Monash University Department of Rural and Indigenous Health

Associate Professor Janice Chesters

Deputy Director

Telephone: +61 3 5128 1009
Facsimile: +61 3 5128 1080
Email: janice.chesters@med.monash.edu.au

Since completing my PhD (1999) in the field of rural mental health I have established a research career that has broadened beyond mental health research to investigate rural workforce issues, medical education, migrant health, rural health in general and Indigenous issues. As a social researcher working within a rural school located within a Faculty of Medicine, Nursing and health Sciences, my focus has been on working on collaborative, interdisciplinary research with a diverse group of researchers. Through my publications I have been able to highlight the complexity and diversity of rural places, and to move beyond a paralyzing negativity about rural health to recommend better ways of working with rural people and delivering better rural health services.

Within MUDRIH I provide leadership in education programs and actively work to develop a health nexus between teaching and learning and research. I strongly support our growing links with the community.

Academic Qualifications

• BA(Hons), La Trobe University.
• PhD, Monash University.

Research Interests

• Rural mental health and illness services,
• Health sociology,
• History of medicine,
• Drugs and alcohol issues

Community Appointments

• Chairperson SNAP Gippsland Inc.(a psychiatric disability support service) since 1999
• Board Member Latrobe Community Health Service Inc.since 2005
• Chair Latrobe Community Health Service Quality and Safety Sub Committee since 2008
• Deputy Chair Australasian Inter-Professional Practice and Education Network since 2008

Service Distinctions

• 2002 Member of the Australian Medical Council Review Team to University of Adelaide
• 2004 Member of the Australian Medical Council Review Team to Flinders University
• 2006 Member of the Australian Medical Council Recognition of Medical Specialties Advisory Committee Recognition Review Group considering the application for Recognition of Addiction Medicine as a specialty
• Management of the Secondary School Project
• 2004 - Deputy Director Centre for Multi-Disciplinary Studies in Rural Health and MUDRIH
• 2006 Included in a list of Faculty leading edge researchers in the field of rural health
• Appointed Associate Professor
• Accredited Level 1 and 2 Research Supervisor
• Certificate of Cultural Awareness Training
• Reviewer for ARC grants scheme, Sociology of Health and Illness, Health Sociology Review, Medical Journal of Australia, Australian Journal of Rural Health, Rural and Remote Health
• Chair of the Conference organising committee for Recovering in Gippsland First Gippsland Mental Health Conference
• 2007 Completed Risk Management for Boards Training Program – VMIA
• 2008 Elected to Academic Board of Monash University

Research experience and interests

Since completing my PhD (1999) in the field of rural mental health I have established a research career that has broadened beyond mental health research to investigate rural workforce issues, medical education, migrant health, rural health in general and Indigenous issues. As a social researcher working within a rural school located within a Faculty of Medicine, Nursing and Health Sciences, my focus has been on working on collaborative, multi-disciplinary research with a diverse group of researchers. Through my publications I have been able to highlight the complexity and diversity of rural places, and to move beyond a paralyzing negativity about rural health to recommend better ways of working with rural people and delivering better rural health services.

In my research I principally use qualitative research methodologies, although I have used mix modal research methods (see my survey of Australian key papers on rural doctor’s recruitment and retention in the 7th National Rural Health Conference Proceedings 2003). As a qualitative researcher I am committed to developing better theories of health and health care. (See my theoretical article in Health Sociology Review, ‘Deinstitutionalisation an unrealized desire’ which takes a bold and exciting perspective on the history and current provision of mental health services in Victoria). I am committed to multi and interdisciplinary research.

Currently my research interests and expertise concentrate on three areas:
Rural mental health research
• Mental health and housing
• Mental health recovery models
• Mental health services in remote Victorian primary care settings

Inter-disciplinary health research
• Ageing research
• Models for supporting research in Hospitals and Community Health Services
• Development of a health observatory in Gippsland

Medical and Health Sciences education research
• Documenting rural experience programs
• Recruitment and retention strategies, especially in regard to Indigenous students
• Multidisciplinary/interprofessional education

Research grants

Year	Title	Grant Agency	Amount	CIs	Status
2008	Provision of an international study on multidisciplinary training in mental health	DoHA	$70,675	Kulkarni, Meadows, Cross, Farnsworth, Chesters	Submitted
2008	Inter-professional Learning Demonstration Projects	DoHA	$390,704.60	Chesters and Burley	Submitted
2008	Establishing the role of community pharmacists in the safe use of natural remedies	Pharmacy Guild of Australia	$20,000	George, Robinson and Chesters	Submitted
2008	Capital Works Grant re Expansion of Moe Facility	Department of Health and Ageing	$852,443	Clough, Chesters and Elswick	Successful
2007	Understanding the lived experience of ageing: An interdisciplinary study of factors influencing the social and health choices of third agers	Faculty Strategic Grant Scheme	51,476	Thomas, Komesaroff, Hyde, Chesters, Workman and Sellick	Unsuccessful
2007	Incidence of thyroid dysfunction in Gippsland region in relation to dietary iodine insufficiency	Faculty Strategic Grant Scheme	$32,525	Savige, Chesters, Deacon and Panther	Unsuccessful
2007	Integrating complementary and alternative medicines into rural and regional general practice: a men’s health issue	Faculty Strategic Grant Scheme	$51,088	Chesters, George, Villanueva, Somers	Unsuccessful
2007	Gippsland mental health and wellbeing alliance	FaCSIA	$1,977,450.00	Chesters, Drysdale, Couley, Woodhouse, Faulkner and O’Neal	Unsuccessful
2007	Projecting SPECTRUM: Sustaining the outcomes of the SPECTRUM pilot project	Department of Human Services	$286,746	Chesters	Unsuccessful
2007	Literature Review on the link between primary health care and health outcomes for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Australians	Department of Health and Ageing – Rural and Indigenous Health	$157,890	Drysdale, Chesters, Dwyer, Villaneuva, Kitto and Faulkner	Unsuccessful
2007	Mildura: A centre for science, interprofessional health education and practice excellence	Department of Education, Science and Training	$480,000	Chesters and Russell	Unsuccessful
2007	How do I know I’m having a heart attack? (HowHA)	ARC Discovery Grant	TBC	Wainer, Aroni, Smith, Teede, Chesters, Meredith, Zoungas, Deeks, Jolley	Unsuccessful
2007	Some discomfort is normal –A pilot study on the safety discourse used by CAM practitioners in the rural setting	NHMRC CAM Grant	$19,854	Robinson, Villanueva, Chesters	Unsuccessful
2007	Integrating complementary and alternative medicine into rural and regional health care practice	ARC Discovery Grant	$426,260	Villanueva, Robinson, Cohen, Chesters, Cooper and Kitto	Unsuccessful
2006	Integrating complementary and alternative medicines into conventional medical practice: mapping the process	Australian Rotary Health Research Fund	$60,000	Chesters, Cohen, Kitto, Robinson, Stainsby	Unsuccessful
2006	Medicine and natural healing: mapping conceptions of risk in rural medical practice	Monash Faculty of Arts: Joint Arts/Medicine, Nursing and Health Sciences small grants scheme	$10,000	Robinson, Cooper, Chesters and Kitto	Unsuccessful
2006	Footsteps to the Future Dissemination project	DoHA	$339,197	Drysdale, Chesters, Fawkner	Completed
2006	Advancing Interprofessional learning in clinical Education: A case Study from Rural Health—SPECTRUM Project	DHS Victoria	$204,000	Richardson, Radomski and Chesters	Completed
2005	Development of consumer resources based on the NHMRC’s clinical practice guidelines for the management of overweight and obesity in children, adolescents and adults	DoHA	$256,029	Chesters, Faulkner, Drysdale, Faul, France, Gilham, Kirkbright, Pedler, Rayfield	Unsuccessful
2005	Lifestyle redesign using the ‘Well-elderly program’ Replication in metropolitan and rural Australian populations	NHMRC	$606,179	Farnworth, Darzins, Campbell, Jackson, Chesters, Holt, Watts, O’Connor, Brown, Morse	Unsuccessful
2006	Building a model of ageing research capacity in Victorian regional health services	Faculty Strategic Grants	$74,964	Ibrahim, Workman, Keating, Deacon, Chesters, King	Unsuccessful
2006	Loneliness among rural elderly persons residing at home alone	Nursing Strategic grants	$20,000	Sellick, Chesters, Francis, Reddy	In progress
2006	Treatment of adolescent depression in Gippsland – Can research and practice be united in a rural child and adolescent mental health service? An Action research project.	beyondblue	$ 59,504	Bearsley-Smith, Oakley-Browne, Reddy, Francis, Sellick, Chesters, Tonge	In progress
2005	Footsteps to the future – Recruiting Indigenous students	Project of national Significance under the Rural Undergraduate Support and Co-ordination Program	$317,126	Drysdale, Ellender, Chesters	Completed
2004	Rural Chronic Disease initiative	Department of Health and Ageing	$400,000	Wyatt, Chesters, Faulkner, Drysdale, Kirkbright, Clough, Carr	Completed
2002	General practice Emergency Medicine Teaching Evaluation Project	RACGP	$25,000	Togno, Chesters	Completed
2001	Review of the Vizard Foundation – Vizard House Melbourne	Vizard Foundation	$5000	Chesters, Jones	Completed
2001	Health, Housing and History	Monash Small grants (Arts Faculty)	$5,000	Fletcher, Chesters	Completed
2001	Survey of Registrar and medical Students Accommodation needs	Rural Workforce Agency Victoria	$43,186	Strasser, Togno, Han, Chesters, O’Meara, McGrail	Completed
2000	Evaluating the Alberton Project	Dept of Human Services Victoria	$54,253	Chesters, O’Meara, Han	Completed
2000	Doctoring Rural Towns	Monash Regional Australia Project	$5,000	Chesters, Han, Strasser, Ballis	Completed

Publications
Refereed Book Chapters

Kilpatrick, Sue, Quynh, Le and Chesters, Janice(2008) ‘Diversity, culture and place’ in ARHEN Eds. A Text Book of Australian Rural Health Eds. Siaw-Teng Liaw and Sue Kilpatrick, Australian Rural Health Education Network, Canberra

Chesters, Janice (2003) ‘A horror of the asylum or of the home: women’s responses to asylum confinement’ in Coleborne, C and MacKinnon, D. Eds. ‘Madness’ in Australia: History, heritage, and the asylum, University of Queensland Press, Brisbane

Chesters, Janice, with Gil-Soo Han, Sarah Strasser and Harry Ballis (2001) ‘ Doctoring Rural Towns’ in Dibden, Jacqui, Fletcher, Meredith and Cocklin, Chris Eds. All Change! Gippsland Perspectives on Regional Australia in Transition, Monash Regional Australia Project Occasional Papers, Clayton

Peer Reviewed Articles
Submitted

Bearsley-Smith, C., Sellick, K., Chesters, J., Francis, K. (2007) ‘Treatment content in child and ad‘Administration and Policy in Mental Health Services Research

Bearsley-Smith, C., Chesters, J. (2007) ‘Preparing for a clinical trial in a rural child and adolescent mental health service’ Australasian Psychiatry

In Press
Published

Chesters, J., Drysdale, M., Ellender, I., Faulkner, S., Turnbull, L., Kelly, H., Robinson, A., Chambers, H., (2009). "Footprints forwards blocked by a Failures Discourse: Issues in Providing Advice about Medicine and Other Health Science Careers to Indigenous Secondary School Students." Australian Journal of Career Development 18(1): 26-35.

Han, G. S., Chesters, J., Ballis, H., (2009). "Challenge and Excitement - Part One: loving and hating rural medical practice." Asia Pacific Journal of Health Management 4(1): 41-46.

Robinson, A. Chesters, J. (2008) ‘Rural diversity in CAM usage: The relationship between rural diversity and the use of complementary and alternative medicine modalities.’ Rural Society, Vol18, No 1, pp 64-75

Kitto, S., Chesters, J. Grbich, C. (2008) ‘Quality in qualitative research: Criteria for authors and assessors in the submission and assessment of qualitative research articles for the Medical Journal of Australia’, Medical Journal of Australia Vol 188, No 4, pp243-246

Robinson, A., Chesters, J., Cooper, S. (2007) ‘People’s choice: complementary and alternative medicine use.’ Complementary Health Practice Review Vol 12, No 2 pp99-119

Fletcher, M., Chesters, J., Drysdale, M. (2007) ‘Past, Present and Future: Reflections on Indigenous Rights via the Morwell ‘Village Haven’’ Journal of Australian Indigenous Issues Vol 10, No3

Smith, T., Stone, N., Bull, R., Chesters, J., Waller, S., Playford, D. and Fuller, J. (2007) Editorial ‘Australian Rural Health Education Network’s position on interprofessional education and practice in health care’ The International Electronic Journal of Rural and Remote Health Research, Education, Practice and Policy 7:866, pp1-4

Thistlethwaite, J., Chesters, J et al (2007) ‘Editorial Interprofessional Education in Australasia’ Journal of Interprofessional Care, 21 (4): pp363-372

Bearsley-Smith, C., Oakley-Browne, M., Sellick, K., Villanueva, E., Chesters, J., Francis, K. and Reddy, P. (2007) ‘Does Interpersonal Psychotherapy improve clinical care for adolescents with depression attending a rural child and adolescent mental health service? Study protocol for a cluster randomised feasibility trial’ Biomed Central Psychology 7:53-on-line @ www.biomedcentral.com/1471-244x/7/53

Chesters, J.> and Murphy, K. (2007) ‘Stepping up to interprofessional practice: a health department promotes interdisciplinary learning’ Focus on Health Professional Education Vol 8(3), pp8-15

Nisbet, G., Thistlewaite, J.E., Chesters, J., Jones, M., Moran, M., Murphy, K and Playford, D. (2007) ‘Sharing a vision for collaborative practice: the formation of an Australasian interprofessional practice and education network (AIPPEN)’ Focus on Health Professional Education Vol 8 (3), 1-7

Kitto, S., Villanueva, E., Chesters, J., Petrovic, A., Waxman, B. Smith J. (2007) ‘Surgeons’ attitudes toward and usage of evidence-based medicine in surgical practice: A pilot study’ Australian and New Zealand Journal of Surgery Vol. 77, pp. 231-236

Robinson, A. Chesters, J. Cooper, S. (2007) ‘The PUC-CAM-Q: a new questionnaire for delving into the use of complementary and alternative medicines’, The Journal of Complementary and Alternative Medicine Vol.13, No. 2, pp. 207-216

Villanueva, E., Kitto, S., Petrovic, A., Chesters, J. Smith, J. (2006) ‘Surgery is not just an art’ Australian and New Zealand Journal of Surgery Letter Vol 7, Issue 12 pp. 1132-1133

Wearne, Ben, Chesters, Janice, Whyte, Susan (2006) ‘Funding Sources and Consequences: The Miwatj Health Aboriginal Corporation Outreach Program’ Rural and remote health (on-line) 6: 542

Whyte, Susan, Wyatt, Di, Faulkner, Susan, Chesters, Janice, Drysdale, Marlene et al (2006) ‘Building healthy communities: The Rural Chronic Disease Initiative’ Australian Journal of Primary Health Vol 12, 2, 15-23

Jones, Rebecca, Chesters, Janice (2006) ‘Muck, Bugs and decay: the preoccupations of early Australian organic gardening’ Studies in Australian Garden History Vol 2, 63-79

Chesters, Janice, Whyte, Susan (2005) ‘Lunmarama Yolnu nha: a Week in the Life of an Outreach Program’ Australian Aboriginal Studies Vol 2

Chesters, Janice (2005) ‘Deinstitutionalisation an Unrealized Desire’ Health Sociology Review Vol 14, 3,272-282

Chesters, Janice, Fletcher, Meredith, Jones, Rebecca (2005) ‘Recovery and Place’ Australian e-Journal for the Advancement of Mental Health Vol 4 (2) September

Kitto, S., Chesters, J., Villanueva, E., Fox, J. (2004) Normalising Uncertainty in Undergraduate Clinical Transition Seminars Focus on Health Professional Education Vol 6,1, 37-51

O’Meara, P., Chesters, J. Han, G. (2004) Outside Looking in: The Alberton Project

Rural Society Vol 14, 2, 126-141

Jones, Rebecca, Chesters, Janice and Fletcher, Meredith (2003) ‘Make Yourself at Home: People Living with Psychiatric Disability in Public Housing International Journal of Psychosocial Rehabilitation vol.7 pp.71-85

Chesters, Janice and Kelly, Heather (2003) ‘Evidence Based Rural Health Career Promotion’ 7th National Rural Health Conference Proceedings

Han, G.S., Wearne, B., O’Meara, McGrail, M. and Chesters J. (2003) ‘Medical Students’ and GP registrars’ Accommodation Needs in the Rural Community: Insight from a Victorian Study’ Australian Health Review Vol 26 No 1

Chesters, Janice (2001) ‘Introduction Agency to Asylum: Isabella’s Story’ Gippsland Heritage Journal No 25 pp 24-29

Han, Gil Soo and Chesters, Janice (2001) “Chasing Money” and “Damaged Health” Korean Men in Australia, Part 11, Skilled and Business Migrants “ Australian Journal of Primary Health Vol. 7, No 2 pp 9-14

Han, Gil Soo and Chesters, Janice (2001) “Chasing Money” and “Damaged Health” Korean Men in Australia, Part 1 “Amnesty Migrants” Australian Journal of Primary Health Vol. 7, No 1 pp 39-45

Chesters, Janice (2000) ‘Backache and Heartburn to Nerves and Alcohol: Narratives of a Community Health Survey, Heyfield, Victoria, 1965’ Health and History Vol 2 Number 1 pp 79-100

Wainer, Jo and Chesters, Janice (2000) ‘Rural Mental Health: Neither Romanticism nor Despair’ Australian Journal of Rural Health Vol 8 No 3 pp. 141-147

Refereed Conference Abstracts and Papers

Chesters, Janice, O’Neal Paul, (2008) ‘Structural Reform of Victorian Area Mental Health Services: The Case for Change and an Alternative Model’ Joining The Dots Mental Health Conference, Melbourne May 8-9 2008.

Chesters, Janice, D’Amore, A. (2007) ‘Developing better early year rural placements: Informing change in Year One and Two medical student programs at Monash University, Australia’ Practice Makes Perfect International Conference, Vancouver Canada 4-7 November

Chesters, Janice (2007) Understanding Community Capacity: Community, Professional and Government Perspectives 2nd International Conference on Interdisciplinary Social Sciences Granada Spain 10-13 July

Chesters, Janice (2007), ‘When mental health= mental illness can we shift to promote wellbeing? TASA mid year conference Beechworth June 22-24 Abstract

Chesters, J., and Drysdale, M. (2006) The Australian Sociological Association Annual Conference (TASA) ‘Footprints forward blocked by the failure discourse: issues in the recruitment of Indigenous secondary school students into medicine and health careers’ Abstract p 46.

Sellick, Ken, Chesters, Janice and Francis, Karen (2006) 7th Annual International Research Conference: Transforming Health Care through Research, Education and Technology 8-10 November Dublin ‘Loneliness among elderly people living at home alone in rural Australia’

Nisbit, G., Thistlethwaite, J., Chesters, J., Jones, M., Moran, M., Murphy, K. and Playford, D. (2006) Interdisciplinary Learning for interprofessional practice UNISA Adelaide 8/9 November ‘Sharing a vision for collaborative practice: the formation of an Australian interprofessional practice and education network, AIPPEN’ Abstract p 34 paper pending publication

Chesters, J. and Murphy, K. (2006) Interdisciplinary Learning for interprofessional practice UNISA Adelaide 8/9 November ‘Stepping up to interprofessional practice: a health department promotes interdisciplinary learning’ Abstract p 58

Chesters, Janice, Fletcher, Meredith, Drysdale, Marlene (2005) The Australian Sociological Association Annual Conference (TASA) Community place and change: Resisting the Morwell ‘village haven’ Abstract p 67

Chesters, Janice (2004) The Australian Sociological Association Annual Conference (TASA) Health Day ‘Closing Asylums and Hospitals not Deinstitutionalising People’ DVD of collected papers

Chesters, Janice (2003) The Australian Sociological Association Annual Conference Health Day ‘Learning and Teaching sociology to health professionals’ with Simon Kitto

Chesters, Janice(2003) 53 rd Annual Meeting of Society for the Study of Social Problems Atlanta USA

Recovering Home: The Importance of Place in Surviving Mental Illness’ with Meredith Fletcher and Rebecca Jones

Chesters, Janice (2003) 7th National Rural Health Conference Hobart Tasmania ‘Evidence Based Rural Health Career Promotion’ with Heather Kelly Abstract P 131, Collected papers 1-8

Chesters, Janice (2002) British Sociological Conference University of Leicester ‘Recovering Home: Supported Housing and Mental Health’

Chesters, Janice (2000) Infront Outback Conference Toowoomba ‘Words Can Hurt: The Importance of Ethical Research’

Chesters, Janice (2000) Humanities and Social Sciences Research Forum Monash University ‘Isabella of Bairnsdale: An Introduction Agency, A Marriage and A Mental Asylum.’

Chesters, Janice (1996) The Mental Health Services Conference Inc. of Australia and New Zealand, Brisbane ‘Jonesy, It’s Just an Illness Like Any Other, Isn’t It?’

Chesters, Janice (1996) The Australian Sociological Association Conference, Hobart. ‘Illness Ain’t Illness Solly! Why a Broken Leg is Just Like a Mental Illness.’

Chesters, Janice (1995) The Australian Sociological Association Conference, Newcastle. ‘A Rural Culture of Mental Health and Illness: Continuity and Triage.’

Refereed Conference Proceedings

Togno.J. Young, A., Ristevski, E., Kirkbright, S. and Chesters, J. (2003) ‘The SWAG: Integrating Rural Medical Curriculum Placements into the Community Using the Internet’ International Conferences on Advances in Infrastructure for Electronic Business, Education, Science, Medicine and Mobile Technologies on the Internet. L’Aquila, Italy

Chesters, Janice (2000) ‘Words Can Hurt: The Importance of Ethical Research’ Conference Proceedings of the Infront Outback Conference Toowoomba, pp 14-17

Strasser, Roger, Chesters, J and Carson, D (2000) Mastering Rural Health: Mastering Electronic Environments Conference Proceedings of the Infront Outback Conference Toowoomba, pp 203-207

Non-Refereed Publications

Chesters, Janice (2008). "Letter to Editor." The Australian Journal on Psychosocial Rehabilitation: 43.

Chesters, Janice (2007) Commissioned Review of Dispossession, Dreams and Diversity: Issues in Australian Studies, Journal of Sociology, Vol 43, No 1pp110-111

Chesters, Janice (2007) Moving beyond mental health =mental illness Nexus Newsletter of the Australian Sociological Association Inc. Vol 19 (4) pp 3-5

Chesters, Janice (2005) Commissioned Review of Blood Matters: A Social History of the Victorian Red Cross Blood Transfusion Service by Matthew Klugman Health and History Vol 6 No 2 2004

Chesters, Janice (2005) Commissioned Review of Beyond the Divide: Women’s Experiences in Rural Victorian Psychiatric Services by Marg Brooks newparadigm March 2005

Chesters, Janice (1999) ‘Catherine and Isabella, Individual Problems and Public Issues: Mental Illness Services at the Turn of the Century’ Individuals &Institutions in The History of Medicine Occasional Papers in Medical History Australia No. 9 Sydney

Chesters, Janice (1998) Review of The Last of the Lunatics, by John Cawte in Health and History Volume 1 Number 1 Chesters, Janice (1996) ‘Not Under Proper Care and Control: Researching Mental Illness in East Gippsland’ Gippsland Heritage Journal No. 20 September 1996

Chesters, Janice (1996) ‘Jonesy, it’s just an illness like any other, isn’t it?’ There’s a Person in Here Brisbane Queensland 6^th Annual THEMHS Conference proceedings

Reports to Government

Drysdale, M., Faulkner, S., Chesters, J., (2006) Eds Footprints Forwards Better Strategies for the recruitment, retention and support of Indigenous medical students, Monash University School of Rural Health Moe pp i-78

Faulkner, S., Wyatt, D., Chesters, J., et al Rural Chronic Disease Initiative: Write-up of Learnings and Resource Kit Development Final Report, Monash University School of Rural Health pp.1-340

Chesters, Janice, O’Neal, Paul, and O’Toole Rhonda (1998) The Report of the Gippsland Dual Disability Evaluation Project: Developing A Service System For People With An Intellectual Disability And Mental Illness Department of Human Services, Gippsland

O’Neal, Paul and Chesters, Janice (1998) Gippsland Client Services Scoping Project: Definition of Programs (Part A), Department of Human Services- Gippsland Client Services IBU Traralgon

Chesters, Janice (1998) Gippsland Client Services Scoping Project: Client data 1997-1998 (Part B), Department of Human Services- Gippsland Client Services IBU Traralgon

Chesters, Janice, Williams, Kathryn and Fletcher, Meredith (1997) Beyond Crisis: An Analysis of Psychiatric Disability Support Needs in the Shire of Wellington Special Needs Accommodation Program, Bairnsdale.

Teaching Experience
Undergraduate

Between 2000 and 2004, on behalf of the School of Rural Health, I undertook a key role in developing the Monash five year MBBS curriculum, especially in the areas of rural programs, Indigenous issues and population and social health. Now, in my role as Deputy Director at the CMDS, I have retained my commitment to MBBS transition programs, year 1 rural placements, tutoring in health promotion and assisting with special teaching responsibilities within my area of expertise.

2006/2007
• MBBS Transition Camp
• Rural lectures

2004 /2005
• MBBS Transition Camp
• MBBS Year 1 Rural Week Inverloch
• MBBS Health Promotion and Knowledge Management
• Guest lecturer in social theory HUMCASS History Honours Program

2002/2003
• MBBS Transition Camp
• MBBS Year 1 and 2 Rural Weeks Program
• MBBS Health Promotion and Knowledge Management
• MBBS 3rd Year Transition Program
• Medical Sociology Selective

2000/2003 Curriculum Development
• MBBS Health Knowledge and Society Year 1 Theme 2
• MBBS Health Promotion and Knowledge Management Year 2 Theme 2
• MBBS Year 1 and 2 Rural Weeks
• MBBS Indigenous Components Year 1 and 2, rural components and in public health and social health

2001
• Course Development, Health Sociology
• Residential School Master of Psychology Health – presentation on rural health

1998 - 2000
• Lecturer in Community History and Sociology, Monash University
• Trainer for Psychiatry Disability Support peak body VICSERV

1994 -1998
• Sociology, Monash University Gippsland Campus

Postgraduate

1999-2004 and 2006 to present Co-ordinator of the Graduate Diploma and Masters of Rural Health
• Redeveloped the course from a 96 credit point masters to a 72 credit point degree
• Introduced a graded minor thesis
• Redeveloped units
• Disestablished non- performing offerings
• Appointed unit coordinators
• Collaborated on new offerings with other departments within the faculty
• Negotiated agreement between Monash University and the Rural Management Residency Program (RMRP) managed by VHA for students in this program to complete a minimum of three Graduate Diploma of Rural Health units

In the area of postgraduate course-work studies and supervision of minor theses I have supervised a Bachelor of Medical Science student:
• Mr. Ben Wearne – “Lunmara Ma Yolnu Nha: an evaluation of the Miwatj Health Aboriginal Corporation Outreach Program” (2001, H1 and 2 papers currently in press)

I have also successfully supervised three Master of Rural Health research minor theses candidates:
• Ms Wendy Hartley – “Perceived appropriateness of the job selection criteria: a remote area nurses (RAN’s) study” (2000 ungraded Masters).
• Ms Deidre Christie – “A Project for the People – A Change for Management: A reflective thesis on a participatory action research case study on the Papua New Guinea Red Cross Aitape Disaster Rehabilitation Health Program” (2000 ungraded Masters).
• Ms Caroline Birnie – “A single centre audit of compliance with transfusion criteria in primary total hip replacement surgical patients” (2002, H1).

I am providing assistance to Dr Alan Wolff who is about to submit a thesis by publication for his Doctor of Medicine (2005).

2002-2007
Supervision of higher degree by research candidates—7 candidates

Examination of Higher Degree Candidates

2001
Matthew Klugman—M.A. by Advanced Seminars and Shorter Thesis (History and Philosophy of Science —University of Melbourne

2002
Dr Christopher Matthews—Master of Family Medicine Minor Thesis—Monash University

2005
Mr. Robert Watson—PhD Generalist Telephone Counselling and Referred Call Data as a Social Indicator: A Lifeline to Social Support —University of Ballarat

2006
Ms Sara Gollschewski—PhD The use of complementary and alternative Medications by menopausal women living in South East Queensland—QUT

Academic Planning and Governance

Since joining the Monash University Centre for Rural Health in 1999 I have contributed to the leadership of my School, Faculty, University and the Gippsland community.

School/Faculty/University Service

1999–Current
Member of the School of Rural Health Executive

1999–2004
School Representative on Faculty Course—Work Degrees Committee.

2000–2004
Year 1 MBBS Management Committee

2002–2004
MBBS Assessment Committee

2001–Current
Indigenous Matters Committee

2002 and 2005
School Representative on Faculty Research Degrees Committee

2004–Current
Double Degree Management Committee

2004–Current
Centre for Multi-Disciplinary Studies in Rural Health Executive

2004–Current
Gippsland Area Regional Research Initiative School of Rural Health and CMDS representative

2005
School Representative on Faculty Quality Committee

2005
School Representative, Australian Rural Health Education Network Board and Evaluation meetings

2007
Faculty Undergraduate Education Committee

2007
Gippsland Medical School Curriculum Committee

2008
Academic Board of Monash University

Community Service

1999–Current
Chair of SNAP Gippsland Inc. (A psychiatric disability support service)

1999–Current
Member Latrobe Regional Hospital Ethics Committee

1995–Current
Editorial Board Member Gippsland Heritage Journal

2000–2005
East Gippsland Division of General Practice Effective Service Committee

2005–Current
Board Member Latrobe Community Health Service Inc.

2007
Steering Committee Member—Community Health Teaching and Research Project

Professional Affiliations

TASA—The Australian Sociological Association

Media Commentary

Guest commentator on mental health and rural health issues on ABC Radio National, ABC state and regional radio and regional television.

Invited Speaker

I have been an invited speaker on mental health and rural health issues at the University of Melbourne, at Vic Health conferences and forums, at the Chris Silagy Master Class series, at Atlanta USA, at two TASA health days and at the Ageing Population Summit.