2024
Our team works hard to progress primary care research, deliver excellence in medical education and inspire the next generation of general practitioners. We are proud to acknowledge and celebrate these accomplishments here.
Awards and Achievements
-
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.
Research Team presents at the 13th 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.
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.
. 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.
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.
The project will focus on supporting students across the Faculty, including students from medicine, dentistry, nursing and social work, to develop consistent understandings and practice of trauma and violence informed care. The program will be deeply informed by a group of victim survivors from the University’s WEAVERs group who will deliver the material to students.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 25th IUSTI World Congress incorporating the Australasian Sexual & Reproductive Health Conference in Sydney.
The conference explored the latest research and innovation in sexual and reproductive health and was attended by international delegates from 35 different countries, the program consisted of 50 sessions, 200 speakers and 250 posters.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.
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.
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
Fang is interested in men’s health, dermatology, geriatric medicine, paediatrics and chronic disease management. His research is focused on enhancing the screening and management of osteoporosis within general practice. -
A/Prof Caroline Johnson is the External Examiner for Masters in Family Medicine students at the Universiti Putra Malaysia, Selangor and the International Islamic University of Malaysia, Kuantan, Pahang.
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 Rhall2023 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 Thomas2023 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 Chan2023 Graduate Primary Care Nursing Student Award
Awarded to the student placed first overall in the Graduate Certificate in Primary Care Nursing.
Winner: Jing Chen2023 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