What’s on at the SMD this month?

September 2009

Volume Two, Issue Twelve

Fellowship with RANZCP

Professor Bernhard Baune was recently the first person in Queensland to be awarded a Fellowship with the Royal Australian and New Zealand College of Psychiatrists under the category of seniority/eminence. This category is reserved for foreign-trained doctors with exceptional track records in international research and clinical work. Psychiatrists who are awarded Fellowship through this category are exempt from written and clinical examinations. Professor Baune's outstanding work in psychiatry means not only was he given this personal recognition, but the SMD also benefits by being able to have a College-approved training position.

Anna Lazzari currently occupies this position, which must be based at a research institution. Any teaching and research undertaken by Anna at the SMD contributes to her training as a psychiatrist. Upon completion of training, Anna will be a specialist psychiatrist and is eligible to apply for a Fellowship with RANZCP.

Professor Baune said he was pleased to receive the Fellowship, especially under the esteemed category of seniority/eminence, which has only very rarely been awarded across Australia. He can now add Fellow - FRANZCP to his growing list of qualifications and awards.

AMC Exam Success

Congratulations to Richa Dua for passing the first component of the Australian Medical Council exams. This achievement means Richa is now eligible to practice in Australia as a medical doctor, after registration with the relevant Medical Board. Richa's intention is to apply for a one-year registrar post in pathology, specialising in microbiology, at the Townsville Hospital in 2011. Ideally she would like to combine her work at the SMD with her future pathology training. Because of the competitiveness involved in obtaining a training post in this field, Richa previously applied for and passed assessments with the Royal Australasian College of Pathologists, enabling her to apply for any available post as soon asshe completed theAMC exam successfully.

The AMC exams are administered on behalf of the Australian government andare undertaken by international medical graduates who wish to practice in Australia. Potentialcandidates have to apply to take the exam well in advance and be prepared to sit both the first and second parts, which Richa will apply to sitin the future. The second section involves an OSCE-type exam with 16 clinical scenario stations. Once this part is complete,internationally-trained doctors can obtain general medical registration in Australia.

Richa said that while she was glad to have finished the first hurdle in her training, it was good to refresh her memory of her undergraduate medical training. Richa completed her internship in 1998, meaning ten years had passed since she'd looked at subjects which were unrelated to the field she chose to specialise in. However, learning the subjects had the additional complexity of being looked at from an Australian perspective instead of an Indian perspective. Richa had to study tropical infections and epidemiology, as well as cultural-specific topics related to the health of Indigenous Australians, which she had not learnt in India.

Richa said she was impressed at the standard of AMC qualifications and that she had learnt a lot through her study, which helps inher role in clinical teaching at the SMD. She said she now has a better understanding of what the MBBS teaches in Australia, and is able to reflect this by throwing out various questions to her students of what they need to know!

North Dakota Bursary

Congratulations to David McTaggart, winner of the North Dakota Bursary, who receives the coveted prize of a fully-funded trip to Langdon, North Dakota, for a rural placement under the supervision of Dr Lynn Kratcha.

Runners-up Priya Kevat and Belinda Stallard received $3,000 each to go towards a placement in Norway.

Students who applied for the North Dakota Bursary went through a three-stage process before the eventual winner was decided. Each applicant had to submit a 2000-word movie review of Baz Luhrmann’s Australia. After the essays were received, students selected as finalists had to attend an interview with a panel and finally give an oral presentation on the awards night.

L-R: Priya Kevat, David McTaggart and Belinda Stallard with their certificates on the night of the North Dakota Bursary awards.

SMD staff and students in the news

Dr Georgina Hodges

Dr Georgina Hodges, a graduate of the SMD in 2005, passed the Royal Australian College of Physicians specialty exam recently. Dr Hodges has decided to focus on a career in haematology after an enjoyable term in this area during her second year as a resident. To see the story click on this link: http://search.ebscohost.com.ezproxy.slq.qld.gov.au/login.aspx?direct=true&db=anh&AN=200908121004228516&site=ehost-live

New staff member

A big welcome to Nick Patterson, the SMD’s new Technical Assistant. Nick is a 29 year old Capricorn who previously worked in administration at the Australian Tax Office (no, not as a fraud investigator!). He said he enjoys working at the SMD and got his experience with technical equipment while studying computer science at JCU. He is one year away from completing an environmental science degree but has deferred the rest of his study to a later date.

Nick Patterson, new Technical Assistant at the SMD. Please contact him on 4781 5892 or nick.patterson@jcu.edu.au.

Club RHINO news

The Club RHINO website has recently been updated with all the latest information and events, check it out at www.clubrhino.org.au. You’ll find our latest newsletter RHINO Ramblings Winter on the home page which contains articles on all our Semester 1 events as well as photos from the National University Rural Health Conference RHINO hosted in Cairns at the end of July. If you are interested in hearing about RHINO social events, please contact Anna-Jane Gordon.

Three RHINO multi-disciplinary health students are getting a great opportunity to attend and help run a stall at the Weipa Vibe Alive Festival with other QLD health students in September. Thanks to everyone who applied.

Club RHINO in conjunction with Health Workforce Queensland sent a group of health students on a Rural High School Visit trip to Richmond, Hughenden and Charters Towers in September to promote health careers and university to high school students. This is also a great chance for university students to experience the positives of rural life. RHINO conducts at least 2 RHSVs each year so don’t despair if you missed out this time.

RHINO is collaborating with the JCU Student Association to bring you some awesome events to celebrate Mental Health Week from Sunday October 4th until Saturday October 10th. Events will include short film night, guest speaker night and special mental health week market day just to name a few. Stay tuned for more info coming soon!

Lastly keep an eye out for emails on our annual general meeting to be held in October where RHINO members will elect next year’s RHINO executive committee…your opportunity to get involved and show your passion for rural health!

Research News

Zane Quinn’s confirmation seminar will be held at 9am, October 16, in room 115, building 47. Zane’s project title is Differentiation of major depressive disorder and soft bipolar disorder.

The Townsville Festival of Life Sciences will be held on October 29, on the balcony at University Halls. First up is a competition for student researchers titled “So You Think You Can Research?” with plenty of prizes up for grabs. This will run from 1-3pm, followed by the Festival, with posters on a range of topics. A reminder that submissions are due by 5pm, October 5. Contact the TFLS organising committee with any questions or entries at tfls@jcu.edu.au

General News

Staff Climate Survey

You may have seen some emails recently regarding the JCU Climate Survey 2009. All staff will be sent an individual email with a link to the survey online. If anyone has any questions or concerns about the survey, either now or while they’re filling it out, please contact our SMD Ambassador Sonya van Bremen on 4781 6985.

Adjunct committee meeting

A meeting of the adjunct committee was held on September 21. Below are the nominations the SMD put forward, all of whom should have either received already or will receive shortly an offer of appointment.

Indigenous Community Information Session, Thursday 3rd September

This information session was to provide community members with information on what the entry requirements for University are, and information on various support structures available to students. In addition, we provided a general overview of health courses which are offered at JCU. Thanks to Laurie West who coordinated this event with Education Queensland.

Minutes of official meetings

Minutes of Board of Studies meetings are available on the SMD website at this link: http://www.jcu.edu.au/medicine/current/JCUDEV_010961.html

Minutes of Cabinet meetings will be available shortly and a link will be posted in the next newsletter.

ROOM BOOKING PROCEDURES

For room bookings in buildings 39, 45 and 46 please email smdroombookings@jcu.edu.au

If you wish to book the boardroom (room 126, building 39) or mini meeting room (room 154b, building 39) please come to the first floor SMD office, where a ‘booking book’ is held.

If you have anything to add to the newsletter please email Sharon Barnwell or contact her on (07) 4781 5025.