flinders nt matters · flinders nt matters! in this newsletter we are pulling together the people,...

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Dean’s Welcome Professor Sarah Strasser NTMP NEWSLETTER This is the first edition of the NTMP Newsletter for 2012. Please contact Lila Loveard on 08 8946 7492 or [email protected] with any stories you would like to have published in the next edition. Editors of this issue: Mr Normie Grogan and Lila Loveard Flinders NT Matters Volume 6, Issue 1, May 2012 Central Australian Education Activities 2 Central Australian Education Activities 3 Dr Anne Kleinitz 4 NTMP Infrastructure Update Greening Flinders NT 5 World’s Greatest Shave Anniversary of Federal Apology 7 Year 3/5 Welcome Dean, School of Medicine Visit Charity Morning Teas 8 Parliament House Function Staff Updates 9 10 Medical Student Experience New Director Katherine Important Dates 6 Welcome to the first edition of Flinders NT Matters! In this newsletter we are pulling together the people, programs and events which make up Flinders NT and matters of interest. Flinders NT is the cluster of programs of Flinders University in the NT, which have been working until now as independent units yet have common goals and office sites. Flinders NT builds on the strengths of these units including the Centre for Remote Health, the previous NT Clinical School now trans- formed into the new NT Medical Program (NTMP), the NT Remote Clinical School ( previously the NT Rural Clinical School, also under the umbrella of NTMP), and the new Poche Centre for Indigenous Health and Education Research. Consolidation will bring benefits of critical mass, cost efficiencies and potential for a greater positive impact with increased opportunities to share and spread knowledge. Flinders NT is the overarching organisa- tion with two regional programs areas of Top End and Central Australia. The Top End regional unit covers the campuses in Darwin, Katherine and Nhulunbuy; the Central Australian regional unit includes CRH, NTRCS in Alice Springs and the soon-to-be-added hub site of Tennant Creek. In contrast the Poche Centre covers the whole of the NT with its home base in Alice Springs. Flinders NT has just appointed Ms Meredith Feist as the new Flinders NT Cluster Manager (acting). Meredith has been seconded from the Rural Clinical School in South Australia and brings a wealth of knowl- edge in leadership and management within Flinders University. Meredith is based in Darwin and will be working across the NT to ensure that these changes in Flinders NT make a difference for the better. The new Flinders NTMP is a bold venture in partnership with Charles Darwin University, and the NT Govern- ment, to ensure the supply of a sustain- able medical workforce for the NT. The NTMP graduate program opened in 2011 with 24 students sponsored by the NT Government. For the first time Northern Territorians do not have to leave the Territory to train to be doctors. 10 of these pioneer students were Indigenous, and gave the NTMP the biggest cohort of Indigenous students at 40% in Australia. The Bachelor of Clinical Sciences on the CDU campus also started in 2011, a joint program between Flinders and CDU, providing entry for High School leavers, feeding into the NTMP after 2 years of the BCSC course. In 2012, we had a full intake into both courses and for the first time there are students in every year level of the programs, the full 6 years, stretching from high school to gradua- tion! Entry pathways into the NTMP in the NT now cover students straight from high school, those with an initial degree, and for Flinders (Adelaide based students) and JCU students, as previ- ously, in the clinical years 3 & 4, 5 & 6, respectively. Graduates of the NTMP program receive a Flinders University degree which in 2013 will change from BMBS to MD. This reflects the graduate nature of the NTMP and ensures our graduates maintain a competitive edge with graduates from other medical schools across Australia and around the world. A key feature of all of the programs run by Flinders NT is to ensure graduates are ‘work ready’ for the NT. Our programs place a special emphasis on Indigenous Health, remote medicine, and (continued on next page…………….)

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Page 1: Flinders NT Matters · Flinders NT Matters! In this newsletter we are pulling together the people, programs and events which make up Flinders NT and matters of interest. Flinders

Dean’s Welcome Professor Sarah Strasser

NTMP NEWSLETTER This is the first edition of the NTMP Newsletter for 2012. Please contact Lila Loveard on 08 8946 7492 or [email protected] with any stories you would like to have published in the next edition. Editors of this issue: Mr Normie Grogan and Lila Loveard

Flinders NT Matters

Volume 6, Issue 1, May 2012

Central Australian Education Activities

2

Central Australian Education Activities

3

Dr Anne Kleinitz 4

NTMP Infrastructure Update Greening Flinders NT

5

World’s Greatest Shave Anniversary of Federal Apology

7

Year 3/5 Welcome Dean, School of Medicine Visit Charity Morning Teas

8

Parliament House Function Staff Updates

9 10

Medical Student Experience New Director Katherine Important Dates

6

Welcome to the first edition of Flinders NT Matters! In this newsletter we are pulling together the people, programs and events which make up Flinders NT and matters of interest. Flinders NT is the cluster of programs of Flinders University in the NT, which have been working until now as independent units yet have common goals and office sites. Flinders NT builds on the strengths of these units including the Centre for Remote Health, the previous NT Clinical School now trans-formed into the new NT Medical Program (NTMP), the NT Remote Clinical School ( previously the NT Rural Clinical School, also under the umbrella of NTMP), and the new Poche Centre for Indigenous Health and Education Research. Consolidation will bring benefits of critical mass, cost efficiencies and potential for a greater positive impact with increased opportunities to share and spread knowledge. Flinders NT is the overarching organisa-tion with two regional programs areas of Top End and Central Australia. The Top End regional unit covers the campuses in Darwin, Katherine and Nhulunbuy; the Central Australian regional unit includes CRH, NTRCS in Alice Springs and the soon-to-be-added hub site of Tennant Creek. In contrast the Poche Centre covers the whole of the NT with its home base in Alice Springs. Flinders NT has just appointed Ms Meredith Feist as the new Flinders NT Cluster Manager (acting). Meredith has been seconded from the Rural Clinical School in South Australia and brings a wealth of knowl-edge in leadership and management within Flinders University. Meredith is based in Darwin and will be working across the NT to ensure that these changes in Flinders NT make a difference for the better.

The new Flinders NTMP is a bold venture in partnership with Charles Darwin University, and the NT Govern-ment, to ensure the supply of a sustain-able medical workforce for the NT. The NTMP graduate program opened in 2011 with 24 students sponsored by the NT Government. For the first time Northern Territorians do not have to leave the Territory to train to be doctors. 10 of these pioneer students were Indigenous, and gave the NTMP the biggest cohort of Indigenous students at 40% in Australia. The Bachelor of Clinical Sciences on the CDU campus also started in 2011, a joint program between Flinders and CDU, providing entry for High School leavers, feeding into the NTMP after 2 years of the BCSC course. In 2012, we had a full intake into both courses and for the first time there are students in every year level of the programs, the full 6 years, stretching from high school to gradua-tion! Entry pathways into the NTMP in the NT now cover students straight from high school, those with an initial degree, and for Flinders (Adelaide based students) and JCU students, as previ-ously, in the clinical years 3 & 4, 5 & 6, respectively. Graduates of the NTMP program receive a Flinders University degree which in 2013 will change from BMBS to MD. This reflects the graduate nature of the NTMP and ensures our graduates maintain a competitive edge with graduates from other medical schools across Australia and around the world. A key feature of all of the programs run by Flinders NT is to ensure graduates are ‘work ready’ for the NT. Our programs place a special emphasis on Indigenous Health, remote medicine, and (continued on next page…………….)

Page 2: Flinders NT Matters · Flinders NT Matters! In this newsletter we are pulling together the people, programs and events which make up Flinders NT and matters of interest. Flinders

Page 2 Flinders NT Matters

Central Australian Education Activities Robyn Aitken

Medical Student Update Third/fifth and fourth/sixth year medical students are settling in to Alice Springs. Professor Sarah Strasser, Associate Professor Robyn Aitken and Tracey Briscoe-Mitchell completed a trip to Yuendamu (complete with a flat tyre) in preparation for our remote placement program.

Postgraduate Remote Health Practice Courses The Postgraduate Remote Health Practice courses have commenced with over 50 new students swelling the total cohort to well over 100. Sue Lenthall, Krysie Paice-Brown, Jenny Longland, Vicki Gordon, Terrie Ivan-hoe, Meg Cowie, Dr. Susan Wearne, Desree Sowers, Dr. John Wilson, Dr. Robyn Aitken and many other staff will be busy facilitating on-line learn-ing and ensuring the success of on-campus workshops in March, April and May. Transition to Remote Area Nursing (Tran2RAN) The first Transition to Remote Area Nursing (Tran2RAN) intake for 2012 will commence after Easter, with a new Agreement to be signed with the Department of Health for continuing the program over the next two years After our celebration of Child Protection graduates at Parliament House, our renewed contract sees us gearing up for our next intake of NT Children and Families staff in May.

Nurse Practitioner Activities Our Nurse Practitioner activities have ‘ramped up’, with a monthly national telephone forum for candidates and graduates; a submission for a Nurse Practitioner demonstration site and nurse-led Primary Health Care clinic within the ED at Tennant Creek hospital; and Professor Sandra Dunn joining us from CDU at two days/week to work with Associate Professor Robyn Aitken on consoli-dating our two courses into a joint program.

Left: Jonathon Hardwick plasters Rob Bickerton’s leg with assistance from Jenny Tennant, Fracture Management Course, Alice Springs April 3 2012

Above 2012 Co-facilitators of Child Protection Course from left to right: Judy Carne, Naomi Barba, Karen Piper, Kylie Stothers, Denise Mayers, Sharon Greenoff and Robert Lewis

to read more about in future editions. Thank you in advance for your involvement and interest in Flinders NT Matters! Professor Sarah Strasser Associate Dean Flinders NT

inter-professional teamwork. In 2012 we have a special theme of cultural safety with a variety of intra- and extra-curricular activities. We firmly believe that learning in the NT is the best preparation for working as a health professional in the NT, and, what works well in the NT will work well anywhere in Australia. Through Flinders NT education and research we have an opportunity to make a difference for the better in the NT by changing the face of health profes-

sional education and workforce across Australia, leading to the longer term goal of improved health out-comes, in particular for the NT. This is a bold ambition and we look forward to achieving it with your help! I hope that reading through Flinders NT Matters may stimulate your inter-est to join us in any number of different ventures either as a student, teacher, researcher or community partner. Please let us know what matters to you, how you would like to be engaged and what you would like

Dean’s Welcome (continued)

Page 3: Flinders NT Matters · Flinders NT Matters! In this newsletter we are pulling together the people, programs and events which make up Flinders NT and matters of interest. Flinders

Page 3 Flinders NT Matters

Left: Recent Child Protection graduates J Letchford, A Fogarty, Minister of Health Hon Kon Vatskalis, A Gallagher, P McMinn, Vice Chancel-lor Flinders University Prof Michael Barber, V Haddon, H McKeiver, J McCann, R Fransecculti

Central Australian Education Activities (continued)

and develop our understanding of effective remote practice,’ said Pro-fessor Wakerman. ‘We are very proud of her and this is due recognition of her enormous contribution over many years.’ Nettie has developed a post-graduate Certificate in Remote Child Protection for child protection workers and a two day workshop about child abuse and neglect issues for frontline primary health care practitioners. The NT Department of Children and Families has recognised the importance and quality of the Graduate Certificate by funding scholarships for its workers. The Commonwealth Department of Health and Ageing (OATSIH) has funded the PHC workshops since 2009 and over 500 frontline workers have completed training across the NT.

Nettie Flaherty has won the Mary Moylan Award for 2012. The award is an initiative of the NT Branch of the Australian Association of Social Workers which recognises the dedication and achievement of Northern Territory Social Workers and specifically acknowledges one social worker whose exemplary practice has made a difference to the profession. Nettie has worked as a social worker, manager, educator and researcher in the Northern Territory since 1995. Nettie’s work has been with children and their families in the areas of child protection and maternal and child health. During this time she has worked in various positions, including the Manager of Remote Family & Children Services in Central Australia, Manager of Child Protection Services in Central Australia and Manager of the Central Australian Maternal Child

Health team. Nettie is currently employed by Flinders University as a senior lecturer at the Centre for Remote Health in Alice Springs. ‘After many years of working in child protection and child health, Nettie has successfully translated her extensive experience into developing education and training for child protection work-ers and primary care workers generally,’ said Professor John Wakerman, Director of the Centre for Remote Health. ‘She is also carrying out ground-breaking research into the practice of child protection workers in the completion of a PhD. She provides a role model for other experienced remote health professionals in utilising her experience to train others

Mary Moylan Award

NTGPE Conference 2012 Lila Loveard

event (pictured on following page, left). Dr Anne Kleinitz and Dr Emma Kennedy performed in the NTGPE band (pictured on following page, right).

Flinders NT had a presence at the recent NTGPE 2012 Health Profes-sionals Teaching and Learning Conference held at Alice Springs Convention Centre from 30-31 March. Dr Anne Kleinitz, A/Prof Lucie Walters and Prof Sarah Strasser presented “What are GP registrar perceptions of teaching in a rural general practice

with vertical integration?” at one of the concurrent sessions. Former NTMP staff member Dr Trish Bate presented “Opportunities to Learn Anatomy in a Remote Context”. Alice Springs staff members Tracey Briscoe-Mitchell and Terry Dunt manned the Flinders NT Booth at the

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Page 4 Flinders NT Matters

Dr Anne Kleinitz featured in “Going Places” Lila Loveard

Based in Broome, Anne would fly into the small community of Balgo and other smaller outstations.

For Anne, General Practice “is by far and away the career that you can be most creative with and the career that you can enjoy huge variety and flexi-bility—you can really find your niche. You can work anywhere in Australia and overseas.”

For more information on the Going Places Network visit gpaustra-lia.org.au

The Going Places magazine, re-leased three times a year. is a fun, light-hearted read that showcases the challenges, variety and benefits of a career in general practice through stories and interviews with GPs on the go.

Dr Anne Kleinitz, Lecturer in GP and Year 3 Student Coordinator with Flinders NT, was recently profiled in the magazine “Going Places”, which is published by the Going Places Network for General Practitioners.

In the article Anne describes the numerous experiences she has had to date as a General Practitioner. Anne has completed two tours of Africa with Médecins Sans Frontiéres (MSF), Doctors without Borders. Anne’s experience working in rural environments helped prepare her for the challenging work she undertook in Darfur, Sudan for six months in 2007/08. According to Anne, rural experience was “valuable in Africa because they like you to think on your feet and be flexible. You also need to be able to work as a team.”

During the second half of 2008, Anne went to Ethiopia to look after Somali refugees. Her work in Ethiopia focused on children in the camps,

including looking after those who were HIV positive.

In addition to this overseas work, Anne has spent a year working in the Kimberley’s in Western Australia.

Above: Dr Anne Kleinitz pictured at the NTMP CDU teaching building.

Left: Dr Anne Kleinitz with two of the NT Medical Program students.

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Page 5 Flinders NT Matters

The second stage of the NTMP Infrastructure grant is to provide an $11.5m administration, teaching and student support facility at Royal Darwin Hospital. The planning for this building is now complete and it will be advertised to go to tender for con-struction on Saturday April 7th, 2012. It is expected that the building will achieve practical completion by March 31st, 2013.

The NTMP continues its expansion through the provision of infrastructure to deliver the Flinders Medical program in the NT. Toward the end of 2011, three home units were purchased in Darwin through Health Workforce Australia (HWA) funding to primarily provide accommodation for Flinders allied health students on placement in Darwin and at the Palm-erston Super Clinic. These units are now heavily booked with staff and students visiting Darwin. Infrastructure developments are in the planning stages for the following: Nhulunbuy: a medical and

allied health education and training centre and student accommodation facility funded by the REID funding pool through the Department of Health and Ageing ($3m)

Katherine: Extensions to O’Keefe House at Katherine District Hospital and teaching and accommodation facilities in three Indigenous communi-ties in the Katherine Region funded through HWA ($2m)

Tennant Creek: refurbishment of a training room and provision of student accommo-dation funded through the Hospitals and Health Fund($600,000)

Palmerston Super Clinic: refurbishment to create 5 extra consulting rooms to increase the capacity of student place-ments, funded through HHF ($500,000)

Royal Darwin Hospital: refurbishments to create a Simulated Learning Environ-ment, funded through HWA.

NTMP Infrastructure Update Geoff Veness

Greening Flinders NT Eliza Gill

Ethical Chocolate There is now a choice when you buy chocolate – choose ethical chocolate. Ethical certification schemes such as Fairtrade, Rainforest Alliance or UTZ Certified guarantee a better choice for consumers, and a fairer deal for farm-ers. These schemes independently certify goods and services were pro-duced without exploitation of humans, animals or the natural environment.

Flinders NT believe that a healthy environment is essential for a healthy population. Our goal is to green our office culture and practices by initiat-ing a green program to aim for a sustainable workplace. The objectives of greening our workplace is to minimize the amount of carbon dioxide we produce by taking action and reducing energy consumption, air travel and waste. Flinders NTMP Greening Team Meetings 2012 If you would like to participate in Flinders NT meetings to work on implementing environmentally sustainable practices for Flinders NT "Think Globally, Act Locally" contact [email protected] Doctors for the Environment Australia (DEA) Doctors for the Environment Australia aims to utilise the skills of members of the medical profession to address the ill health resulting from damage to the natural environment.

By joining Doctors for the Environ-ment, Australians in the medical profession can participate in the urgent exercise of ensuring a healthy environment. For further information please visit dea.org.au/

Sustainaible Seafood Guide It's now even easier for seafood lovers to make informed choices when choosing seafood with Austra-lia's first Sustainable Seafood Guide iPhone App now available! The app enables you to search for seafood marketed under different names and is based on up-to-date seafood assessments. It also provides a range of information on ocean issues, and ways you can get involved in the AMCS.

To find out more about Australia's Sustainable Seafood Guide app go to www.sustainableseafood.org.au

Above: Artists impression of the new RDH medical program building.

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26-29 June ANZAPHE Conference, Rotorua NZ

7-8 July National Aboriginal Health Conference, Perth

9-11 July AUCEA Next Steps Conference, Brisbane

15 August—23 August NT Careers Expos

3-7 October AIDA PRIDoC, Alice Springs

9-14 October Rendez-Vous 2012, NOSM, Thunder Bay, Ontario

The weeks have flown by in Nhulun-buy and it’s hard to believe that we’re about a third of the way through our time here! From the start we’ve been made to feel very welcome and our cultural trip to Bawaka was the highlight of our orientation to the Gove Peninsula. Bawaka was a day full of some seri-ous four wheel driving through sand dunes to reach a small settlement, where we were greeted with a hot cuppa by Bawaka Yolngu women, traditional owners of the country. Their house right on the beach was just beautiful with coconut trees lining a white sandy beach, lazy chairs swinging in the breeze, and if you were lucky you might catch a glimpse of “Nike” the salt-water crocodile.

We were shown how to collect bush medicines, the roots for dyeing pandanus leaves, and taught how to weave baskets. Then back in the troopy for an adventurous ride back home. Nhulunbuy is a place with a lot to offer for those who love the outdoors, and you will be invited to join every-thing from fishing to sailing. Of course the medicine here is a unique experience! But it's also what's on offer outside of work hours that

makes Nhulunbuy a great place to be!

Medical Student Experience in Nhulunbuy Year 4 student Rowena Cecil

Important Dates

Flinders NT Newsletter Page 6

she has been impressed with the keen attitude she’s already seen. “The students are proactive with engaging Aboriginal health organisa-tions and other communities. They’re already saying they hope to one day stay longer and continue their practice once they graduate.“ Hailing from France, Associate Professor Dettwiller has a wealth of medical experience. She has also worked across the globe utilizing her pharmacy background.

Flinders NT welcomes Associate Pro-fessor Pascale Dettwiller into her new role as Director, Katherine Campus. Pascale has recently moved to Katherine and is looking forward to sharing her vast medical experience with the 2012 students. A priority will be to help the new Year 3/5 and Year 6 medical students settle into their new surrounds and roles at Katherine Hospital. Associate Professor Dettwiller said

Flinders NT Welcomes Pascale Dettwiller as Director, Katherine Campus Normie Grogan

Associate Professor Pascale Dettwiller at the NT Medical Program Building, CDU Casuarina Campus

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Page 7 Flinders NT Matters

Remembering the 4th Anniversary of the Federal Government’s Apology to the Stolen Generations Normie Grogan

Left: Darwin artist Rocque Lee keeps a watchful eye on the “Sorry Day” paintings. Right: Some of the paintings created on the Apology Anniversary.

by well-known local Indigenous artist Rocque Lee, who created the croco-dile design painting on the Darwin to Adelaide Ghan rail train.

Many of the paintings were bright and thought provoking, and we may have some budding artists on campus!

The former Prime Minister Kevin Rudd issued the national Apology in Federal Parliament on February 13, 2008.

Flinders NT staff and students observed the 4th Anniversary of the National Apology to the Indigenous Stolen Generations with a social barbecue on Thursday 16th February at the student Common Room. Atten-dees were invited to reflect on the Apology and express their thoughts and feelings via painting on provided tiles.

The painting session was supervised

For more information please go to: www.worldsgreatestshave.org.au

Year 1 NTMP medical students, David Marcelline and Matt Reeves recently decided to inflict their oddly shaped heads on the general public by joining the World's Greatest Shave. David and Matt also offered to shave their eyebrows if they raised over $250 each. This did indeed occur at a recent student BBQ held at the CDU NTMP building on 16 March. NTMP Director of Pre Clinical Education, Greg Raymond and Year 3 student Ian Kennedy also joined in and had their heads shaved. The World’s Greatest Shave is the biggest contributor of funds to the Leukaemia Foundation’s multi-million dollar research investment each year.

World’s Greatest Shave Lila Loveard

Above: David and Matt before the shave and left: the brave pair having their heads and later eyebrows shaved. Photos courtesy of Katie Machin

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Flinders NT Newsletter Page 8

Year 3/5 Students — Welcome to the NT! Normie Grogan

A Welcome function was held at the Darwin Trailer Boat Club in Fannie Bay on Sunday 15th January for the Year 3 Flinders and Year 5 James Cook Medical students. It was a great way for everyone to meet face to face before studies and work commenced. Orientation started the next day with students completing registration and attending teaching sessions. On the Tuesday Dr Gurmeet Singh (Paediatrician) gave a lecture on

“Brief introduction to Top End Medicine” and Richard Sager took the students on a brief tour of Darwin which included meeting staff from Larrakia Nations at Darwin High School. The day ended with a BBQ at the Flinders NT Student Common room. On Wednesday, Alice Springs and Katherine students departed and Darwin students commenced their rotations.

Photos clockwise from below: Brenton Wilson and Josephine Pearson (JCU Yr 6); Paul Gilbert (JCU Yr 5), Elizabeth Foley (Flinders Yr 4),Renee Shepherd (Flinders Yr 4), Jolai Evans (Flinders Yr 4), Kris Masters (JCU Yr 6); Janine Marshall, Amanda Clarke, Lauren Furnas (JCU Yr 5); Jaeger Wylie and James Eason (Flinders Yr 3); Ben Hamlyn, Kyra Sierakowski (Flinders Yr 3 , Sarah Lord (Flinders Yr 3)

School of Medicine Dean, Professor Paul Worley visits NTMP Darwin office Normie Grogan

ciated the enormous amount of work all staff, tutors, and lecturers had contributed to developing and maintaining the high professional standards of the NTMP.

Flinders University School of Medicine Dean, Prof Paul Worley, visited the Darwin NTMP office to catch up with staff in February.

Professor Worley thanked everyone

for their efforts in establishing the NTMP in 2011, and said he was pleased with the progress of both staff and students.

Professor Worley also said he appre-

NTMP Charity Morning Teas Lila Loveard

In 5 months donations have already been made to Melaleuca Refugee Centre, Cancer Council, YMCA Youth Outreach Program and the Royal Flying Doctor Service.

NTMP are holding weekly morning teas to raise money for charities. Staff members provide morning tea and whoever shares the food donates a gold coin. Once the funds

from the morning tea reach $100, this amount is donated to a charity. Staff members suggested a list of charities and one is selected out of a hat for each $100 donation.

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The latest students of Flinders University’s Northern Territory Medical Program (NTMP) were welcomed to the Top End in style recently, with a function at NT Parliament House in Darwin. About 50 students were introduced to representatives from NT Department of Health, local medical groups and tertiary institutions by Flinders NT Associate Dean Professor Sarah Strasser. Health Minister Kon Vatskalis welcomed the group to the NT in front of a crowd of around 200 attendees, including the heads of the NT’s peak medical and tertiary organisations.

Now in its second year of operation, the Northern Territory Medical Program focuses on attracting and retaining local Territorians to study, train and practice as doctors in the NT. The NTMP is the result of a partnership between the Australian and Northern Territory Governments, Charles Darwin University (CDU), Flinders Univer-sity and local communities. The new students have come from across Australia and will complete their studies and training at the Flinders University NT campuses which include Charles Darwin University, Royal Darwin Hospital, Palmerston Super Clinic and its remote clinical schools of Nhulunbuy, Alice Springs and Katherine.

Current student numbers are: ~Flinders NTMP Yr 1: 32 students ~Flinders NTMP Yr 2: 15 students ~Flinders NTMP Yr 3: 22 students ~James Cook University Yr 5:10 students ~James Cook University Yr 6: 10 students ~Numerous Flinders Yr 4 and Interstate students completing 6 week placements.

NT Health Minister welcomes NTMP Students 2012 Normie Grogan

Page 9 Flinders NT Matters

Flinders NT Associate Dean, Professor Sarah Strasser, Director Indigenous Transi-tion Pathways, Dr Latisha Petterson, NT Health Minister Kon Vatskalis with the 2012 NTMP Year 1 students at Parliament House.

Flinders NT Associate Dean, Professor Sarah Strasser, Director Indigenous Transi-tion Pathways, Dr Latisha Petterson, NT Health Minister Kon Vatskalis with the 2012 NTMP Year 3/5 students at Parliament House.

Photos from left to right: Dave Newman, Mary Waria and Eliza Gill; Amber Revell and Kane Vellar; Joseph de Zylva, Celia Pulling, Madeleine Haygarth, Kate Wilson and Kelly McNamara; Bilawara Lee, Shane Motlap, Tarni Wilson and Ian Lee. The Parliament House function from above.

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Flinders NT Staff Arrivals and Farewells

Flinders NT Newsletter Page 10

Flinders NT Innovative health research, education and

workforce development in the Northern Territory

Flinders NT encompasses Flinders University’s

School of Medicine activities in the Northern Territory of Australia

including the activities of:

Centre for Remote Health (CRH) NT Medical Program (NTMP) NT Remote Clinical School

Poche Centre for Indigenous Health Palmerston GP Super Clinic

Contact Details

Northern Territory Medical Program Phone: 08 8946 7488

Email: [email protected] Website: www.ntmed.flinders.edu.au

Centre for Remote Health

Phone: 08 8951 4700 Email: [email protected] Website: www.crh.org.au

Poche Centre of Indigenous Health

Phone: 08 8951 9601

While students returned in 2012 to hit the books, we sadly farewelled some of our staff and welcomed new members to our campuses. New staff/positions Darwin Acting Flinders NT Cluster Manager: Ms Meredith Feist eLearning Coordinator: Ms Helen Wozniak Knowledge Health and Learning Topic Coordinator: Dr Buddhika Weerasundra Director of Preclinical Training: A/Prof Greg Raymond Director of Indigenous Transition Pathways: Joint position held by Dr Latisha Petterson and Ms Courtney Ryder Technical Officer Teaching Laboratories: Ms Sue Dixon Receptionist: Ms Jodi Abbott Academic Leader Remote Health Education Central Australia, Flinders NT Deputy Director: Head of Education Centre for Re-mote Health: A/Prof Robyn Aitken Project Manager, Medical Program Development: Mrs Karin Oldfield Lecturer for Centre for Remote Health (Darwin based): Ms Karen Piper Administrative Officer: Ms Lila Loveard (returned from maternity leave) Senior Lecturer, Nhulunbuy: Dr Sarah Chalmers (relocated to Darwin) Transition to General Practice: Dr Emma Kennedy Resources Administrator Mrs Pauline Meehan Katherine Director Katherine Campus: A/Prof Pascale Dettwiller RUSC Coordinator: Mrs Velda Mazoudier (located in Qld) Alice Springs Research Assistant: Ms Lena McCormack Senior Lecturer Rural and Remote Medicine: Dr Deborah Fearon Allied Health Lecturer: Ms Annie Farthing Allied Health Lecturer: Dr Raeleene Gregory HWA Project Officer: Ms Vicki Gillick Lecturer/Senior Lecturer Remote Area Nursing: Ms Margaret (Meg) Cowie CRE Senior Research Fellow: Ms Susan Thomas CRE PhD Student: Jessamy Bath Director, Poche Institute: Professor Della Yarnold Researchers, Poche Institute: Dr Lloyd Einsidel, Dr Paul Lawton, Prof Dean Carson, Mr John Reid, Dr Kerry Taylor

Departed staff Dr Trish Bate (Feb 2012) Ms Taryn Cameron (2011) Dr Anna Smedts (2011) Mr Normie Grogan (March 2012) Dr Nina Kilfoyle (2011) Ms Karla Karpenko (2011) Ms Lacy Cassidy (February 2012) Ms Tarni Wilson (February 2012) Mr David Campbell Mrs Krystal Cook Mrs Mary Pocock (April 2012)