Academic Registrar Posts
Both Melbourne and Monash Universities offer Academic Registrar Posts. Both Universities have provided us with detailed information below:
Melbourne University
The General Practice and Primary Health Care Academic Centre at the University of Melbourne has strong research programs in primary care mental health, chronic disease, young people's health, and abuse and violence. These research programs are tackling some of the most challenging problems that face the Australian community such as depression, diabetes, family violence, risk taking behaviour in young people and sexually transmissible infections. We are also developing research programs into the use of complementary and alternative therapies, musculoskeletal problems and cancer.
Chronic disease management is a major research theme of our department. It focuses on interventions relating to the health care system to improve the health of people with chronic diseases from disadvantaged and culturally and linguistically Diverse (CALD) backgrounds, and the indigenous population. Projects focus on the role of general practitioners, practice nurses and the primary health care team, health systems in improving diabetes care and reducing cardiovascular disease risks, and consumer engagement in self management of diabetes and other chronic illness.
The Primary Care Mental Health research program has been formed in response to the growing burden of mental health problems in the Australian community and in recognition that general practice is the setting which provides most primary care for high prevalence conditions such as depression, anxiety and related disorders. Our current research program consists of observational, prospective, interventional and cross-sectional studies informed by rigorous qualitative and quantitative research methods.
The Young People's Health stream aims to advance the health and wellbeing of young people through an accessible, effective and responsive primary care workforce and system; to explore issues affecting the health and wellbeing of young people in the community and to design and test interventions that have potential to benefit this.
The Abuse and Violence program focuses on family violence, child abuse, unwanted sexual encounters, sexual harassment, and workplace violence and aims to improve the health and wellbeing of women, families and communities through addressing problems of abuse and violence. Research includes observational studies on the nature of the abuse and violence problem including its definition, prevalence, natural history and health consequences; developing and testing screening, educational and therapeutic interventions; and the promotion of knowledge transfer and research evidence to inform policy and practice.
In addition to our established research programs we are developing research areas including complementary therapies, sexual health, cancer and musculoskeletal problems. Our focus on complementary therapies is driven by the fact that over 40% of Australians use some form of complementary therapy every day, although for most of these therapies there is little or no evidence of their effectiveness. Research in this area is seeking to develop an evidence-base for the safe and effective use of complementary therapies in health problems commonly managed in general practice. Methods being used include randomised controlled trials, epidemiological population and practitioner surveys and qualitative interviews. Within the sexual health area are various projects on Chlamydia screening in general practice, and the sexual health of various population groups.
Potential Academic Registrars are welcome to consider working within one of these programs, or, with appropriate supervision, working up one of their own research ideas. All enquiries in relation to research projects should be made to:
Associate Professor Meredith Temple-Smith, Director of Research Training,
m.temple-smith@unimelb.edu.au Ph: 8344 3371
Comments from several past Academic Registrars can be seen on our website: http://www.gp.unimelb.edu.au/prof_dev/academicregistrars.html
Research at Department of General Practice – Monash University
Research and Teaching Skills Scholarships for Academic General Practice Registrars
The Department of General Practice at Monash University Opportunities for Academic registrars
Problem Gambling Research and Treatment Centre
The Centre will:
- conduct cutting-edge research into problem gambling treatment approaches
- develop new clinical practices
- train new and existing staff working in gambler’s help services
- establish a postgraduate qualification in problem gambling treatment
- conduct a sustained epidemiological study of the various forms of gambling provide training on problem gambling to industry on a commercial basis.
Contact Prof S Thomas
Healthy Ageing
Research programs:
- Melbourne Longitudinal Studies of Healthy Ageing
- Service Quality Improvement for older people
- Evidence-based care of people with dementia
- Cultural conceptualisations of ageing
- Healthy lifestyles and enhancing participation for older people
Contact Prof C Browning
Women’s Health
Improving the delivery and uptake of preconception care - The research aims to:
- Determine the barriers and enablers to the delivery and uptake of preconception care in the general practice setting as perceived by GPs and women
- Design an intervention to address the identified barriers and enablers
- Implement the intervention in the general practice setting
- Evaluate the intervention
Contact A/Prof D Mazza
Primary Health Care Research Evaluation and Development (PHCRED) Strategy
To expand the existing primary health care research workforce, while improving the relevance and uptake of evidence in primary health care.
Contact – Mr Chris Anderson
Chronic disease management
“CDM-Net A Broadband Health Network for Transforming Chronic Disease Management” This is a CDM-Net (Chronic Disease Management) aims to trial a new approach to the management of chronic disease by demonstrating the use of broadband-based health services for monitoring and supporting care management. Monash Department of General Practice is involved with the research and evaluation component of the project;
Contact Prof L Piterman, & Dr K Jones.
Childhood Obesity
Developing and implementing best practice in the detection, assessment and management of childhood obesity in general practice
Contact Prof J Dixon