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Medical Alumni Association e-Newsletter: February 2009

Dear Colleagues

This February e-Newsletter contains sections on:

Continuing medical education (CME) for retired doctors and other alumni

Thank you for the many emails and calls in response to the note about continuing medical education in the December e-Newsletter. Despite the many meetings held in teaching hospitals, or conducted by professional Colleges and the AMA, it is apparent that there is an unmet need for seminars and talks suitable for retired doctors and others who cannot readily participate in current meetings. We should remember that it is difficult for some to get around for meetings held at night. Also, alumni living outside Sydney are keen to have programs suitable for them. Many emphasised the desirability of social contact with colleagues.

Next week I will have further discussions with the Dean and other Faculty members to plan seminars that may be held in the evening throughout the year in various venues in the University or in teaching hospitals. Preliminary planning is also under way for the first weekend seminars, tentatively to be held on Saturday and Sunday, 16 and 17 May. More information will be sent in another e-Newsletter when we have the final details.

Problem-based learning (PBL) tutors – can you assist?

The Faculty of Medicine is seeking the assistance of alumni to become problem-based learning tutors for our medical students. We are delighted that several new tutors have volunteered to take tutorials in late March and April. Details of what is required are given below:

Subject: FOUNDATION BLOCK 2009: Invitation to be an elite PBL tutor

On behalf of the Office of Medical Education, I would like to invite you to be one of our "elite" PBL (problem-based learning) tutors in the Foundation Block of the medical programme (USydMP). The Foundation Block marks the beginning of the student journey through Medicine. As a Foundation Block tutor, you will be in a key position to enthuse these young students in their first year. They will look to you for inspiration and guidance, valuing and benefiting greatly from your experience and expertise.

The Block is nine weeks long. Its major aims are to provide a conceptual framework of body structure and function, together with an introduction to the different forms of teaching activities in the USydMP. The first five weeks of the Block will immerse students in Anatomy, Physiology, Biochemistry, Pathology, Pharmacology and Immunology, together with the concepts of Ethics, Population Health and Epidemiology. From Week 2, students will have one clinical day per week in which they will be introduced to history taking and physical examination.

There are four PBL cases in this Block and they begin in week 6. Three PBL tutorials are scheduled for each case and there is one case a week. Each case considers a hypothetical patient. At the start, students are given a very brief clinical scenario based on which they follow a divergent process to identify plausible diagnoses. They then obtain progressively more information (given by the PBL Tutor using a set manual) from history, physical examination and investigations to converge on a definitive diagnosis. Finally, they construct a pathophysiological mechanism and conclude with an overview of clinical management. The PBL tutor role is largely facilitatory and tutors do not have to be experts on the clinical case.

The PBL tutorials of the Foundation Block are designed for students to become accustomed to the PBL "process" (eg, generating mechanistic flow charts for the patient signs and symptoms, developing problem solving methods and learning to working in a team), rather than as a means of providing content. The PBL tutorials in the "specialty" Blocks (2-9) that follow will serve as vehicles for content.

If you agree to be a Elite Foundation Tutor, I will ask you to undertake the following:

  • Attend one two-hour training session, unless you have previously been a PBL Tutor and participated in a PBL Tutor training session. The training session will be scheduled for early March 2009
  • Attend a one-hour briefing session each week for the four weeks. In the briefing session, a clinical/scientific expert will introduce the forthcoming PBL case and answer tutors’ questions relating to the current week’s case
  • Lead and facilitate the PBL sessions over the four-week period
  • Provide individual feedback to the students in your PBL Tutorial group (each group comprises 8-10 students)
  • Agree to receive written feedback from the students on your strengths and weaknesses as a PBL Tutor and on your tutoring style

Your contribution will be valued greatly by Faculty and students alike.

John Mitrofanis, Block 1 Chair, Stage 1 Coordinator

If you are able to assist now or in the future, please contact Professor John Mitrofanis tel. 9351-2500, 0439-707977.

Seminars, lectures and activities linked to the Faculty of Medicine

3.1 Medical Humanities Nights, 23 March 2009. The speaker will be Dr Lisa O’Sullivan, Senior Curator of Medicine at the prestigious Science Museum in London (UK). The Museum’s collections and the medical objects on display are unique. Please meet at the Medical Foundation Building K25, cnr Missenden and Parramatta Roads, Camperdown, at 6 pm. You will need to get buzzed in to CVELiM. For further information about future seminars, or to be placed on the email list for their newsletter, please contact: Claire Hooker at

3.2 Bioethics Seminar Series: Values, Ethics and Law in Medicine VELiM Seminar - ‘Law in the time of anthrax’, Thursday, 12 March 2009, 4-6pm. The speaker is Dr Christian Enemark, Centre for International Security Studies, University of Sydney; followed by 2 discussants, then a glass of wine in the foyer of the auditorium. Medical Foundation Building Auditorium, K25, 92-94 Parramatta Road, Camperdown. No reply is necessary but contact Lindy Gaze (, tel. 02 9036 3405) for enquiries and to be placed on the VELiM mailing list. Parking is available in nearby streets.

3.3 Medical Education Forums. A Medical Education Forum will be held monthly at the Kolling Building, Royal North Shore Hospital. ‘The Medical Education Forum gives clinical tutors the opportunity to hear about development and research in medical education and to discuss educational issues in an informal environment’. For further information, contact Kirsty Foster, Senior Lecturer in Medical Education (tel. 9926 4658, or )

3.4 Menzies Centre for Health Policy Seminar, 24 March: ‘International collaborative health research: making partnerships a reality’. This seminar will comprise a panel of international health researchers who will share their experiences on setting up, conducting, managing and funding research projects across countries. This interactive seminar will feature Australian and international experts and will provide attendees with opportunities to learn from researchers who have worked in Europe, Russia, the Middle East, the Asia Pacific region and elsewhere. The seminar will be chaired by Professor Stephen MacMahon, Director, The George Institute for International Health. Further information about this and other events at the Menzies Centre for Health Policy (formerly the Australian Health Policy Institute) is available from Diana Freeman (, tel. 9351-2818), or go to the Centre’s website

3.5 Medical alumni meeting in Los Angeles, 20 August. This meeting will be held on the day before the start of the annual 3-day conference of the Sydney University Graduates Union of North America (SUGUNA) in Los Angeles. We have already sent emails or mailed information to alumni in the United States and Canada. As our records of contact details for alumni are often incomplete, please inform your friends and colleagues in the US and Canada about this meeting. Other alumni who may be travelling in the US at the time are also welcome to participate. For further details, contact Trish Harrison () or Diana Lovegrove ().

3.6 Expert Seminar – ‘Patient Safety Education: where are we at?’, Darlington Centre, University of Sydney, 9 March. This day-long conference is being organised by the Faculty’s Office of Postgraduate Education. For further information, contact Jutta von Dincklage () or tel. 02-9351-4542.

Other University of Sydney events

4.1 Canberra Alumni Reunion Cocktail Reception, Wednesday 11 March 2009: The Vice-Chancellor, Dr Michael Spence looks forward to meeting alumni at the National Portrait Gallery at 6-8.30pm. Contact Sarah Portelli, Alumni Relations Office – tel. (02) 9036 9278 or by 4 March.

4.2 2009 Western NSW Alumni Network Cocktail Reception, Dubbo, 5 March: The Chancellor, Vice-Chancellor and Dean, Faculty of Medicine, will all be visiting Dubbo for this reception. Contact: or call 02 6885 7977.

4.3 Rowan Nicks Russell Drysdale Indigenous Health and Welfare Fellowships Award Ceremony, March 12, 6pm. The awards will be presented by Her Excellency Professor Marie Bashir, Chancellor. Contact Sarah Portelli on 9036 9278 or by 5 March.

4.4 Graduate Connections Breakfast Series: The first Graduate Connections Breakfast for 2009 will be held on Tuesday, 17 March 2009 at 7:15 am. The venue is: The Blaxland Ballroom, Swissotel Sydney, Level 8, 68 Market Street, Sydney NSW 2006. Cost: $45 Alumni/ $50 Friends/ $320 per table of eight. Contact: Alumni Relations Office on 02 9036 9278 or email:

4.5 Great Hall 150th Anniversary, 25-27 September 2009: this is a preliminary notice that a spectacular Son et Lumière will be held in the Great Hall to celebrate the 150th anniversary.

History of health and medicine

5.1 Regional medical histories and historical collections
I was recently sent a photo of the ‘Dr Baxter Memorial Gates’ in Springwood. Ernest Joel Baxter (1925) was a GP in Springwood. There are no records of any war service so I assume this memorial was erected for his community service. Does anyone have more information, please?

Do you know of any other similar memorials across New South Wales commemorating the work of our medical alumni?

I recently met Judith Cornell at a meeting of the Quarantine Station Community Committee. I asked her to send me further information about the health heritage collection which appears below. You can help by replying directly to Judith with a copy to me.

The management of Health Heritage Collections throughout the healthcare facilities of NSW Health has been largely left to volunteers with very little infrastructure support and funding. Many collections have unfortunately been lost or damaged and in some cases existing collections are under threat because of space constraints or the lack of volunteers. Judith Cornell AM has been commissioned by NSW Health to undertake a health heritage project which includes the updating of the existing Movable Heritage Policy as well as undertaking a mapping exercise to ascertain the location, number and scope of the existing collections which will lead to a report and recommendations for the future management of the collections. Judith has a long involvement with health heritage as she has served as the National President of Health & Medicine Museums special interest group of Museums Australia and has been involved with the surgical and anaesthetic collection that is managed by the Society for the Preservation of the Artefacts of Surgery & Medicine and is the Honorary Archivist at the College of Nursing (NSW). The SPASM collection is housed in Building 6 of the Gladesville Hospital Campus. A questionnaire has been devised to gather information about the size, value and location of health facilities and was been circulated via the Area Executive Officers early in 2009. Judith would appreciate hearing from any person involved with, or having knowledge of the location of historical material to ensure that the distribution and return of questionnaires is as wide as possible and to ensure that the development of future policy is as inclusive as possible. Further information may be sought by contacting Judith via email on jcornell@netspace.net.au or by phone on 0429 302 943.

5.2 History of medicine journal. The Australian and New Zealand Society of the History of Medicine (ANZSHM) publishes a journal, Health and History, twice yearly. Its Editor is Dr Hans Pols, Director, Unit for History and Philosophy of Science, at the University of Sydney. Health and History is peer reviewed and carries high quality research papers on the history of medicine and health, book review essays and other matters of interest. Some of the papers from the ANZSHM biennial conferences have been published in this journal. Receipt of the journal forms part of the annual membership subscription and institutional subscriptions are also welcomed (please contact ANZSHM for information). An online copy of the journal is available.

5.3 RACP History of Medicine Library Lecture, 9 March: The Library lecture series begins the year with Professor Cate Storey speaking on Phrenology: ‘An Eldorado of quackery - the practice of phrenology in New South Wales’. NUMBERS ARE STRICTLY LIMITED - be sure to reserve your place soon! Bookings are essential for catering on (02) 9256 5413 or . For more details, see the website.

5.4 History of medicine conferences

  • The Australian and New Zealand Society of the History of Medicine (ANZSHM) will hold its conference in Perth from 28 September to 2 October.
  • The XXII Nordic Congress on the History of Medicine will be held in Bergen, Norway, on 3-5 June 2009. The first day will be a symposium on medical museums. The Hansen Museum on leprosy is in Bergen. The organizers would welcome your participation and abstracts. For more details, see the website

Other activities

6.1 University of Sydney Institute for Sustainable Solutions: Sustainability and Health – Essential Considerations for a Preventative Health Strategy, Associate Professor Ruth Colagiuri – Director, The Diabetes Unit, Menzies Centre for Health Policy

The National Preventative Health Taskforce was established in April 2008 with the key task of providing evidence-based advice to the Government and developing a National Preventative Health Strategy.

The Taskforce’s initial focus is on three risk factors - obesity, tobacco and the excessive consumption of alcohol. Three technical papers have been produced along with a discussion document titled ‘Australia: The healthiest country by 2020’. Over the last six months the Taskforce has undertaken an extensive consultation process. (Discussion and technical papers, as well as general information about the Taskforce can be found here).

In our role as the University of Sydney Institute for Sustainable Solutions (USISS)-Health Theme and Oxford Health Alliance (OxHA) Asia-Pacific Centre, we put forward a submission highlighting the importance of environmental factors (rather than simply focusing on behavioural strategies) and urged the Taskforce to adopt The Sydney Resolution and address sustainability and health in its development of a national strategy.

Our submission draws attention to the need for comprehensive cross-sectoral research and interventions that move beyond traditional health boundaries to address contemporary issues such as the:

  • socio-economic drivers of poor lifestyle choices
  • barriers to social inclusion
  • failure of public, social and economic policy to value and protect mental, physical and social health
  • lack of recognition and action on the interface between physical and mental health and the environment
  • inadequate governance to ensure a balance between the interests of economic growth and development, and social and individual health - as evidenced in the built environment.

A copy of our submission will soon be available on our [[http://www.ahpi.health.usyd.edu.au/diabetes/about||website or you can email Renee Slade for a copy. As we work towards building critical mass in health and sustainability, we welcome your thoughts and ideas. Please feel free to contact myself or Renee at any time. Associate Professor Ruth Colagiuri email: ph: (02) 9036 6357; Renee Slade, email: ph: (02) 9114 0646.

6.2 ‘Research involving twins’, Garvin Institute of Medical Research, Darlinghurst, 13 March 2009, 9am to 5pm
The Australian Twin Registry based at the University of Melbourne is organizing a symposium in Sydney that showcases the work of twin researchers and aims to find other researchers who are interested in such studies.

This one day workshop aims to highlight the involvement of twins in medical and health-related research, and address the different ways in which involving twins, and various analytic methodologies, can enhance research across a wide range of disciplines. The workshop will be aimed at early to mid career researchers who do not necessarily have previous experience in studies involving twins, and senior researchers with capacity to launch twin studies. It will consist of invited presentations and posters and will provide ample networking opportunities.

The program will feature prominent speakers discussing the different ways twins have been incorporated in their research, and how the inclusion of twins and the special insights twin data provides, have contributed to their overall research program.

For further information, please contact Kim Dorrell, Australian Twin Registry on 03 8344 0881 or email

Tributes, obituaries and death notices (year of graduation or higher degree in brackets)

Since last year, we have included on the alumni website obituaries of our alumni, academics and other doctors who may be known to many colleagues that were published in the Sydney Morning Herald or written by colleagues.

The tributes in recent months include: Emeritus Professor Ralph Beattie Blacket, AO (1941); Kevin Francis Hamilton Hume (1942); and Ella Spencer Donovan (1936)

Obituaries: David Norrie Fleming Leake (OAM, 1932). Med J Aust 2008; 189: 228.

Vale to other medical friends and colleagues. Death notices of medical alumni in the Sydney Morning Herald or elsewhere in recent months include (most recent first): Judith Elderton (nee Murray-Jones) (1947); Padraic (Paddy) Grattan Smith (1944); John Brock Westphalen (1950); John Neophyton (1964); Susanne Korten (1955); Kevin Maxwell Fuller (1956); Andre Haski (1962); and David Skeffington Johnson (1968).

Please send me details of other published obituaries in medical journals or other newspapers and the names of other colleagues who have died recently and have not been mentioned above.

Reunions

Planned reunions and their organisers are noted in Radius. If your graduating year has not had any reunions, please let me know and we will try to contact representatives from your year.

Medical Alumni Association Report

The Medical Alumni Association report for February 2008 to February 2009 is available here.

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I am still trying to find a suitable format and content for the e-Newsletters. Please send your comments and any other suggestions to: , or call me on 02-9660-0576.

If your friends from the University of Sydney are not seeing these e-Newsletters, this means we don't have their current email addresses! Please forward the e-Newsletter to them and ask them to give us their email address (send to Diana Lovegrove: ).


Paul Lancaster
President, Medical Alumni Association
University of Sydney

28 February 2009