Victorian Clinical Science Symposium 2017
Life as a Clinician Scientist

Victorian Clinical Science Symposium

Following the success of the sold-out inaugural Victorian Clinical Science Symposium in 2016, Life as a Clinician-Scientist: The Best of Both Worlds has now been established as an annual event in Victoria – and has inspired similar events in other states across Australia!

We are back for 2017 with a one-day symposium for medical students, junior doctors and PhD students focusing on the intersection between clinical medicine and science. The day will encourage and inspire medical students and doctors to get involved in research, and workshop the skills necessary to succeed in combining clinical practice with research. Life as a Clinician Scientist, organised by the Australian Academy of Health and Medical Sciences, will once again bring together students and doctors from different universities and hospitals to the Melbourne Convention and Exhibition Centre on July 29 2017 for a day of discussion, learning and upskilling.

We have carefully crafted a program that has something for everyone – both those who attended LACS in 2016, and those who are coming for the first time! Whether you are considering doing research or are already involved in research and perhaps wondering how to translate your results or thesis into a publication, poster or platform, this symposium will be relevant and applicable.

Session 1 – What is a Clinician-Scientist?

• Be Welcomed to Life as a Clinician-Scientist from Professor Ingrid Scheffer AO – Director of Paediatrics, Austin Health & Professor of Paediatric Neurology, University of Melbourne. Vice-President, Australian Academy of Health and Medical Sciences. Pioneered our understanding of the genetics of epilepsy & led worldwide epilepsy re-classification.

• Hear Why I Became a Clinician-Scientist from Professor Stephen Davis – Professor of Translational Neuroscience, University of Melbourne & Director of Neurosciences, Royal Melbourne Hospital. Recognised for his work leading clinical trials that investigate the use of neuroimaging in the selection of acute stroke treatments, he has recently been elected President of the World Stroke Association.

• Learn What to do When it all Goes Wrong from Professor Christina Mitchell – Academic Vice-President and Dean, Faculty of Medicine, Nursing and Health Sciences, Monash University. Trained as a physician scientist specialising in clinical haematology, currently researching the role of lipid phosphatases in development and human disease.

Session 2 – Who is a Clinician-Scientist?

• Why do research when you can spend all day operating? Get an insight into surgical research from A/Prof Kate Drummond – Neurosurgeon, Director of Neuro-oncology at the Victorian Comprehensive Cancer Centre and Deputy Director of the Melbourne Brain Centre.

• Discover Evidence-Based Primary Care Systems & How to OPTIMISE Refugee Health with Professor Grant Russell – Head of School of Primary Health Care at Monash University and Director of the Southern Academic Primary Health Care Research Unit. Leads the multinational OPTIMISE trial, aimed to implement collaborative, system-oriented approaches that increase refugee access to high-quality primary care services.

• Understand Translational Obstetrics: From Concept to Reality with Professor Stephen Tong – Head of the Translational Obstetrics Group at Mercy Health which includes research that spans laboratory studies (to develop drugs and better understand diseases) to the clinic (testing drugs and diagnostics in humans), and previously the top ranked NHMRC Clinical Career Development Fellow.

Lunch – Gourmet, plated lunch prepared by the Melbourne Convention and Exhibition Centre

New in 2017: During an extended lunch break (more time to enjoy the plated gourmet lunch – a highlight on feedback from last year!) we are facilitating networking opportunities between attendees and the world-class research institutes that call Melbourne home. This is an incredible opportunity for you to find out more about a particular field, and perhaps even meet your mentor or find that next step on your pathway to life as a clinician-scientist. Each institute will also feature 3 scientific posters that best represent the breadth and depth of their institute’s research activities – speakers such as Prof Scheffer will be leading poster tours throughout the lunch break.

• Australian Regenerative Medicine Institute

• Centre for Eye Research Australia

• The Florey Institute of Neuroscience and Mental Health

• Hudson Institute of Medical Research

• Murdoch Childrens Research Institute

• Walter and Eliza Hall Institute

Session 3 – What Skills does a Clinician-Scientist Need?

• Learn How to Build a Research Question from Professor Rinaldo Bellomo – Director of Intensive Care Research, Austin Health & Professor of Intensive Care Medicine, University of Melbourne. Author of over 1000 peer-reviewed publications and architect of numerous large-scale clinical trials published in the NEJM.

• Get an overview of How to Write a Paper from Professor Kit Fairley – Director of Melbourne Sexual Health Centre, Professor of Public Health at Monash University, and editor of the journal “Sexual Health.”

• Discover the secret to How to Give a Great Talk from Professor Stephen Jane – Director of Research at Alfred Hospital, Professor of Medicine at Monash University, and Clinical Haematologist.

Session 4 (Panel) – What does a Career as a Clinician-Scientist look like?

• Professor Peter Vuillermin – General Paediatrician and Lead Investigator on the Barwon Infant Study, with a particular interest in the relationship between the modern environment and diet, the microbiome and its metabolites, and the early life origins of immune dysregulation, allergic disease and asthma

• Dr Ryan Hodges – Director of Obstetric Services at Monash Health, Obstetrician and Gynaecologist and Maternal-Fetal Medicine subspecialist, whose research focuses on surgical and medical fetal therapies. Dr Hodges undertook his PhD on an NHMRC post-graduate scholarship and received the competitive NHMRC Hamilton Fairley Early Career Fellowship to continue his research output while establishing his clinical career.

• Dr Ken Pang – Consultant Paediatrician, Clinician Scientist Fellow at MCRI and Senior Research Officer at WEHI. Dr Pang undertook post-doctoral studies at Harvard University as a Fulbright Scholar.

• Dr Ruth Mitchell – Neurosurgical Trainee at Royal Melbourne Hospital and PhD-candidate at the University of Melbourne, Dr Mitchell was the 2016 AMA Doctor-in-Training of the Year and is the Chair of the Royal Australasian College of Surgeons Trainees’ Association.

Spaces are limited, so register now for an inspiring day of medicine & science, with lunch, morning & afternoon tea provided.

Please don’t hesitate to contact us at [email protected] if you have any questions. We look forward to seeing you on the day!

Thank you to our major sponsors The Club Melbourne Ambassador Program, The University of Melbourne and Monash University, and sponsors Deakin University, Murdoch Childrens Research Institute, Centre for Eye Research Australia, Australian Regenerative Medicine Institute, Florey Institute of Neuroscience and Mental Health, Hudson Institute of Medical Research and Walter and Eliza Hall Institute.