The Department of General Practice at Monash University has a strong reputation for both undertaking high quality research and implementing evidence through our undergraduate and postgraduate teaching programs.
Our vision and goals are linked with the Monash University Research Strategic Plan 2011-2015 (should be a web link here to Monash Research Strategic plan) “impact through excellence and relevance”. Our department has leading general practice researchers who are networked with their national and international peers and with established stakeholder networks and collaborators (Link to collaborator page).
We have a vision of sustainable primary care systems which are responsive to new and emerging primary care health paradigms and that offer accessible, affordable, evidence –based and integrated care for local communities.
Our research is focused on two major themes:
- Improving the quality of care in general practice
- Optimising primary care practice organisation and health care systems
Working across both of these themes are our principle research areas of interest:
- Knowledge transfer (implementation of evidence)
- The prevention, management and follow up care of chronic disease (with particular foci on obesity, cardiovascular disease, arthritis, cancer, mental health)
- e-health solutions
- Medical and inter professional education
We have expertise in researching technologies in these fields (particularly the use of IT) and a special interest in:
- Particular patient groups (women's health, infant and child health, men's health and refugee health) and
- Improving access to care for populations with specific needs (migrants and refugees, family violence victim/survivors).
We believe in working in partnership to achieve our aims. Our partnerships include collaborators across the School of Primary Care, the Faculty of Medicine Nursing and Health Sciences, other Monash University Faculties, across Monash University campuses, national and international collaborations which include key stakeholders such as other universities, government departments, NGO’s, commercial companies and professional organisations.
We are actively building research capacity within our department by supporting and strengthening the capacity of individual staff members and students to develop research skills and capabilities through the early career researcher group, the DGP writing group, grant writing support and regular research meetings.
We believe that good general practice research involves working with GPs as well as inter-professionally and collaboratively with new and emerging Primary Health Care Organisations such as the Medicare Locals as they replace the Divisions of General Practice.
We are engaged nationally and internationally in the development of primary care systems, and with workforce training and development. Collaborations, such as our work with the Chinese GP training program and Queens University in Canada, provide international opportunities for both education and research now and in the future.
