Ethics Network Conference

Cancer team hosted the Singapore Cancer Society in the lead up to the UICC Leadership summit

Dr Anna Withanage Dona's ROBIN project releases a GP Guidance Document

• The Robin project is the first Australian based study to pilot a personalised risk-based approach to breast cancer screening. The GP guidance document is endorsed by Breast Screen Australia Clinical Advisory Group. Anna and A/Prof Justin Tse appear on Channel Nine News to discuss the achievement.

Academic Promotions

• Level B
  • Dr Alison Flehr
  • Sophie Chima
  • Dr Daniela Ramirez Duran
• Level C
  • Dr Javiera Martinez Gutierrez
  • Dr Sibel Saya

We mourn the passing of A/Prof Phyllis Lau.

We welcome Dr Kelly Fitzpatrick to the Department

• Kelly joined the SAFE team

Dr Amireh Fakouri wins the RACGP General Practitioner in Training Award 2025

Kitty Novy and team delivered ‘Pathways to Safety’, an intensive whole of practice domestic and family training to 315 primary care staff across 57 primary care sites.

A/Prof Magdalena Simonis presents at family violence workshop for GPs and nurse practitioners

• This workshop highlights the barriers faced in navigating the service system by victim survivors from culturally and racially marginalised, Aboriginal & Torres Strait Islander and LGBTIQ populations.

The SAFE team’s collaboration with The Women’s through the Centre for Family Violence Prevention received $1.2 M in government funding

• This funding was used to evaluate hospital DFV programs, which are now impacting 30 hospital sites.

Professor Kelsey Hegarty awarded an extension to her Dame Kate Campbell Fellowship for 2025.

This achievement recognises Kelsey's outstanding and ongoing contribution to health research.

Read more

Research Team presents at the 13^th Health Services Research Conference: Health Services Research in the Digital Age, in Brisbane.

Dr Rachel Canaway, Dr Roma Klapaukh, Dr Barbara Hunter, Dr Alex Lee, Dr Allison Drosdowsky, Dr Caroline McBride and Prof Dougie Boyle jointly presented at the conference.

Dr Shakira Onwuka awarded an MDHS Diversity and Inclusion Grant

Shakira received this grant for her project Strengthening Community Voices: Aboriginal Advisory Group and Research Guide for MDHS.
This Aboriginal-led initiative will develop a guide to support genuine community-led research aligned with principles of self-determination and ethical conduct.

Dr Shakira Onwuka was also awarded a Career Continuity Grant.

For more details on these initiatives, visit the MDHS Diversity and Inclusion page.

Prof Laura Tarzia awarded Australian Research Council Discovery Grant for the project "Sexual violence against older women: enhancing recognition and response."

This project will explore the hidden problem of sexual violence against older women and expects to generate vital new knowledge about the context, impacts and lived-experience of sexual violence for older women, and how services can promote justice and healing. Dr Mandy McKenzie will be working with Laura to deliver this project.

Dr Amy Coe awarded the Melbourne Medical School's Graduate Researcher (Discovery Researcher) Prize.

Amy received this award for her work on understanding Australian general practice patients' decisions to deprescribe antidepressants in the WiserAD Trial.

Read more

Dr Valerie Quah awarded the 2024 RACGP Standing Strong Award

Valerie received this award for her work with the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander community in Alice Springs, particularly at the Congress Clinic and at renal dialysis outreach clinics.

Dr Bianca Forrester awarded the Australasian Association of Adolescent Health (AAAH) award for Outstanding Contribution to Youth Health.

Bianca received this award for her excellent contribution to young people’s health in design of education and clinical support for the Victorian Doctors in Secondary School’s program and other adolescent health teaching.

Planning Saw, former Honours Student, awarded the the Australasian Association of Adolescent Health (AAAH) Young Person of the Year Award.

Planning received this award for his leadership of education on global health issues and empowerment for young people so that their voice can be counted.

The NHMRC Partnership trial led by MCRI – Strengthening Care for Children (SC4C): Impact of an Integrated paediatrician-general practitioner model on referrals to hospitals – a stepped wedge cluster randomised controlled trial awarded the North American Primary Care Research Group (NAPCRG) Distinguished Paper Award.

Prof Lena Sanci presented this paper in a plenary session at the NAPCRG conference in Quebec City, Canada.

Boosting Our Healthcare Workforce Project  awarded the 2024 Victorian Public Health Award in the category of Celebrating a strong and sustainable workforce.

A/Prof Justin Tse is part of The University Melbourne team that co-designed this project with St Vincent's Hospital. This project is being used as the model for the newly formed Faculty of Medicine, Dentistry and Health Sciences Academy of Clinical Educators.

Prof Laura Tarzia presented at the "What will it Take? Putting a Full Stop to Sexual Violence" conference in Sydney.

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Hosted by Full Stop Australia, Laura was invited to facilitate plenary discussion on intimate partner sexual violence.

Prof Laura Tarzia, Prof Kelsey Hegarty and Dr Fiona Giles presented at the Nursing Network Against Violence Against Women International Conference in Thailand.

• Laura delivered an oral presentation on reproductive coercion as well as being the session Chair.
• Laura, Kelsey and Prof Cynthia Brown presented a symposium on measurement.
• Laura, Kelsey and Fiona presented a symposium on health messaging.

Prof Laura Tarzia presented at the StopDV Conference in Adelaide.

Laura delivered an oral presentation on intimate partner sexual violence dimensions and a new measurement instrument.

Successful PhD completions:

Dr Amita Tuteja

Prof Laura Tarzia awarded NHRMC funding for a new Centre of Research Excellence to address health issues related to sexual violence.

The RESTORE Centre hopes to create new pathways to healing for victim-survivors by providing evidence for whether therapies like trauma-sensitive yoga, physical activity and music therapy are effective.

Read more

Successful PhD Completions:

Dr Amy Coe and Dr Maddie Lim

2024 Honours Students submit their theses.

Dr Rachel Canaway awarded the 2025 Early Career Researcher Grant

Rachel was awarded this grant for the project: Pathways to enhancing people-centred preventive primary health care. The grant funds a Research Assistant and costs to present in September 2025 at the WONCA World Conference in Lisbon.

Dr Katie Lamb awarded a UOM Learning and Teaching Grant to develop survivor-led teaching of health science students to respond to patients experiencing violence, abuse and other trauma.

Hayley Barker received the Indigenous Award for Professional Staff Excellence.

Hayley is the driving force behind  the “Green it and they will come” engagement initiative that aims to bring staff back to the office.

Prof Laura Tarzia delivers keynote presentation on sexual and reproductive violence at the 25^th IUSTI World Congress incorporating the Australasian Sexual & Reproductive Health Conference in Sydney.

Dr Minerva Kyei-Onanjiri, Prof Kelsey Hegarty and Dr Libbi Dai present at the No to Violence Conference 2024: leading Radical Change - A call to action to end men's family violence in Melbourne.

Minerva presented her ongoing work in a panel discussion along with Kelsey and Libby on the topic "what's the role of health settings for people who use violence?"

Dr Rachel Canaway receives The University of Melbourne Research Impetus Grant

Rachel received the Research Impetus Grant to develop an integrative healthcare stream in the Department. This will fund a Research Assistant for project work, including support for the multidisciplinary special interest group on Integrative Healthcare.

Dr Amireh Fakouri received the AMA Doctor in Training of the Year Award.

Amireh received this award for leading a class action against NSW Health and winning $230m for junior doctors.

Professor Meredith Temple-Smith awarded a Diploma in the History of Medicine (DHMSA) from the UK’s Worshipful Society of Apothecaries.

Meredith also received the Osler Medal for her lecture and was the joint recipient of the Maccabean Medal for her dissertation.

Department members present at WONCA in Dublin, Ireland.

Dr Christine Hallinan, Alexa Dinant, Dr Rachael Canaway, A/Prof Jo-Anne Manski-Nankervis and Dr Andrew Donald presented on the need for safe, prudent and ethical prescribing of medicinal cannabis, supported by rigorous and systematic monitoring.

Read more

Successful PhD Completion:

Allison Drosdowsky

Prof Victoria J Palmer and the ALIVE National Centre awarded the MRFF Million Minds Mission Mental Health Targeted Research Grant for the project “Whose Care is Left Behind?”

“Whose Care is Left Behind?” is a new mental health research initiative that seeks to address structural inequalities affecting:

• Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities;
• Rural, regional and remote communities;
• People from culturally diverse backgrounds; and
• People living with mental ill-health.

Read more

Dr Minerva Kyei-Onanjiri and the SAFE team awarded an ANROWS Research Grant for the project "BetterMan".

This study will test the acceptability, feasibility and effectiveness of a healthy relationship web-based tool called BETTER MAN in primary care settings/general practices. BETTER MAN aims to increase men’s early engagement with help-seeking to ultimately reduce use of intimate partner violence. Prof Kelsey Hegarty and Dr Libby Dai will be working with Minerva on this project.

Dr Fang Wang awarded the 2024 Dr Leon Carp Award

Department of General Practice and Primary Care Awards

2023 Department of General Practice and Primary Care Award
Awarded to the students placed first overall in the general practice component of Principles of Clinical Practice 3.
Winners: Calliope Stavrou and Emma Rhall

2023 RACGP Victoria Prize
Awarded to the students placed second overall in the general practice component of Principles of Clinical Practice 3.
Winners: Simon Ou and Millie Thomas

2023 Therapeutic Guidelines Award
Awarded to the students placed third overall in the general practice component of Principles of Clinical Practice 3.
Winners: Aleah Kink and Jo Ann Chan

2023 Graduate Primary Care Nursing Student Award
Awarded to the student placed first overall in the Graduate Certificate in Primary Care Nursing.
Winner: Jing Chen

2023 Healthcare Discovery Award
Awarded to the students who achieved the highest marks in the inaugural running of the MD2 selective Discovery subject: Making Healthcare Work: from home to hospital and back again.
Winners: Felicity Thianesysavanh; Qi Xu Soh and Harrison Surkitt

Prof Jon Emery, PC4 and the Cancer in Primary Care Group hosts the 2024 Ca-PRI conference in Melbourne.

This was not only the first Ca-PRI conference held outside Europe but also the largest on record!

The new GR-Connect website and mentoring program is launched.

The brainchild of Chiara Beccia, this new initiative will connect past, current and future graduate research students at the Department of General Practice and Primary Care.

First intake of the  brand new Doctor of Medicine Research Scholar cohort.

Successful PhD Completion:

Kali Godbee

Dr Sibel Saya awarded the Victorian Cancer Agency Fellowship.

Sibel received this award for her research into the best way to offer a new cancer screening method in general practice.

Dr Christine Longman awarded an OAM for outstanding achievement and service to medicine.

Dr Christine Longman OAM has been involved with our Department for many years, and was an early member of VicREN. A practice owner in Yarraville for many years, Christine has long delivered high quality care to many disadvantaged and marginalised patients with histories of addiction.

Successful PhD Completion:

Tatiana Zecher