Visiting scholar: Professor Wendy Hu, Western Sydney University

Professor Wendy Hu

We welcomed one of our long time collaborators and friends, Professor Wendy Hu in May this year.  Wendy collaborates with a number of academics within the DME and contributed, amongst other activities, to our discussions around MD curriculum review during her visit.

Wendy graduated with MBBS and the University Medal from Sydney University (1986), gaining her FRACGP in 1993. From 1987-2003 Wendy was a clinician and health manager, co-authoring a paediatrics textbook. In 2002, she graduated first in class with Masters of Health Administration (UNSW).  Wendy was awarded an NHMRC Public Health Scholarship (2003-2006) for her doctoral research.

Since returning to academia in 2010, Wendy has contributed to attracting over AUD $5 million in research and innovation funding to the School of Medicine as either Principal or Chief Investigator.

She has published over 80 peer reviewed journal articles and book chapters and is regularly invited to present at national and international conferences.

Wendy's career in medical education began in 2007 as Senior Lecturer, Sydney University. She advanced through university and health service roles, becoming inaugural Associate Director of Education at the Children's Hospital at Westmead in 2009, responsible for education and training of over 2,000 staff. Wendy returned to academia in 2010 and was appointed Chair in Medical Education at Western Sydney University in 2012.

In each role Wendy has initiated and completed significant change projects with sustained outcomes. As Head of the Medical Education Unit from 2012-6, she oversaw the unit's restructure and growth to 26 staff, responsible for all aspects of curriculum design, implementation and quality improvement. She led PBL curriculum review and re-design, creation of a student-centred online curriculum map, and whole of program innovations, leveraging and leading the transition from a Bachelors to professional Masters course. Throughout, Wendy has maintained programs of educational scholarship and research with cross-institutional, national and international collaborations.

In her current role as Associate Dean and Professor of Medical Education, and member of the School of Medicine senior leadership group, Wendy champions educational quality and promotes the creation and translation of evidence into effective educational practice across Western Sydney University and beyond.

We look forward to welcoming Wendy back in November as our keynote speaker for the Victorian Showcase of Educational Research in the Health Professions​, ‘Contributing locally and globally to clinical education conversations’​, Tuesday 12 November.