News

The Leading Edge of Medical Education – Conference at GMS

The Gippsland Medical School hosted a conference titled, “The Leading Edge of Medical Education” on March 13, 2008. The event coincided with the 13th Ottawa Conference in Melbourne which provided an opportunity for international speakers to attend GMS. The meeting was opened by Mr Russell Broadbent, Federal Member for McMillan. Prof Chris Browne welcomed the 60 attendees. Prof Debra Nestel chaired the morning plenary sessions which commenced with Associate Prof Robyn Hill describing the progress of the graduate entry medical students’ first six weeks at GMS.

The first international presenter was Ms Heather Fry (Imperial College London), who spoke about the role of professional development for faculty at medical schools. Dr Roger Kneebone (Imperial College London) then described his work on patient-focused simulations, Ms Diana Tabak (University of Toronto) on simulated patients and finally Dr Julian Archer (Peninsula School of Dentistry and Medicine) spoke on workplace based assessment.

The afternoon sessions enabled participants to workshop each topic while Ms Heather Fry observed a problem-based learning session with Associate Prof William Hart. Further information is available on the website.

Prof Chris Browne and Mr Russell Broadbent at the new entrance to the Gippsland Medical School

Prof Debra Nestel, Prof Chris Browne, Dr Julian Archer, Ms Heather Fry, Dr Roger Kneebone and Ms Diana Tabak at the GMS conference

Clinical Competence Conference – March 5 to 8, 2008

This year five Faculty members from Gippsland Medical School attended the four-day 13th International Ottawa Conference on Clinical Competence (Ozzawa).  This is the first Ottawa Conference to be held in Australia, with the Sessions and Exhibitions taking place at the Melbourne Exhibition and Convention Centre.

The conference was centred on three main themes including:

The Life of the Patient which highlighted the importance of patient safety and patient respect in medical and healthcare education. 

The Life of the Professional which focused on the importance of life-long learning and the need for consistent challenging assessment of healthcare professionals, both in an academic and work-related environment.

The Life of the Programme which centred around the need to develop assessments in healthcare education which are reliable, rigorous, and which appropriately drive learning.

The widely varied program consisted of six keynote speakers, comprising of both national and international experts in the field of Medical Education.  Keynote speaker Dr Tamara Mackean, a Senior Research Fellow with the Centre for Aboriginal Medical and Dental Health, University of WA gave an enlightening presentation on her endeavour to bring about positive change in the healthcare system for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people.  Associate Professor Lorelei Lingard, from the Wilson Centre for Research in Education and the Department of Paediatrics, University of Toronto, presented on the nature of communication within healthcare teams, and how this communication influences patient safety.

Over the four days the Faculty members from Gippsland Medical School took part in several of the 17 pre-conference workshops, attended many of the 450 oral presentations, 26 symposia, 29 workshops, and viewed a number of the 300 posters on display.  Professor Debra Nestel presented a successful paper entitled “Making Sense of the Literature on Simulation in Healthcare”, and alongside fellow colleagues from Imperial College, London, presented a symposia entitled “Patient Focused Simulations and Learner-centred Feedback in Procedural and Operative Skills”.  Dr George Somers presented an interesting paper entitled “A Theoretical Model for Community Based Medical Education for Undergraduate Clinical Training in the Generalist Disciplines”, and Associate Professor Robyn Hill and Amélie Dinsdale  presented a poster from their work on a Department of Human Services funded project entitled “Simulation in Undergraduate Medical Education: Current and Proposed Developments for Clinical Skills”. 

The conference provided a unique opportunity for representatives from the new Gippsland Medical School to network with local and international colleagues, allowing the establishment of new partnerships and the planning of future collaborative research opportunities.

For further information on this Conference please go to www.ozzawa13.com.

Simulated patient sessions at GMS

The Year A students participated in their first session with simulated patients (SPs) on February 7, 2008. As part of the Clinical Skills programme, students interviewed ‘patients.’ The patients are people from our local community who play the role of a patient. In the first session, the setting was a general practice clinic and our students rehearsed skills to use when approaching patients to seek permission to interview them. Each student completed three brief interviews, observed three others, received written feedback from the ‘patient’ and discussed their performance with a colleague. Students rated the session highly. The photographs show students Peta Simotas and Aqsa Ali with Jonathan Somers (SP) and Doreen King (SP).

GMS is looking to recruit simulated patients from our local community. The qualities we look for in SPs include a reasonable memory, enjoy learning, teaching and working as a member of a team. SPs need to be able to commit to scheduled sessions at Churchill. We provide training in role-play and giving feedback which is essential to join our new SP Programme. Professional acting skills are not essential but confidence in your ability to act help tremendously. If you are interested in becoming an SP then contact Judy Lawless (judy.lawless@med.monash.edu.au).

Local Politician Russell Northe visits Gippsland Medical School, Gippsland - February 5, 2008

The National’s Spokesman for Industry and State Development, Sport Recreation and Youth Affairs was given a full tour of the Medicine faculty by Head of the Gippsland Medical School, Professor Chris Browne.
Mr Northe was shown all the facilities of the new Gippsland Medical School, and was told of the many features the new area has been equipped with, including wireless internet, high tech microscopes, and simulated patients, complete with illnesses and symptoms. Professor Browne commented that all new the equipment is “very new, and very high tech, and because of this we are able to compete with any other medical schools in Australia”.
Mr Northe agreed with this statement saying that he was “very impressed with all this…it’s all pretty amazing.”

With the Medical School up and running in its first year, those in the Medicine faculty are already looking at ways to expand upon keeping doctors in the region.
The concept of an after hours medical clinic to be arranged at the Latrobe Regional Hospital is just one of the many projects that the Gippsland campus is looking to develop, with the needs of Gippsland residents and doctors in mind.
Russel Northe has agreed with the need for these facilities. “After hours medical facilities are desperately in need, and it’s a great idea for Gippsland students to be out and about in care facilities”. Such care centres include aged care facilities, hospitals, general practices, and community health centres. “By making it possible for students to be out working within the community means that the program has already started to boost the workforce before we even have graduates” said Professor Browne.

For more information on the Gippsland Medical School visit http://www.med.monash.edu.au/medical/gippsland/ or call (03) 5122 6434.

Article and Picture Courtesy of Julia Auciello <Julia.Auciello@adm.monash.edu.au>

First Prize for Professor Debra Nestel, International Simulation in Healthcare Conference, San Diego - January, 2008

Professor Debra Nestel was awarded the first prize in the education category for her abstract on the professional responsibilities of simulated patients. The qualitative research project produced guidelines setting out the expectations of all those involved in working with simulated patients to support student learning.

The award was presented to Professor Nestel at the 8th International Meeting on Simulation in Healthcare in San Diego in January. The number of delegates attending the meeting has grown exponentially reflecting the world wide interest in simulation as an educational method and assessment modality. The meeting attracts a wide audience covering simulation technology, education, assessment and industry standards.

With colleagues from Imperial College London and industry partners (Librios), Professor Nestel conducted a workshop on Patient Focused Simulations. Further information is available from debra.nestel@med.monash.edu.au and in forthcoming publications:

Kneebone R, Nestel D, Bello F, Darzi A, An Integrated Procedural Performance Instrument (IPPI) for learning and assessing procedural skills, Clinical Teacher, In press

Nestel D, Bello F, Kneebone R, Akhtar K, Darzi A. Remote assessment and learner-centred feedback using the Imperial College Feedback and Assessment System (ICFAS). The Clinical Teacher, In press

Nestel D, Cecchini M, Calandrini M, Chang L, Dutta R, Yadollahi F, Brown R, Kneebone R. Developing patient focused resources for clinical procedural skills training. Medical Teacher, In press

Rural Health Education Foundation to Screen New Documentary Series on Australian Rural General Practitioners - January 29, 2008  

The Rural Health Education Foundation will be broadcasting a new series of seven short (five to seven minute) documentaries featuring rural General Practitioners, commencing on Tuesday 29th January 2008 at 7.50pm (note altered time*).  The Foundation will be screening the series Seachange, Treechange, Lifestyle Change nationally through its Rural Health Satellite Network, Don Perlgut (Rural Health Education Foundation CEO) announced.

The Seachange, Treechange, Lifestyle Change series features stories of seven GPs who have successfully made the transition to work in rural and remote Australia . The series was produced by Rural Health Workforce Australia and directed by award-winning film maker Olivia Peniston-Bird.

The first program in the series features Dr Nicole Anderson in Smithton , Tasmania on 29^th January (repeated on 1^st February).  The program will immediately precede the Foundation’s broadcast of HIV/AIDS Update: Holding the Ramparts.

As Dr Marigold Jones explains in her program (set in Margaret River, Western Australia; first screening on 11^th March at 7.50pm): "I did a locum placement in the country and loved it so much, I decided to stay.  I don't miss the city – the traffic, the fumes and the pace of life.  I've discovered a sense of peace here."

As Dr Paul Collett expresses in his program (shot in Walgett NSW, first screening on 25th March at 7.50pm): "Remote practice is both challenging and enriching. It offers the opportunity to stretch your boundaries, get your own rewards and feel you're achieving something. And you don't have to be superhuman to do it."

Other GPs featured in the series are:
- Dr Megan Cope, Katherine, Northern Territory (12th February)
- Dr Evan Markwick, Naracoorte, South Australia (19th February)
- Dr Emily Walsh, Warrnambool, Victoria (26th February)
- Drs Matt and Sue Masel, Goondiwindi, Queensland (21st March)

The GPs and their partners also explore the perceived barriers associated with working in the bush - barriers such as a heavier workload and lower remuneration.  Indeed, these rural GPs have generally found a good work/life balance and remuneration.

In the past, General Practice in rural and remote areas has often been portrayed as demanding and challenging.  As the CEO of Rural Health Workforce Australia Dr Kim Webber explains, "There has been a barrage of material detailing the problems the rural and remote health workforce is facing. We are working to dispel the myths associated with rural practice and reduce the remaining barriers.  Significant levels of funding and services are being offered to rural and remote health practitioners."

For complete details of these documentaries and the Foundation's program broadcasts, go to the Foundation's timetable page http://www.rhef.com.au/timetable/timetable.html or contact the Foundation at rhef@rhef.com.au or via telephone on (02) 6232 5480.

Grants Awarded to Gippsland Medical School - December 14, 2007

The Gippsland Medical School (GMS) has been awarded two grants in population-based cancer research by the Victorian Cancer Agency. GMS developed and submitted these grants, worth close to $200,000, in collaboration with the Gippsland Regional Integrated Cancer Service based at the Latrobe Regional Hospital.

Professor Chris Browne, Dean of the GMS, is supportive of the endeavour. "The Gippsland Medical School is committed to leading high quality research relevant to the needs of the Gippsland population. The Victorian Cancer Agency grants will allow us to pursue important work in a national health priority area."

The grants are in the areas of Supportive Care and Regional Research Infrastructure Support. Associate Professor Villanueva has been the GMS lead in these grants and will play a critical role in implementation.
The GMS was praised for developing proposals which:

- build cancer research capacity and capability in Victoria
- forster collaborative cancer research
- add value to existing Statewide initiatives and programs
- add value for money

For more information, please contact A/Prof Elmer V Villanueva via email at Elmer.Villanueva@med.monash.edu.au

Human Factors and Patient Safety Seminar and Lecture Series – December 14, 2007

National Health and Medical Research Council (NHMRC) Centre of Research Excellence in Patient Safety (CRE-PS) held a Human Factors and Patient Safety seminar and lecture series in December 2007. Kate Cartwright, Clinical Laboratory Officer attended the Seminar in Parkville on December 6th.

Speakers from around Australia discussed topics such as risk management, communication and simulation training relating to patient safety initiatives, using human factor principles and methods.

The keynote speaker Professor Sidney Dekker, Director of Research, School of Aviation at Lund University, (LUSA), Sweden, was informed, engaging and entertaining. His research group studies the creation of safety and risk and organisational resilience in a variety of high-tech settings, including healthcare, nuclear power and aviation.
http://www.crepatientsafety.org.au/

Kate also attended two other lectures by Professor Dekker on Folk Models and Accident Models on December 11th at the Department of Epidemiology and Preventive Medicine, Monash University, Alfred Hospital, Melbourne. The main themes were to encourage heath professionals to avoid a simplistic shame and blame mentality and progress to a resilient model where relevant IT can be integrated to replace the weight of need for individuals and groups to memorise processes and support people working effectively in teams to prioritise patient safety. Specialisation or silos in public health increase the gaps in information transfer. Often the view of human errors in patient safety is too simplistic and requires political will to improve outcomes rather than list or record causes, supporting a belief that the system is flawed. “It is a dynamically stable system with change as a constant,” asserts Professor Dekker.

Professional development for GMS staff – December 13, 2007

The programme of professional development focused on preparing teachers for the first year of the new graduate entry MBBS has commenced. Professor Nigel Wreford and Dr David Birks worked with the Head of Curriculum, Associate Professor Robyn Hill to provide information about the anatomy programme and outlined the educational methods. GMS offers a unique programme in anatomy with all tutors being surgically qualified.

A full day meeting was convened at Green Inc conference facility in which 32 academic and administrative staff attended. Colleagues from Nursing at Gippsland also attended, and we were joined by a number of our new PBL and Clinical Skills tutors for the day.

The morning session provided information on the structure and content of the curriculum while the afternoon enabled faculty to workshop specific educational methods for supporting learning in clinical skills and problem-based learning. All attendees participated in a session that articulated the skills of effective teachers drawing on their own experiences.

Evaluations were very positive with the opportunity to learn about the curriculum, for meeting colleagues and learn new approaches to teaching highly valued. The next full day professional development meeting is scheduled for Monday, March 10, 2008. However, there is a continuing programme in place designed to address the needs of individual teachers.

GMS faculty visit the Australian Centre for Health Innovation, Alfred Hospital – December 11, 2007

Professor Debra Nestel and Ms Kate Cartwright met with Ms Cathie Steele, General Manager and Professor Peter Cameron at the Centre for Health Innovation (CHI). The Centre provides a physical infrastructure to support the testing of medical equipment, software and systems (e.g. human processes) without risk to patients and clinicians or critical hospital systems. The physical infrastructure includes an operating theatre, procedure rooms, 4-bed ward, consultation rooms and a range of simulators (e.g. benchtop, manikins etc). CHI has an extensive research portfolio with clinical safety the central theme. Discussions took place about potential research and resource collaborations.
www.healthinnovation.com.au

AMC gives Gippsland Medical School accreditation - November 23, 2007

Monash University's doctor training has been further boosted by the accreditation of its Gippsland graduate entry MBBS course by the Australian Medical Council.The Monash MBBS degree, offered at the Clayton, Malaysia and Gippsland campuses, is now accredited until 2013, and will provide the potential for diverse local and international training of its students.

The full article can be found at http://www.monash.edu.au/news/nov07-mbbs.html

Gippsland staff visit the St Vincent’s Education Centre - November 20, 2007

Professor Debra Nestel and Ms Kate Cartwright visited the St Vincent’s Hospital Education Centre on November 20, 2007. The Director of the Centre, Dr Robert O’Brien, described the education and research activities of the Centre before showing Debra and Kate around the impressive facility. Ms Tess Vawser and Mr Julian VanDijk outlined their roles at the Centre. Key features of the Centre include onsite location, close relationships with hospital staff in design and delivery of courses, orientation to post-graduate level programmes and the high quality aesthetic and functional design. GMS looks forward to developing their relationship with the St Vincent’s Education Centre.

For more information see http://www.svhm.org.au/infoabout/education/simulator_edu.htm

Rural Workforce Forum - November 13, 2007

Gippsland Medical School will play an important role in the future provision of a medical workforce for our region. Professor Debra Nestel and Associate Professors William Hart and Robyn Hill attended a rural workforce forum at the Monash University Conference Centre, Melbourne together with colleagues from the School of Rural Health (SRH) (www.med.monash.edu.au/srh) and Monash University Department of Rural and Indigenous Health (MUDRIH) (www.med.monash.edu.au/srh/multidisciplinary/) and representatives from the Department of Health and Ageing. Key issues facing the rural workforce were discussed from recruitment through retention. The critical relationship between education and service was highlighted. Colleagues from SRH and MUDRIH outlined some of the high quality research currently being undertaken. The forum helped to clarify our vision for targeted research.

Dean of Faculty of Medicine, Nursing and Health Sciences visits GMS - November 2, 2007

The Dean of the Faculty of Medicine, Nursing and Health Sciences, Professor Stephen Wesselingh visited the Gippsland campus on November 2, 2007 to meet GMS staff. Discussions focused on student and staff recruitment, curriculum development and features of the GMS curriculum. Some staff made a site visit to the new GMS facilities at the Churchill campus which are scheduled to be ready in December.

Professionalism Meeting - October 31, 2007

Professor Debra Nestel and Associate Professor William Hart attended a meeting on October 31, 2007 - Measuring Professionalism: A Slice of the Research Evidence, hosted by the Centre for Innovation in Health Professional Education and Research, The University of Sydney. Personal and professional development is a critical theme underpinning our MBBS. Several issues were raised at the meeting - concepts of 'mindful practice' and peer assessment (Ron Epstein), the multi-mini-interview for selection to medical school (Chris Roberts), lapses in professionalism (Charlotte Rees), portfolios (Jill Thistlethwaite) and patient safety (Merrilyn Walton). Each speaker reported their research on these topics and its implications for undergraduate medical education. Key messages from the day included:

• Students are able to provide accurate and important feedback to their peers on issues of professionalism.
• The multi-mini-interview can be designed to tap a range of non-technical skills that other tests do not measure (e.g. decision-making, values) .
• Lapses in professionalism need to be investigated in the context in which they occurred.
• Development and maintenance of portfolios appear to be highly valuable to some students. However, their assessment places a potentially onerous workload on faculty. Feasible and reliable methods to summatively assess portfolios remains a challenge. There are very strong indicators that portfolios will be a permanent feature of professional life.
• Patient safety has gained prominence as a focused area of research and training and is slowly becoming embedded in undergraduate medical curricula. Many facets of patient safety intersect with professionalism providing a vehicle though which professional behaviours can be explored and learned

Further information is available from www.cipher.med.usyd.edu.au

Simulation meeting in Granada - October 23, 2007

Professor Debra Nestel was a guest speaker at Symposium Internacional IAVANTE, Granada, Spain, October 22-23, 2007. Professor Nestel’s presentation was titled, Patient focused simulations (PFS) for developing procedural and operative skills. The work draws on her research team’s experience at Imperial College London and which she plans to implement with her colleagues at GMS. Clinicians performing procedures on conscious patients must integrate technical and communication skills with professionalism. Although benchtop simulators offer valuable training support in technical skills they do not recreate holistic practice. The Imperial research team has developed an innovative scenario-based approach to supporting the development of procedural skills - the Integrated Procedural Performance Instrument. This consists of a panel of clinical procedures (e.g. suturing, intravenous infusion) that students/trainees undertake within a safe but realistic simulated environment. Each scenario has a simulated patient (SP) in combination with a benchtop model or item of medical equipment enabling us to offer trainees the opportunity to integrate this complex set of skills. The concept of PFS has been applied to endoscopic, interventional and complex operative procedures (e.g. carotid endarterectomy). Additionally, the team have explored audiovisual technologies for capturing interactions between trainees and SPs and ways of providing trainee-centred feedback.

Information about the Centre is available on http://www.iavante.es/portal3d/html/conocenos/sedes3_eng.asp#