| Title | Description | Supervisors |
|---|---|---|
| Development and implementation of consumer and carer guidance to identify and select high quality mobile phone health apps in stepped care models for mental health. | This project will take existing guidance developed by the Australian Commission on Safety and Quality in Healthcare for the selection of mental health apps and undertake co-design with people with lived-experience for the operationalisation if these guides. | Dr Matt Lewis Dr Jennifer Bibb |
| What's happening? Do parents and young people know what to do and how to access mental health support early | This will be a web-based qualitative exploration of children and parents perceptions of early mental health support. The survey and qualitative interviews will focus on help seeking and early information and education for children, parents and carers. | Dr Cath Kaylor-Hughes Dr Amy Coe Dr Daniela Ramirez Duran |
| Assessing the usability and acceptability of a clinical decision tool and care navigation for GPs to triage children and young people presenting with mental ill health. | A qualitative study to explore barriers and drivers of a clinical prediction tool for mental health in children and adolescents and subsequent care navigation. This study will use surveys and/or interviews to elicit GP perception on a mental health prediction tool to help triage patients and refine treatment pathways through care navigation in a local and national context. | Dr Cath Kaylor-Hughes A/Prof Caroline Johnson |
| Assessing the usability and acceptability of a clinical decision tool and care navigation for GPs to triage children and young people presenting with mental ill health. | A qualitative study to explore barriers and drivers of a clinical prediction tool for mental health in children and adolescents and subsequent care navigation. This study will use surveys and/or interviews to elicit GP perception on a mental health prediction tool to help triage patients and refine treatment pathways through care navigation in a local and national context. | Dr Cath Kaylor-Hughes A/ Prof Caroline Johnson |
| Understanding the nature of multi-disciplinary working across care for the treatment of mental ill-health. | Qualitative study exploring current practice for multi-disciplinary working in the treatment of mental ill health. This study will use surveys and/or interviews to elicit GPs experiences and preferences for multi-disciplinary working in the treatment of mental ill health. | Dr Cath Kaylor-Hughes A/ Prof Caroline Johnson |
| Antidepressant Deprescribing in the CALD community | Antidepressant deprescribing is shown to be a complex and difficult process. Currently support is being trialled in the general adult population but may not be accessible to the CALD communities where language and cultural nuances may need to be accounted for. This project would explore the barriers and facilitators to improving accessibility for deprescribing in this community. | Dr Amy Coe Dr Cath Kaylor-Hughes |
| Patients' vs GP perceptions of antidepressants | Anecdotally there are conflicting reports from patients vs GP s about how GPs conduct antidepressant prescribing and deprescribing. This project would explore the differences either through a literature review, survey or interviews. | Dr Amy Coe Dr Cath Kaylor-Hughes |
| GP patient perceptions of GPs participating in mental health research | In the Target-D study for GP patients who have mild, moderate or severe symptoms of depression, GP patient perceptions of their GP participating in mental health research were collected. This project would be a thematic analysis of patient perceptions. | Dr Amy Coe Dr Cath Kaylor-Hughes |
| Patient beliefs and characteristics to support antidepressant deprescribing | Antidepressant deprescribing is shown to be a complex and difficult process. Currently support is being trialled in the general adult population but may not be suitable for all patients. It is not currently clear how people feel about their antidepressant medication and what patient characteristics may assist in successful initiation and successful deprescribing. This project will be an online survey of patient characteristics and their beliefs about antidepressants, trust in physician, personality. It will involve designing the survey and quantitative analysis. | Dr Amy Coe Dr Cath Kaylor-Hughes |
| GP nurse experiences and perceptions of antidepressant deprescribing | Currently, most of the literature focuses on barriers and facilitators that GPs face when helping patients to stop their potentially unnecessary antidepressants. Nurses are also well placed to conduct mental health checks and could play a key role in assisting patients in practice, however there is little information on how they might do this and if they feel confident and comfortable to do so. This project will explore GP practice nurse perceptions on conducting antidepressant deprescribing in practice (via interviews). | Dr Amy Coe Dr Cath Kaylor-Hughes |
| The Role of Practice Managers in the Teaching and Research pathway. Are there resources that can be shared to help address knowledge gaps | Currently Practice managers work independently of others PMs in the field, yet they hold significant responsibilities for the practice business, patients and staff. This study will scope the resources available for PM in General Practice an determine if there is a gap in knowledge awareness and if there are resources that might be shared by PMs in the region of Eastern Melbourne PHN and Eastern Health. | Dr Amy Coe Dr Cath Kaylor-Hughes |
| Diamond Study: mortality characteristics of a depressed primary care cohort from 2006 to 2019 | This project would describe the mortality outcomes of the participants in the 10-year (2005-2016) diamond cohort study, who died between 2006 and 2019. Data from the Australian National Death Index would be linked to the diamond data to identify those participants’ who died along with their year and cause of death. Summary data and standardised mortality ratios (SMR) would be explored. | Dr Alison Flehr Dr Konstancja Densley |
| Analysis of observations and reported experiences of co-design within the CORE study using the explanatory theoretical model of change for co-design and co-production in healthcare improvement | The CORE study, a stepped-wedge cluster randomised controlled trial, sought to evaluate the impact of an adapted experience-based co-design intervention on psychosocial recovery outcomes for people with serious mental health problems. The project proposed an explanatory theoretical model of change for co-design and co-production in healthcare improvement. This project will examine and elaborate upon the proposed relational transitions, mechanisms of change, inputs, and outcomes described in the explanatory theoretical model, using workshop audio recordings, observations, and interviews, recorded at the time of workshops. Findings from analysis will be used to further refine the model for use in evaluation of other co-design processes. | Dr Alicia King Prof Victoria Palmer |
| Exploring loneliness through creative submissions from young people as part of the A-Part of the Crowd Project. | There are many programs in primary care to support loneliness in older adults but surprisingly few have been co-designed and implemented with and for 18 to 25 year olds. The A-Part of The Crowd project was funded by Medibank Foundation as a way to address this gap. This project (for an Honours student) will involve secondary qualitative analysis of 100+ creative stories (videos, poems, songs, collages etc) shared by 18-25 year olds across Australia about being lonely during a transitionary phase such as leaving home, or leaving school or starting work. | Dr Jennifer Bibb Dr Matthew Lewis Dr Daniela Ramierez Duran |
| Investigating depression through the lens of generalism using diamond cohort study data | There is a growing consensus that depression requires an expanded model of care which takes into account physical factors and has capacity for addressing social determinants. This project will investigate depression outcomes associated with biopsychosocial measures that were collected in the diamond study: a 10-year observational cohort study which captured the lived experiences of patients with depression, stress and worries over time. | Dr Alison Flehr Dr Konstancja Densley |
| The complex interplay of trauma, chronic pain and depression: outcomes from the diamond study | The prevalence of depression and chronic pain in people with a history of trauma is high. Using data from the diamond cohort study, this project aims to further understand the complex interplay between them. The diamond study was a 10-year observation study of people with depression, stress and worries, it applied a holistic lens to the data it collected which provides the foundation for a nuanced investigation into depression associated outcomes. | Dr Alison Flehr Dr Konstancja Densley |
Honours
General Practice and Primary Care Honours Program
If you are interested in working with people and you would like to make a difference to the way primary care is delivered in the community, then this is the place for you!
2027 Information sessions:
Information sessions for the 2027 Department of General Practice and Primary Care Honours program will be held later this year, both online and in person. To register your interest, please email gp-Hons@unimelb.edu.au
Course structure:
The Honours program involves two coursework subjects (25 points) and a Research Project (75 points).
The Department coursework subject provides students with:
- The common building blocks needed for biomedical research; and
- An understanding of both processes and skills which are essential to the conduct of human research in the primary care setting.
The research project subject requires the students to undertake an original supervised project and provides the student with valuable research skills.
| Subject code | Subject name | Semester | Points | Taught by |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| BIOM40001 | Introduction to Biomedical Research | 1 | 12.5 | Faculty |
| GENP40002 | Introduction to Primary Care Research | 1 | 12.5 | Department of General Practice and Primary Care |
| GENP40000 | Primary Care Research Project (Part 1) | 1 | 25 | Department of General Practice and Primary Care |
| GENP40001 | Primary Care Research Project (Part 2) | 2 | 50 | Department of General Practice and Primary Care |
Dates
This course commences in early February and finishes late October.
There is no mid-year intake.
Time Commitment
This Honours program can only be undertaken on a full-time basis. Students are expected to be engaged in their research for an average of thirty hours per week over two semesters.
Location
Department of General Practice and Primary Care
Level 3 (North), Medical Building, Building #181
The University of Melbourne, Parkville
Some students may choose to undertake research projects that are based in the community or require data collection to be undertaken in the community.
Facilities
Honours students will be supervised by individual staff members and considered to be full members of our Department. This includes access to a desk and computer as well as invitations to be involved in Department activities, seminars and social gatherings.
Further Information
If you require further information about this Honours program please contact:
Honours Program Coordinator (Administrative)
Department of General Practice and Primary Care
Faculty of Medicine, Dentistry and Health Sciences
gp-Honours@unimelb.edu.au
Research projects:
All our Honours projects focus on primary care/general practice and are qualitative, quantitative or mixed methods rather than lab based. This means the research is conducted using existing datasets or by surveying or interviewing patients/clinicians about a topic within a primary care setting.
2026 Honours projects are available in the following research areas:
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Title Description Supervisors The phrase, 'Usual GP' care is often heard but is there really such a thing? This project will conduct a systematic review of studies which define 'usual GP care' as a control group, and determine if this phenomenon really exists or is too heterogeneous to be used as a control group in RCTs in primary care studies. Dr Deborah de Guingand
Dr Javiera Martinez-GutteredUpdating Expected Frequency Trees that present the harms and benefits of cancer screening tests for people at different levels of risk This project will update and test elements of a decision support tool for cancer screening, namely Expected Frequency Trees (EFTs) that provide numerical estimates of risks and benefits of cancer screening tests for people at different levels of risk. The project will involve reviews of the peer-reviewed and grey literature to collate estimates of different harms and benefits and possible dynamic integration of personalised risk estimates. The project will start with a bowel cancer EFT, and could possibly be expanded to other cancers such as breast and prostate, time permitting. Dr Sibel Saya
A/Prof Justin TseIs there a correlation between self-reported health factors, risk factors for liver disease, and the frequency of GP visits among patients aged 45-75 in the IC3 trial cohort? This research question aims to explore the relationships between patient-reported health status, risk factors specific to liver disease, and healthcare utilisation as measured by GP visits. The findings could offer insights into healthcare needs and utilisation patterns among middle-aged and older adults at risk for liver disease, potentially informing resource allocation and preventive care strategies. *Study population: 2,470 patients aged 45-75 recruited from local general practices across 4 states
*Data source: REDCap record review capturing GP visits, basic health data and sociodemographic, over a 12-month period
*Potential implications: Findings may provide valuable data for economic evaluation of healthcare utilisation in this population groupDr Deborah de Guingand
Dr Javiera Martinez-Guttered"How do general practitioners and clinical trialists navigate the challenges and potential increased workload associated with managing incidental findings in pragmatic clinical trials?" Pragmatic clinical trials often involve collection of additional blood markers and other trial related investigations. Some clinical findings (while not relevant to the trial) may be relevant in a clinical setting and may need to be reported back to the primary health professional for review. This project examines the question; How do GPs and triallists manage this impact and navigate the potential extra workload for GPs? Dr Deborah de Guingand
Dr Javiera Martinez-GutteredImplementation of the CRISP bowel cancer risk prediction tool The CRISP tool is an online tool originally designed to be used with a GP/clinician to predict a person’s risk of bowel (colorectal) cancer and provide them with personalised bowel cancer screening recommendations, along with further information about the right screening test for their risk. We have shown that using CRISP in a GP clinic setting can increase the completion rate of risk-appropriate bowel cancer screening (Emery et al, 2023 BJGP). The next step in this research is to increase access to and availability of the CRISP tool. Initial steps have begun to address known issues (Harty et al. 2019, Family Practice) with the fidelity of the tool. However, further mixed methods, quantitative or qualitative research is needed to ensure the tool is usable and acceptable in a public-facing setting.
This project would involve completing a quantitative and/or qualitative study to further evaluate usability from a patient/public perspective.Dr Sibel Saya
A/Prof Jennifer McIntoshEvaluating the acceptability and feasibility of personalised breast cancer screening in the Australian screening program. This project will involve assessing preliminary RoBiN study data and/or completing the qualitative (semi-structured) interviews. Dr Dulashi (Anna) Withange Dona
Dr Sibel SayaExploring the management of chronic conditions in cancer survivors using linked data Cancer survival rates are increasing in Australia and internationally. General Practice, with its responsibilities in the monitoring and early intervention of treatment-related effects, cancer surveillance, the prevention, screening and management of other chronic illnesses, and health promotion, is essential to cancer survivorship care.
We aim to examine the management of other chronic illnesses among cancer survivors in general practice. This project will use the Victorian Comprehensive Cancer Centre Data Connect Platform’s large, linked dataset which includes data from general practice and the Victorian Cancer Registry. The data will be used to report the prevalence of other chronic conditions, and describe the management activities in general practice including investigations, prescriptions and referrals. Where possible these will be compared against relevant clinical practice guidelines and optimal care pathways.A/Prof Kylie Vuong
Dr Allison Drosdowsky -
Title Description Supervisors Preventative healthcare in primary care; a review of patient attitudes and behaviours in seeking preventative healthcare in the 14-25 and 25-35 year old age groups. Preventative healthcare involves the seeking out of, engagement with and ongoing review of lifestyle activities associated with reduced risk of chronic disease. Examples include smoking cessation, physical activity, nutrition, mental wellbeing, limiting substance use and modifying risk taking behaviours. Australian public health recommendations advocate for an investment into preventative health measures in the first 2000 days of life and antenatal women. Contrastingly there is little research in understanding the patient attitudes and potential impact of preventative healthcare in the adolescent (14-25yo) and young adult (25-35yo) age groups. Evidence suggests older Australians seek out preventative healthcare in association with the onset of chronic disease. However, early intervention can lead to delayed onset of disease and potentially reduced morbidity of chronic disease as health promoting behaviours may already be embedded in patient lifestyles. This study seeks to understand the existing literature on patient behaviours and attitudes in seeking out preventative healthcare knowledge or advice from their primary care providers (GPs, school services, maternal nurse services). This body of work intends to inform an implementation study to improve patient access of preventative healthcare from their primary care provider. The aim of such a study is to reduce disease onset and progression of chronic non-communicable diseases. Prof Lena Sanci
Dr Rim Ghali -
Title Description Supervisors What should come first: Using technology to prioritise care: co-designing solutions using clinical decision support software. How do GPs decide what clinical concerns need to be addressed first? Clinical decision support software can review patient files and identify the concerns that may need additional attention, however they are not yet able to determine which comes first. Various methods of prioritisation have been explored in the literature and in other jurisdictions, however Australian-context specific solutions are still to be identified and implemented. This project would explore the different options from the literature and undertake a co-design process with GPs and consumers to identify a possible model for prioritisation of clinical care recommendations to support the delivery of clinical decision support through Future Health Today. Dr Barbara Hunter
Dr Andrew DonaldThe prescribing of medicinal cannabis to people with substance use disorders (SUDs): An investigation into patient characteristics, types of substance use disorders, adverse events, and utilisation patterns based on medicinal cannabis prescription approval data from the Therapeutic Goods Administration (TGA) repository. The treatment of Substance Use Disorders (SUDs) with medicinal cannabis is a subject of ongoing debate and research. While some studies suggest potential benefits of medicinal cannabis in treating SUDs, including cannabis use disorder opioid use disorder, cocaine use disorder, nicotine use disorder, alcohol use disorder the evidence is not universally conclusive. Reported effects of medicinal cannabis include anxiety reduction, mood elevation, and improvement in sleep. Whilst medicinal cannabis is considered by some as a safe and effective alternative to medications for SUDs, there are ongoing concerns related to medicinal use. These concerns include medicinal cannabis offering temporary relief rather than a treatment effect, the presence of side effects including gastrointestinal disturbances, dizziness, motor skill and memory impairment, dependency, risk of psychosis and concomitant medication interactions. If cannabis is recommended, careful dosing and ongoing monitoring under medical supervision is vital. This project is ideally suited to students interested in evidence synthesis, health policy, and youth mental health. Dr Christine Hallinan
Dr Barbara HunterGeneral Practitioner Perspectives on Prescribing Medicinal Cannabis to Young People Medicinal cannabis prescribing in general practice is rapidly increasing, including for patients under 25. However, little is known about how GPs understand and approach the prescribing of MC for youth, particularly for mental health conditions. This project will develop and pilot a national online survey targeting general practitioners, capturing attitudes, clinical considerations, confidence, and perceived risks/benefits. It will explore how GPs navigate regulatory uncertainty, patient expectations, and ethical dilemmas, especially for minors. The findings will inform prescriber training and regulatory oversight and are of high policy relevance. This project is ideally suited to students interested in evidence synthesis, health policy, and youth mental health. Dr Christine Hallinan, Dr Barbara Hunter What should come first: Using technology to prioritise care: co-designing solutions using clinical decision support software How do GPs decide what clinical concerns need to be addressed first? Clinical decision support software can review patient files and identify the concerns that may need additional attention, however they are not yet able to determine which comes first. Various methods of prioritisation have been explored in the literature and in other jurisdictions, however Australian-context specific solutions are still to be identified and implemented. This project would explore the different options from the literature and undertake a co-design process with GPs and consumers to identify a possible model for prioritisation of clinical care recommendations to support the delivery of clinical decision support through Future Health Today. Dr Barbara Hunter
Dr Andrew DonaldThe prescribing of medicinal cannabis to people with substance use disorders (SUDs): An investigation into patient characteristics, types of substance use disorders, adverse events, and utilisation patterns based on medicinal cannabis prescription approval data from the Therapeutic Goods Administration (TGA) repository. The treatment of Substance Use Disorders (SUDs) with medicinal cannabis is a subject of ongoing debate and research. While some studies suggest potential benefits of medicinal cannabis in treating SUDs, including cannabis use disorder opioid use disorder, cocaine use disorder, nicotine use disorder, alcohol use disorder the evidence is not universally conclusive. Reported effects of medicinal cannabis include anxiety reduction, mood elevation, and improvement in sleep. Whilst medicinal cannabis is considered by some as a safe and effective alternative to medications for SUDs, there are ongoing concerns related to medicinal use. These concerns include medicinal cannabis offering temporary relief rather than a treatment effect, the presence of side effects including gastrointestinal disturbances, dizziness, motor skill and memory impairment, dependency, risk of psychosis and concomitant medication interactions. If cannabis is recommended, careful dosing and ongoing monitoring under medical supervision is vital. This project is ideally suited to students interested in evidence synthesis, health policy, and youth mental health. Dr Christine Hallinan, Dr Barbara Hunter General Practitioner Perspectives on Prescribing Medicinal Cannabis to Young People Medicinal cannabis prescribing in general practice is rapidly increasing, including for patients under 25. However, little is known about how GPs understand and approach the prescribing of MC for youth, particularly for mental health conditions. This project will develop and pilot a national online survey targeting general practitioners, capturing attitudes, clinical considerations, confidence, and perceived risks/benefits. It will explore how GPs navigate regulatory uncertainty, patient expectations, and ethical dilemmas, especially for minors. The findings will inform prescriber training and regulatory oversight and are of high policy relevance. This project is ideally suited to students interested in evidence synthesis, health policy, and youth mental health. Dr Christine Hallinan
Dr Barbara HunterEvaluating National Prescribing Patterns of Medicinal Cannabis for Chronic Pain in Australia Chronic non-cancer pain affects approximately one in five Australians over the age of 45 and contributes to reduced quality of life and increased health system burden. Although medicinal cannabis—including formulations containing cannabidiol (CBD) and delta-9-tetrahydrocannabinol (THC)—has emerged as an alternative therapy, evidence regarding its effectiveness remains mixed, and real-world prescribing patterns are not well understood. This Honours project will conduct a retrospective analysis of national Special Access Scheme (SAS-B) data from the Therapeutic Goods Administration (TGA) covering 2016–2025, focusing on indications such as arthritis, fibromyalgia, migraine, and neuropathic pain. The project will involve statistical analysis of de-identified, aggregate data to describe trends in medicinal cannabis prescribing over time – including changes in volume and formulation, patient and prescriber characteristics. Findings from this study will contribute to the evidence base for chronic pain treatment, inform clinical practice and policy, and guide the safe and effective use of medicinal cannabis products. Dr Christine Hallinan
Dr Barbara Hunter -
Title Description Supervisors Traditional and complementary therapies in the Australian health care system This project will make an important contribution to understanding the role, risks, benefits and pitfalls of complementary medicine practitioners in mainstream healthcare settings. Around a third of Australians visit complementary medicine practitioners but in few instances are these practitioners embedded into mainstream healthcare settings. Using case studies and an ethnographic / qualitative approach, you will observe and gather in-depth data with practitioners and patients in a mainstream healthcare setting that has at least one complementary medicine practitioner embedded. This is an under-researched area and the findings will contribute to filling an evidence gap in understanding medical pluralism, patient preferences and the provision of health care in Australia. Dr Rachel Canaway
Dr Daniela Ramirez DuranTraditional and complementary therapies in the Australian health care system This project will leverage the insights and enthusiasm of a cohort of 270 survey respondents interested in contributing to traditional and complementary medicine (T&CM) related research. There is scope with this project to follow niche interest using integrative healthcare as a scaffold to explore a topic such as: holistic approaches to treatment and disease prevention, cultural appropriateness of care, legal and regulatory issues, cost-benefit considerations, workforce optimisation and diversification, or risk/benefit analysis. Guidance will be provided on appropriate framing and scope for your research. Dr Rachel Canaway
Dr Daniela Ramirez Duran -
Title Description Supervisor Penicillin allergy -Patients' perspectives around 'de-labelling' penicillin allergy. Penicillin allergy is a public health crisis as the presence of these allergies prevents patients receiving the optimal antibiotic therapies for life-threatening infections in the community. However, this is a correctable public health crisis as penicillin allergy 'labels' can be removed via the use of validated penicillin allergy assessment, testing and prescribing tools. Therefore, the aim of this project is to understand patients' perspectives around penicillin 'de-labelling' for those with low-risk penicillin allergies in the community. Dr Ruby Biezen
Prof Jason TrubianoPenicillin allergy - Investigating the prevalence of penicillin allergy in Victoria Penicillin allergy is a public health crisis, however, little is known around the prevalence of penicillin allergy in the community. This project will analyse data collected from over 100 general practices to investigate the prevalence of penicillin allergy with links with antibiotic prescribing in Victoria. Dr Ruby Biezen
Prof Jason TrubianoGP's management of cultural and linguistically diverse patients living with Long COVID Post-Acute Sequelae of COVID-19 (PASC), commonly known as long COVID, affects 3-10% of Australians after a COVID-19 infection. It has a profound effect on individuals, families and communities. This burden falls disproportionately on Culturally and Linguistically Diverse (CALD) populations, who had COVID-19 infection rates 2.9–5.6 times higher than non-CALD populations in Australia. CALD Australians face barriers to accessing healthcare and receiving a timely diagnosis amplifying the impact of long COVID. This project aims to explore GP management of patients with Long COVID symptoms in the community, in particular those within the CALD population. Dr Ruby Biezen
A/Prof Danielle HitchAccess to healthcare - what are the barriers and enablers for cultural and linguistically diverse patients living with Long COVID? Post-Acute Sequelae of COVID-19 (PASC), commonly known as long COVID, affects 3-10% of Australians after a COVID-19 infection. It has a profound effect on individuals, families and communities. This burden falls disproportionately on Culturally and Linguistically Diverse (CALD) populations, who had COVID-19 infection rates 2.9–5.6 times higher than non-CALD populations in Australia. CALD Australians face barriers to accessing healthcare and receiving a timely diagnosis amplifying the impact of long COVID. This project aims to explore the barriers and enablers of CALD patients living with Long COVID in the community. Dr Ruby Biezen
A/Prof Danielle Hitch -
-
Title Description Supervisors Early intervention for men who use intimate partner violence Qualitative study (involving interviews of up to 20 GPs) examining the experiences of GPs in delivering the BETTER MAN tool (a digital tool) as an early intervention for identifying and responding to men who use intimate partner violence. Dr Minerva Kyei-Onanjiri
Prof Kelsey HegartyEvaluation of Pathways to Safety Primary Care training program - analysis of open-ended survey responses This project involves identifying thematic analysis to evaluate the Pathways to Safety training program and collected patient data from participants prior to and after completing the training. Several open-ended questions were included (eg, what do you hope to gain, what did you gain, challenges, planned changes to practice). Dr Fiona Giles
Dr Elizabeth McLindonQualitative meta-synthesis of women's experiences of psychological violence This review aims to understand women's lived experience of psychological violence by reviewing and synthesising the qualitative literature on this topic. A systematic search was completed in 2022 and needs to be updated. Dr Fiona Giles
Dr Mandy McKenzieAnalysis of a survey data set designed to screen women for domestic and family violence Data were collected from women aged 18+ who had visited their GP in the last 12 months which recorded responses to several questions related to their visits to the GP and their health and wellbeing. It included questions about smoking, anxiety, depression, physical activity and being afraid of their partner/ex- partner or family member, and demographic characteristics Dr Fiona Giles
Prof Kelsey HegartySecondary analysis of Health, Wellbeing and Relationship Project about nurses who have experienced intimate partner violence Secondary data analysis of study with 11,000 Victorian nurses, midwives and carers about the impact of intimate partner violence at work. Data will include impacts that stopped people getting to work, or affected them at work, including days of leave taken. Dr Elizabeth McLindon
Dr Minerva Kei-OnanjiriEmbedding lived expertise in teaching health science students about violence, trauma and abuse Analysis of data collected from medical students about their experiences of being taught about responding to violence and abuse by a victim survivor. Dr Katie Lamb
Prof Kelsey Hegarty -
Title Description Supervisors Practice based research networks as an Australian health service model: a narrative review Recommendations for creating a sustainable research environment in rural and remote areas include: state and territories to implement rural and remote health research strategies to overcome fragmented research efforts, ensuring health research is driven by local needs to increase knowledge translation into clinical practice, and research to involve local health care workers to build research capacity, capability and partnerships. Dr Suzie Harte
Ms Hannah Lushington -
Title Description Supervisors Evaluating the Impact and Perceived Clinical Relevance of Dermoscopy Training in Medical Education The Department of General Practice and Primary Care has introduced a practical 1-2 hour dermoscopy skills workshop for medical students during their general practice terms in 2024. We believe this to be the first formal integration of dermoscopy training into an Australian medical school curriculum. Informal student feedback from the workshop has revealed it to have been positively received. This study will assess whether this training improves students’ confidence, knowledge, and perceived relevance of dermoscopy in clinical practice. Using a mixed-methods approach, including a retrospective pre-post survey and analysis of qualitative feedback, the project aims to inform future curriculum development and determine whether early exposure to dermoscopy adds value to medical training. Dr Anneliese Willems
Dr Rebecca Starkie -
Title Description Supervisors Evaluating a GP Registrar Education Program to Support Vulnerable Populations Equitable access to primary care remains a challenge for vulnerable populations, despite the presence of not-for-profit health centres. These services often struggle to recruit and retain general practitioners. Medical Advocacy Together for Community Health (MATCH) has piloted an education program aimed at improving GP registrars’ knowledge in key areas relevant to working with vulnerable communities. This qualitative project will evaluate the program’s effectiveness through a literature review of similar initiatives, the development of data collection tools such as semi-structured interviews, and analysis of participant responses. Findings will inform decisions about the program’s continuation and may provide broader insights into strategies for improving recruitment and retention of GPs in underserved settings. Dr Lester Mascarenhas
Dr Christine Hallinan -
Title Description Supervisors Supporting men affected by miscarriage – a collaboration between Miscarriage Australia and SMS4Dads About 25% pregnancies end in miscarriage. Those affected often struggle to find emotional support at the time, in particular male partners who often report there is very little acknowledgement or support available to them at this time. SMS4Dads is a service that has been developed to provide evidence-based information, acknowledgment, advocacy, and guidance for men as they progress to fatherhood. Miscarriage Australia has undertaken previous work around the experience of miscarriage from a male perspective, including their need for social support and their use of online platforms. This study aims to explore how SMS4Dads and Miscarriage Australia can work together to review and enhance the current provision of the Grief and Loss message set within the SMS4Dads service, specifically in the context of miscarriage, and to explore strategies to increase engagement and uptake among men affected by this experience. It will involve qualitative data collection through interviews and/or focus groups with men who have experienced miscarriage, and who may or may not have engaged with the SMS4Dads Grief and Loss messages. The findings will inform how SMS4Dads and Miscarriage Australia can work together to assess the relevance and effectiveness of the current Grief and Loss messages, identify barriers and facilitators to accessing and engaging with the service, and design strategies to ensure the content and delivery of the messages better meet the needs of men following miscarriage. Ultimately, the study aims to strengthen the support available to men affected by miscarriage. A/Prof Jennifer McIntosh
A/Prof Jade Bilardi
A/Prof Richard Fletcher (University of Newcastle)
How to apply for Honours
Department Process:
- Attend one of the Department information sessions.
- Submit your documentation (CV, academic transcript and example of recent essay) plus project preferences to Department.
- Attend Department organised research area specific briefing / meet with the supervisor
- Apply for course and submit your project preferences by the University due dates.
Selection Criteria:
Students must satisfy the Faculty of Medicine, Dentistry and Health Sciences (MDHS) entry requirements.
University Application process:
The Faculty of Medicine, Dentistry and Health Sciences (MDHS) has prepared some helpful guidelines for prospective students for the Bachelor of Science (Honours) and Bachelor of Biomedicine (Honours) courses.
Contact
For further information about this Honours program please contact:
Honours Program Coordinator (Administrative)
Department of General Practice and Primary Care
Faculty of Medicine, Dentistry and Health Sciences
gp-Honours@unimelb.edu.au