Pam Harvey

B.App. Sci (Physio). (Lincoln Institute of Health Sciences)
Master of Education (Research). (La Trobe University)

Lecturer, North West Rural Medical Education Unit

1.   Involving Simulated Patients in medical education. 
2.   Incorporating medical humanities in medical education.
3.   Clinical reasoning development in health professional students. 
4.   Using clinician stories in health professional education.
5.   Bibliotherapy in schools.

Pam is a physiotherapist who joined Monash University, North West Rural Medical Education Unit in the School of Rural Health in 2007 as a lecturer.  She has responsibilities for academic support, curriculum development, educational research and program evaluation in the Regional Clinical Schools of Bendigo and Mildura.  Pam’s previous employment was with Monash University, School of Rural Health, Office of Research (2006-2007), where she was a research assistant in a systematic review for the Australian Primary Health Care Research Institute study on health workforce retention.

Prior to being employed by Monash, Pam worked in a range of community physiotherapy jobs including chronic disease management, work rehabilitation and private practice.  Pam has also worked as a lecturer at TAFE (2001-2006), taking classes in the Diploma of Professional Writing and Editing.  As well as being a health professional, Pam is the author of fourteen children’s books, and writes regularly for a range of magazines and journals.  She is currently a PhD in Communication candidate, researching the representation of adolescents with chronic illnesses in young adult fiction.

Humphreys, J; Wakerman, J; Wells, R; Kuipers, P; Jones, J; Entwistle, P; Harvey,P. (2007) 'Improving primary health care workforce retention in small rural and remote communities: how important is ongoing education training?' APHCRI Report to Australian Government Department of Health and Aging.  http://www.anu.edu.au/aphcri/Domain/Workforce/index.php 

Harvey, Pam (2008), ‘We read to know we are not alone: the use of bibliotherapy in schools' Viewpoint; on books for young adults', 17 (1)  (pending)

‘The Effects of simulation on Simulated Patients involved in high stakes examinations.’ 
Simulated patients (SPs) have become commonplace in medical education, but use varies greatly among health education institutions. Although there has been much research about the use of SPs for assessment purposes, there have only been a few studies completed on the effects of being a simulated patient on the person performing the role-play. Within these studies, varied negative and positive effects are reported: from signs of stress like headaches and exhaustion, to improved communication and increased knowledge about health matters. This study investigates the effects of simulation on SPs involved in high stakes examinations (practical examinations for medical students) in a rural setting.