March has been a flurry of activity, making for a full newsletter! Make sure you don’t miss anything, including:
…And much more, happy reading!
AAAPC Conference updates
Abstracts OPEN
AAAPC's 2022 Annual Research Conference Abstract Submissions are open! The theme for this years conference is Transforming Primary Health Care: Creating a Vision of Health for All. We will consider abstracts of relevance to primary care practice, research, education, and policy. Abstracts close April 14 – so get in quick! See more on our webpage.
Abstract reviewers needed
Help us review abstracts for the Annual Research Conference! Review a handful of abstracts to help ensure this AAAPC conference is the best yet. Reviewing is made easy with pre-specified criteria, and a mentor-mentee program for anyone looking to develop their skills in reviewing or mentoring. Fill out the expression of interest form to put your name down as an individual reviewer, and to seek support in developing this skill or offer your expertise as an mentor.
Conference Scholarships and Prizes
AAAPC is offering scholarships to cover annual membership and conference registration! Scholarships are available for both (i) Students; and (ii) and Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander, and Māori and/or Pacific Peoples. Find out how to apply, and submit an application, via our webpage.
Plenary Speaker: Professor Claire Jackson (AM)
Professor Claire Jackson (AM) is Professor in General Practice and Primary Care Research, and Director of the Centre for Health System Reform and Integration, University of Queensland. Professor Jackson has been Clinical Director of two $2.5 million Centres for Research Excellence in Primary Care Reform: one funded by the National Health and Medical Research Council (NHMRC), exploring new models of integrating care in hospital and the community; the other by the Australian Primary Health Care Research Institute (APHCRI), investigating the impact of researcher and end-user ‘co-creation’ on quality and models of care. Professor Jackson is a Non-Executive Director of the Hospitals Contribution Fund of Australia Ltd (HCF), Australia’s largest NFP private health insurer, and Chair of the HCF Research Foundation. She is a NED on the Brisbane South Primary Health Network, and a member of the Editorial Advisory Committee of the Medical Journal of Australia. She is a current member of Minister Hunt’s Primary Care Reform Steering Committee, and has been both a past Chair and President of the Royal Australian College of General Practitioners. She is an active clinician in Brisbane south.
Professor Jackson will be speaking on her primary area of research interest: health system reform, with a focus on primary care.
AAAPC and SAPC: A new collaboration
AAAPC and SAPC (UK equivalent organisation) are announcing a new collaboration! Read Dr Phyllis Lau and Dr Rupert Payne's statement online. The organisations will be planning joint activities and collaborative research opportunities for members. Activities will be coordinated via the AAAPC subcommittees -- so keep an eye out for exciting new opportunities!
Upcoming ECR Webinar
19th April, 1pm (AEST)
Dr Olayide Ogunsiji will be presenting a webinar on navigating academia on the 19th of April, 1pm AEST. Dr Ogunsiji is a Registered Nurse and Senior lecturer at the School of Nursing and Midwifery, Western Sydney University, Australia. She is the Director of Academic Workforce (Liverpool campus).
Originally from Nigeria, Olayide migrated to Australia in1999, with a Master of Science (Sociology) and embarked on the Nursing journey in Australia. She is passionate about women’s health issues and her research interest are on intimate partner violence, female genital mutilation, parenting and women empowerment. She has made a sustained, positive impact on global health disparity of migrant and refugee women. Olayide is the founder of the African Women’s Health and Support Organisation (AWHASO), a not-for-profit organization for women’s health issues. She has presented at local, national and international conferences and publishes in high impact journals. Dr Ogunsiji was the recipient of the prestigious Dorothy Garrigus Adams 2021 Award for Excellence in Service at the Sigma Theta Tau International Honour Awards Ceremony.
Reminder to Renew
AAAPC annual membership lapsed March 1st 2022. Renew your membership on the website to keep up with all AAAPC happenings and inside information!
Lapsed members will no longer have access to the members only sections of the webpage, including webinars and the noticeboard.
AAAPC Subcommittee updates
Ever wondered how to get more involved with primary care research, education, and policy? Join a subcommittee today! Email your interest to secretariat@aaapc.org.au to be linked in to a subcommittee that interests you.
A quick update from the subcommittee chairs about what they have been working on:
Upcoming Opportunities
Primary Care specific publication opportunities
A few AAAPC members are leading upcoming special issues with a focus on primary care!
Climate Crisis and Primary Health Care, a special issue in Family Practice, is calling for submissions on how primary health care can adapt to changes in disease and illness incidence and prevalence, and preventive and health promotion activity to ameliorate the burden of disease. An outline of accepted formats is available through the link above. Submissions due 1 May 2022. For questions, please email Guest Editor: Dr Liz Sturgiss.
Optimising Women’s Sexual and Reproductive Health in Australia: the Role of Primary Health Care, a special issue in Australian Journal of Primary Health, is calling for submissions relating to women’s sexual and reproductive health in Australia. An outline of the scope of topics covered can be found on the AJPH website, linked above. Full submissions due by 30 June 2022 via the AJPH portal, with subsequent peer review in the usual manner, online publication following acceptance, and the issue out in early 2023. For questions, please email Guest Editor: Dr Jessica Botfield.
Oral Health in Healthcare, a special issue in Healthcare, is calling for submissions on the role of oral health in the bigger picture of healthcare to bring attention to the relationship between oral and systemic health, and the need for collaboration between oral health and other healthcare practitioners. Full submissions due by 31 October 2022 via the Healthcare portal, with subsequent peer review in the usual manner. For questions, please email Guest Editor: Dr Phyllis Lau.
Primary Care specific funding opportunities
A few primary care relevant grant opportunities that may be of interest for you or your team members:
Remember to subscribe to GrantConnect. GrantConnect provides a centralised publication of all forecast and current Australian Government grant opportunities via an online portal. To receive personalised research grant updates, make sure to input your research key words (separated by commas) when you register!
Members Noticeboard
The AAAPC members noticeboard is a space to post national and international primary care opportunities: jobs, research projects, guidelines and resources – really whatever you like!
In case you missed any posts this March we have seen: New Lecturer position at University of Wollongong; call for submissions to a special issues in AJPH, Family Practice, and Healthcare; calls for research participation in smoking cessation, interprofessional collaboration, childhood weight management, and psychotropic medication management; community questions about GrantConnect; and advice on submitting to the upcoming AAAPC conference.
To get updates on the noticeboard in your emails, click here to subscribe, or navigate to the AAAPC members noticeboard (requires login) and click the subscribe button.
Using the noticeboard is as easy as 1 - 2 - 3!
1. Sign into the AAAPC website and go to the Members Only Section >> Noticeboard
2. Underneath the big blue rectangle there is a ‘Subscribe’ button you can click to to receive regular messages to your inbox.
3. If you would like to leave a message for other members, click the 'Create topic' button underneath the big blue rectangle.
Celebrating AAAPC Members
Congratulations to some of our members on successful publications
This list does not comprehensively include the achievements of all of our members (sorry). Please send me an email at katelyn.barnes@anu.edu.au when you or another member you know has an achievement that we can all celebrate! Some previous examples include a new PhD completion, publication, or an award. Remember to also tag AAAPC in tweets about achievements in primary care -- we would love to share the joy!
Welcome to New AAAPC Members
We would love to introduce new members in the newsletter - it is a great way to build networks within our community, highlight your areas of research interest and projects you might be working on. If you would like your bio to be published in the monthly newsletter, please email secretariat@aaapc.org.au or katelyn.barnes@anu.edu.au. We are excited to meet you!
Hello everyone
AAAPC has been busy in February, making for a full newsletter! Make sure you don’t miss anything, including:
…And more, happy reading!
AAAPC annual memberships due March 2022
It is that time of year, memberships are due from March 1st. Renew your membership on the website! Current members will need to log in, then click on the message in the bottom left hand corner of the webpage, or on your name at the top right corner of the webpage.
Check out benefits of membership to find out more.
What and When
AAAPC's 2022 Annual Research Conference will be online for August 18 and 19. The theme for this year’s conference is Transforming Primary Health Care: Creating a Vision of Health for All. Abstract submissions (and opportunity to review abstracts) will be opening soon -- keep an eye on your inboxes for your invitation!
Plenary Speaker: Professor Michael Kidd
Professor Michael Kidd AM is Deputy Chief Medical Officer and Principal Medical Advisor with the Australian Government Department of Health, where he is leading Australia’s national primary care response to the COVID-19 pandemic. He also has appointment as the foundation Professor of Primary Care Reform at The Australian National University. He is a general practitioner, a past president of the Royal Australian College of General Practitioners, a past president of the World Organization of Family Doctors (WONCA), and a past Dean of the Faculty of Medicine, Nursing and Health Sciences at Flinders University. Prior to returning to Australia to support the pandemic response by the Department of Health, he was Director of the World Health Organization Collaborating Centre on Family Medicine and Primary Care, Senior Innovation Fellow with the Institute for Health System Solutions and Innovative Care, and Professor and Chair of the Department of Family and Community Medicine at the University of Toronto in Canada.
Professor Michael Kidd, AAAPC's 2021 Charles-Bridges Webb award winner, will be sharing his insight on the strengths of primary care and the work he has been doing in primary care reform.
Ever wondered how to get more involved with primary care research, education, and policy? Join a subcommittee today! Email your interest to secretariat@aaapc.org.au to be linked into a subcommittee that interests you.
AJPH Special Issue -- Upcoming publication opportunities
A few AAAPC members are leading an upcoming Australian Journal of Primary Health special issue, titled: Equity in Primary Health Care Provision: More than 50 years of the Inverse Care Law. An outline of the scope of topics covered can be found on the AJPH website. Please email an Expression of Interest by 30th March 2022 to Dr Harris-Roxas to confirm the suitability of your submission for the special issue. Full submissions to be submitted in July 2022.
Optimising Women’s Sexual and Reproductive Health in Australia: the Role of Primary Health Care a special issue relating to women’s sexual and reproductive health in Australia. An outline of the scope of topics covered can be found on the AJPH website. Full submissions due by 30 June 2022 via the AJPH portal, with subsequent peer review in the usual manner, online publication following acceptance, and the issue out in early 2023. For questions, please email Dr Jessica Botfield.
The Australian Journal of Primary Health has published high quality, peer-reviewed papers since 1995. This is an attractive opportunity to publish alongside your peers in the field plus contributing authors receive free access to all papers published for this project in perpetuity.
Remember to also subscribe to GrantConnect! GrantConnect provides a centralised publication of all forecast and current Australian Government grant opportunities via an online portal. To receive personalised research grant updates, make sure to input your research key words (separated by commas) when you register.
In case you missed any posts, in February we have seen: New research jobs at Melbourne University and University of New South Wales, Call for submissions to a special issue in AJPH, and a nominations call for the MRFF consumer reference panel.
To get updates on the noticeboard in your emails, navigate to the AAAPC members noticeboard (requires login) and click the subscribe button.
Congratulations to two of our members for their awards!
Abhir Nainani was awarded a NAPCRG Pearl for his research titled, General Practitioner Perspectives and Experiences When Screening for Primary Aldosteronism! NAPCRG Pearls are chosen each year by the Community Clinician Advisory Group as the top research studies having the greatest impact on clinical practice as presented at the NAPCRG Annual Conference. It is wonderful to see Abhir’s work recognised internationally, especially after winning AAAPC’s 2021 Conference award for best paper! We look forward to hopefully seeing more from Abhir at our 2022 conference.
Dr Marguerite Tracy has been awarded her PhD! Marguerite would like to acknowledge the ongoing support of the AAAPC FACES group - and recommends the group to other ECRs. Marguerite’s thesis explored real-world question prompt lists to assist decision making in clinical practice. Her thesis, titled More questions than answers - Investigating questions asked by patients and online, real-world question prompt list tools to realise the benefits for patients, health professionals and healthcare decision making has resulted in three publications.
This list does not comprehensively include the achievements of all of our members (sorry). Please send me an email at katelyn.barnes@anu.edu.au when you or another member you know has an achievement that we can all celebrate! Some previous examples include a new PhD completion, publication, or an award.
Happy New Year (hopefully we can still say that despite the fact January has quickly come to an end). We have a short and sweet newsletter this month, including:
Happy reading!
AJPH Special Issue -- Upcoming publication opportunity
A few AAAPC members are leading an upcoming Australian Journal of Primary Health special issue, titled: Equity in Primary Health Care Provision: More than 50 years of the Inverse Care Law. An outline of the scope of topics covered can be found on the AJPH website, linked above. Please email an Expression of Interest by 30th March 2022 to Dr Harris-Roxas to confirm the suitability of your submission for the special issue. Full submissions to be submitted in July 2022.
The Australian Journal of Primary Health has published high quality, peer-reviewed papers since 1995 (see flyer here). This is an attractive opportunity to publish alongside your peers in the field plus contributing authors receive free access to all papers published for this project in perpetuity.
In case you missed any posts December and January we have seen: a call for research participation regarding e-cigarettes, and a call to participate in research on international COVID-19 public health measures. Also highlighted was a documentary “Behind the Mask – on the front line against Coronavirus” which tells the story of front line doctors and nurses fighting the virus.
Congratulations to some of our members in their successful publications:
Hello everyone,
December is coming to a close, and that means so is 2021! We have a lot to squeeze into this last newsletter of the year, make sure you don't miss anything, including:
and much more. Happy reading!
A Holiday Message from the President
Despite the cyclical outbreaks, lockdowns, isolations and quarantines over the past year, we have continued to show our resilience. I am especially proud of AAAPC’s achievements.
I wish to express my most heartfelt thanks to our members. Your affirmation and support of the work of AAAPC are the best guarantee that AAAPC will continue to champion our vision, YOUR vision, for a multidisciplinary PHC-oriented health care system founded in patient-centred and primary care principles and developed through evidence and education. Especially to members who have contributed to our Subcommittees, I THANK YOU!
I am encouraged by the strength of our Executive Committee members – many of whom were newly elected at the AGM in August. I appreciate that some have been thrown into the deep end, but all have shown incredible agility and loyalty to the role they have committed to. To the Execs, I THANK YOU!
On behalf of AAAPC and the Executive Committee, I THANK YOU for your ongoing support and hope you are able to spend precious time with loved ones over the summer holidays.
Wishing you all a very Merry Christmas and Happy New Year.
Best wishes,
Phyllis Lau, President
Ever wondered how to get more involved with primary care research, education, and policy? Would you like to meet like-minded and passionate primary care researchers? This is your chance – join a subcommittee today! Email secretariat@aaapc.org.au to register your interest and get linked into a subcommittee!
A quick overview from each subcommittee this month:
Upcoming Funding Opportunities
In addition to the 2021 PHC grant opportunity for wearable devices and point-of-care testing, there are a few other MRFF grant opportunities that may be of interest for you or your team members, including;
NAPCRG conference
In our November newsletter, two members were missed on the NAPCRG summaries: Dr Pallavi Prathivadi and Dr Johanna Lynch. Dr Prathivadi presented the Consensus Reporting Items for Studies in Primary Care (CRISP) poster and workshop. Dr Lynch presented a workshop titled Fostering Sense of Safety: Unpacking a Critical Generalist Strategy. Apologies to others who may have been missed!
Please remember to share your primary health care research and education successes! We love celebrating the work our members do in this newsletter.
In case you missed any posts this month we have seen:
To get updates on the noticeboard in your emails navigate to the AAAPC members noticeboard (requires login) and click the subscribe button.
Congratulations to some of our members in their awards and degrees:
This list does not comprehensively include the achievements of all of our members (sorry!). Please send me an email at katelyn.barnes@anu.edu.au when you or another member you know has an achievement that we can all celebrate! Some previous examples include a new PhD completion, publication, or an award.
And that’s a wrap for 2021!
Happy holidays, stay safe, and see you all next year
November has gone already! We have lots of updates this month – a sign of all the great things going on with AAAPC and its members! Make sure you don't miss anything, including:
Webinar now online: Primary Health Care Education in Rural Settings: Learning generalism in rural, by rural, for rural
Watch Now!
Thank you Professor Roger Strasser for your engaging and informative webinar November 9th.
Professor Strasser highlighted the worldwide rural health access issue and the challenges rural practitioners face as ‘extended generalists’ as a consequence. Professor Strasser suggests boosting the workforce with a ‘Start Local System Design’ where systems are co-designed and co-delivered in the local context to address local priority health needs. He talked about the social accountability of medical schools to direct their teaching and learning towards priority health needs, communities, regions and nations. Professor Strasser drew on his experience of ‘Immersive Community Engaged Education’ in Canada, specifically the Northern Ontario School of Medicine (NOSM). Find out more by watching the recording on our website!
Ever wondered how to get more involved with primary care research, education, and policy? Would you like to meet like-minded and passionate primary care researchers?? This is your chance – join a subcommittee today! Email secretariat@aaapc.org.au to register your interest and get linked into a subcommittee!
Research, Policy & Advocacy subcommittee has submitted a response to the Australian 10-year strategic plan for Primary Care Reform, is starting feedback for the Research Australia proposed reforms for Health and Medical research, and is squirrelling away on defining what a national practice based research network could look like in Australia.
Conference subcommittee is looking forward to ensuring that the 2022 AAAPC Annual Research Conference on reforming primary health care is bigger, better, bolder and more diverse than ever before. The subcommittee is hoping to provide an in person conference (yay!), with an option to go online if needed. Please come and get involved in this subcommittee, noting that active and contributing members of this subcommittee will get discounted 2022 conference registration.
ECR subcommittee would like to remind members to check out previous FACES webinars on our webpage. If you would like to join FACES and get the run down on all the great workshops and webinars, please email habiba.jahan@adelaide.edu.au. Next meeting for the FACES team will be in February 2022 (Date to be confirmed).
Education subcommittee has finalised an official vision for Primary Care Education: "To promote and celebrate excellence in primary health care education, driven by high quality education research and interdisciplinary collaboration". This subcommittee successfully managed a fantastic webinar, by Professor Roger Strasser in November, and have big plans for 2022 to support education research and inter-institutional collaborations, developing new fellowships and finessing the Neil Carson Award. This subcommittee is looking for engagement – so please do register your interest via email!
Membership Engagement subcommittee is finalising a 5-year plan to support AAAPC membership by engaging with new people and organisations in primary care, and making sure our current members get the best experience. The subcommittee will be supporting a series of targeted webinars and communications for 2022. Please come and join the fun and help us engage with members! Register your interest via email.
FM Vax: An International Survey on the Integration of Public Health and Primary Care in COVID-19 Vaccination Campaigns
AAAPC member, Professor Felicity Goodyear Smith, is part of an international collaboration of primary care researchers who are requesting your help! The team are surveying primary care professionals to identify the approach used by different countries in their COVID-19 vaccination programmes, focussing on public health and primary health care integration. Please share your perspective in this 15-minute online survey. The survey is available in 7 languages, with an opportunity to enter a prize draw. Visit https://tinyurl.com/fmvax to learn more.
Ethics Approval provided by University of Toronto REB ID:00041513
NB: AAAPC is updating their policy on including research in the monthly newsletter. We do not want to overload our members with research, but do want to share opportunities relevant to all members. We will share the policy with you when available!
NAPCRG conference highlights
AAAPC North American counterpart, the North American Primary Care Research Group (NAPCRG) , held their Annual Meeting online between November 19-23, 2021. While the timing was a challenge for us antipodeans, we had some AAAPC members in attendance including the AAAPC NAPCRG Distinguished Paper Award winner, Abhir Nainani! Read about Abhir's experience and some other presentations below.
Earlier this month, I was lucky enough to present at the North American Primary Care Research Group (NAPCRG) annual meeting under the international award section of the conference. I conducted my presentation 'simulated live', which meant that my 15 minute oral presentation was pre-recorded and broadcast throughout the conference's virtual platform. Following the oral presentation, the audience had an opportunity to ask me (and two other international paper award winners from different countries) questions about our presentations. Overall, the conference was extremely enjoyable. I got the opportunity to listen to several incredible speakers discuss exciting research in primary care (which has definitely inspired me to continue research). I'd like to thank the AAAPC and my supervisors for making this possible; it was my first international conference. I feel incredibly grateful to receive this award and present my research! – Abhir Nainani
Other AAAPC members with research presented at NAPCRG included:
Professor Grant Russell presented his team's findings on their longitudinal participatory case study of 6 practices negotiating the pandemic in Melbourne in 2020. While the impact of COVID was far less disruptive in Australia compared to the experiences of many of the international attendees at the conference, it was fascinating to see how many of the struggles for practices dealing with the pandemic were common across all jurisdiction.
Dr Katelyn Barnes, Dr Kathleen O’Brien, and Professor Kirsty Douglas as well as Dr Kyle Eggleton and Professor Felicity Goodyear-Smith presented as part of an international forum alongside team members from the Larry A Green Center (USA) and University of British Colombia (Canada) comparing COVID-19 impacts in general practice. The presentations showed that despite very different COVID-19 contexts and health systems, all countries experienced similar levels of strain in general practice. Discussions with the audience focussed on why that might be!
Dr Pallavi Prathivadi presented a poster on behalf of an international team about Consensus Reporting Items for Studies in Primary Care (CRISP) and contributed to a workshop on improving reporting of primary care research. The CRISP team have found that clinicians are not finding primary care research useful due to lack of detail in reporting of methods and results, and are developing a guide to be added to the EQUATOR network of reporting guidelines. Find out more about CRISP here.
We have a lot of updates this month – a sign of all the wonderful things going on with AAAPC! Make sure you don't miss anything, including announcements regarding:
Upcoming Webinar: Primary Health Care Education in Rural Settings: Learning generalism in rural, by rural, for rural
Nov 9, 7:30pm AEDT (9:30pm NZDT). For more details, see the AAAPC webpage.
Register Now!
Professor Roger Strasser, from University of Waikato, New Zealand will be presenting a webinar that will explore the challenges and opportunities of PHC education in rural settings with an emphasis on producing generalists who have the skills and commitment to deliver high-quality PHC services.
Professor Roger Strasser is New Zealand's first Professor of Rural Health. He is leading the University of Waikato's Rural Health Public Engagement, including public education about rural health and advocacy for rural health, as well as community engagement at the local level. In addition, Roger is leading capacity building in rural health research across remote and rural New Zealand.
Big thank you to Dr Chris Barton, from Monash University, for the fantastic presentation to the FACES network on October 26.
Chris shared about his contribution to building relationships and a positive research culture at Monash, and how he has incorporated that into his career. He also discussed the importance of research networks, both online and offline, and how they can influence academic success. For anyone who missed the session, you can check it out on the AAAPC website soon!
If you would like to join FACES and get the run down on all the great workshops and webinars, please email habiba.jahan@adelaide.edu.au. Next meeting for the FACES team will be in February 2022 (Date to be confirmed).
Presenting the new Membership Engagement Subcommittee! Previously the Membership and Marketing subcommittee, a new name better reflects the work the subcommittee undertakes. The subcommittee works on strategies to build, engage, communicate with and support AAAPC members. This is a big job, and we need you! Help us provide the best experience and support for members. Join by emailing secretariat@aaapc.org.au.
Research, Policy & Advocacy subcommittee has been busy this last month working on a response for the new Australian 10-year strategic plan for Primary Care Reform, a response for the October MRFF public consultation, and squirrelling away on defining what a national practice based research network could look like in Australia. The subcommittee also submitted letters to the Health Minister (the Hon. Greg Hunt) and Shadow Minister (the Hon. Mark Butler) expressing their concern and disappointment over the latest MRFF Primary Health Care funding focussed on wearable devices and point-of-care testing.
Conference subcommittee is busy getting the ball rolling for the 2022 AAAPC Annual Research Conference set for August 18-19. Active and contributing members of this subcommittee will get discounted 2022 conference registration. Join and help shape Australasia’s largest primary health care research conference because it’s #ourprimarycare! Please email secretariat@aaapc.org.au.
ECR subcommittee is meeting regularly and coming up with their next FACES topic. Keep your eyes on your inbox to see what’s coming next!
Education subcommittee is busy coordinating the webinar with Professor Roger Strasser for November. Register now! If you have ideas on how to support and advance primary care education, come join this subcommittee - Next meeting will be mid-November, email your interest to secretariat@aaapc.org.au.
How to make a engaging noticeboard post
Thank you to those members who have been sharing opportunities with us on the noticeboard! Sometimes it's just a quick share, but for the times when you really want to catch eyes, here are some tips to increase your engagement.
1. Make a catchy title or at least descriptive! The title of your post is all someone will see before clicking on it – so make it count. The title of your post will be sent in an email to noticeboard subscribers alongside other posts from the same week, so this is an opportunity to stand out.
2. Use a picture. While only visible from within the noticeboard post, a picture will draw readers into your post and hold them there longer. After all, a picture says a thousand words (but is much more pleasing on the eyes and brain).
3. Keep it simple with the text content. Use links out or attach a pdf for more detailed information to prevent having a “wall of text”.
4. Start with the important stuff at the top, and the broader context towards the bottom. Alternatively, use subheadings or (formatting) to break up the text and make key information easy to find.
Congratulations also to some of our members on successful publications:
This month, AAAPC has hit the ground running with new executive and subcommittee memberships coming into effect. Make sure not to miss any news and announcements regarding:
Upcoming member events
Save the date for the AAAPC 2022 Annual Research Conference: August 18-19. Add the date to your future diaries now! Keep an eye out for a poll to ask members what format they would prefer: Online or face-to-face.
FACES' next online meeting is happening on October 26. If you aren’t yet a member of this career development group, join by emailing secretariat@aaapc.org.au.
The AAAPC subcommittees are how members can contribute to AAAPC as an organisation. Subcommittees are supportive and collaborative interest groups that meet several times per year to discuss and progress parts of AAAPC.
Get involved and join a subcommittee by emailing your interest to secretariat@aaapc.org.au. A quick overview from each subcommittee this month:
AAAPC Travelling Fellowship Award Winners
Congratulations to the winners of the AAAPC Travelling Fellowship! We received some fantastic applications this year, and are looking forward to supporting development opportunities for these researchers and their projects
NAPCRG International Paper Award Winner
Congratulations Abhir Nainani for paper General practitioners’ perceptions of screening for Primary Aldosteronism: a qualitative study. Abhir is a medical student with a passion for preventative medicine and chronic disease management. He is currently undertaking an Honours year at the Department of General Practice (Monash University), to understand the factors that influence a general practitioners' decision to screen for primary aldosteronism.
Abhir is passionate about his research topic and hopes his findings will be beneficial, not just for Australian GPs, but for the wider primary care community as well. He is excited to present his findings at an international conference!
“Following my presentation, I hope that the audience understands that primary aldosteronism is not only common but crucial to detect as it could dramatically change how GPs assess and manage hypertension.”
Congratulations also to some of our members on successful publications!
Hello and welcome to our new members! We warmly welcome: Miriam Brooks (Western Sydney University), Carolyn Ee (Western Sydney University), Steven Trankle (Western Sydney University), and Jaqueline Roseleur (University of Adelaide).
It would be a pleasure to introduce members with a short bio and photo in the newsletter - it is a great way to build networks within our community. If you would like your bio to be published in the monthly newsletter, please email secretariat@aaapc.org.au or katelyn.barnes@anu.edu.au. We are excited to meet you!
August has been busy month, a sign of exciting times within AAAPC! Make sure you don't miss any updates in this newsletter, including announcements regarding:
and much more. Happy reading
AAAPC Annual General Meeting overview
The Annual General Meeting (AGM) of the Australasian Association of Academic Primary Care (AAAPC) was held on Wednesday 11th August 5pm AEST via video conference. Attendance included 62 members. Minutes of the 2021 AGM are available on the AAAPC website, alongside the President's Report, Financial Report, and Subcommittee Reports. Big thank you to the 2020 AAAPC Executive Committee for their passion and drive in achieving big things last year, despite the challenges of 2020!
The AAAPC Charles Bridges-Webb Medal for outstanding and ongoing teaching and research contributions in primary care was awarded at the AGM to Professor Michael Kidd (AM). Congratulations Michael!
Professor Kidd is the current Principal Medical Advisor and Deputy Chief Medical Officer with the Australian Government Department of Health, and Professor of Primary Care Reform at the Australian National University. He also holds fellowships and honorary professorships with the Royal Children’s Hospital in Melbourne, the University of Melbourne, the Southgate Institute for Health, Flinders University, and the University of Toronto.
Introducing your new 2021/22 AAAPC Executive Committee Members
The 2021 AAAPC AGM included confirmation of the new 2021 AAAPC Executive Committee. These members will be supporting AAAPC President, Dr Phyllis Lau.
Policy Research and Advocacy Subcommittee Chair
Hello, I’m Jon Emery. I am an academic GP having completed my DPhil in Oxford many years ago on computerised cancer risk assessment. I moved to Australia in 2004 to become the Chair of General Practice at UWA, and to the UoM in 2013 as Professor of Primary Care Cancer Research. I lead a research group with a focus on cancer and genomics in primary care, methodologically grounded in trials of complex interventions and linked data. I am Director of the national primary care cancer trials group (PC4), and was AAAPC President 2008-10. I'm interested in how the AAAPC can influence national policy on primary care research, especially now with significant opportunities to advance our field. Specifically, the implications of the 10-year plan for primary health care, and discussions about research infrastructure support including PBRNs, a national centre for research innovation and translation and the use of primary care data for research.
To join this subcommittee, please send an email expressing your interest to sectratariat@aaapc.org.au!
Education Subcommittee Chair
Hello, I’m Kylie Vuong, the Education Subcommittee chair. I’m a GP academic based at UNSW Sydney. I work closely together with my colleagues to deliver the primary care course to medical students in the UNSW MD program. It was a highlight to see so many primary care education presentations at the AAAPC 2021 Annual Research Conference. I look forward to working with the AAAPC and the Primary Care Education Subcommittee to celebrate primary care education.
Conference Subcommittee Chair
Hello, I am Dr Renee Fiolet. My background is in community and paediatric nursing, however I completed my PhD in 2020 at the University of Melbourne on exploring the use of technology to address the barriers Indigenous peoples experience when help-seeking for family violence. I am a Nursing Lecturer at Deakin University, and a new research fellow with the Indigenous Equity Unit at the University of Melbourne. I am passionate about ensuring equity in healthcare for Australia’s First Nations peoples, and I am eager to see a world where health is accessible for all. In my role as Conference Chair I hope to see a 2022 conference that is even bigger and better than the previous fabulous conferences hosted by AAAPC, and I hope to see more representation from Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Health Workers, nurses and midwives who each have a big role in primary health care but we not well represented yet within our organisation. Please join the conference subcommittee – we need you!
To get involved with the 2022 conference, email sectratariat@aaapc.org.au.
Early Career Researchers Subcomittee Chair
Hello, my name is Habiba Jahan, and I will be chair of the Early Career Research Subcommittee for 2021-22. I am a general practitioner and trainee of the RACGP, currently undertaking my academic registrar post with Prof Nigel Stocks at University of Adelaide. My academic post project is based on MedicineInsight Database-General Practice management of depression after coronary heart disease. I consider AAAPC a platform for improving research skills, leadership and collaboration.
During this difficult time of COVID, I will work with other members of AAAPC to promote Primary care research. My aim is to encourage more general practice trainees, nurses and allied health practitioners to undertake research and create a support network for them while they are at the early part of the research career.
To get involved with the ECR Subcommittee, please email sectratariat@aaapc.org.au.
Marketing and Membership Subcomittee Chair
I am Dr Kristi Milley, the new AAAPC Marketing & Membership Subcommittee Chair. I started my career as a Medical Scientist but pivoted to primary care research after my PhD. I think my Twitter bio is the perfect 20 character summary of where I am now: National Manager for PC4, Australia's peak organisation for cancer in primary care research. Board game lover and podcast host - Research Roundup. I’m privileged to work with a dedicated group of national researchers for cancer in primary care. I see a dedication and commitment to nurturing academic primary care and primary care research in the AAAPC, which is why volunteered for this role.
For me, the AAAPC is a great community of researchers, educators and professionals who share my passion for promoting the importance of primary care and primary care research. I look forward to shaping messages that inspire, inform and that create opportunities that grow our community and increase awareness of the work our members do.
To join the membership and marketing subcommittee, please express your interest via email to secretariat@aaapc.org.au
Treasurer
Hello, I’m Sibel and I’ll be the AAAPC treasurer for 2021-2023. My background is as a genetic counsellor but my research interests are about translating new genetic and genomic tests for use in the whole population. I finished my PhD in early 2021 (after a fun few months writing it up in lockdown in Melbourne!), which explored the acceptability and feasibility of a colorectal cancer polygenic risk score to target screening in primary care.
I've now stayed on with the same Cancer in Primary Care research group at the University of Melbourne, expanding my PhD research to explore predicting risk of other cancers in primary care. I love how AAAPC is such a collaborative and warm association, that aims to promote and flourish so many areas of primary care research. I volunteered to be treasurer because I love Excel!
Secretary
Hello, I am Ms Shakira Milton and I’m the incoming AAAPC Secretary for 2021/22. I am a Research Assistant and have been working on different cancer in primary research projects since 2016. Now, I am a PhD Candidate conducting a randomised controlled trial of a decision aid for bowel cancer prevention in general practice at the Department of General Practice and Centre for Cancer Research at The University of Melbourne. I became a AAAPC member earlier this year and joined the ECR subcommittee which inspired me to join the executive committee. In the role as Secretary, I will provide administrative support to our executive. I committee members. I will also manage the executive committee meetings, and our annual AGM meeting and take minutes in all of our executive committee meetings. I look forward to supporting our exec and learning from everyone!
Newsletter Editor
Hello (again!), I am Dr Katelyn Barnes and will continue as AAAPC Newsletter Editor for 2021/22. I am a dietitian by trade, but researcher by nature (and training). I completed my PhD in 2017 exploring what nutrition care in the fitness industry looked like and how it could be safer and more effective. Now, I work across Healthy Primary Care (Griffith University) and the Academic Unit of General Practice (ANU), exploring how primary care services and health systems are working (or not working) for patients and practitioners.
I love how supportive and engaged the AAAPC members are. In the role of newsletter editor, I will keep members up to date with the activities, opportunities, and achievements of AAAPC and its members. I’m looking forward to connecting with you all in your inbox every month!
AAAPC Annual Research Conference highlights
The AAAPC Annual Research Conference was an absolute success! Big thank you to the 2020 Conference Subcommittee, chaired by Associate Professor Lauren Ball. Thank you also to all attendees for your participation and support – you all helped to create a positive, supportive and engaged conference that was a pleasure to be a part of.
Keynote presentations from both Professor Danielle Mazza and Associate Professor Matire Harwood inspired attendees with their unique research journeys, albeit in quite different arenas! Both emphasised the importance of engagement with people, communities, organisations, and politicians for research impact, and highlighted the value of research in supporting equity and informing solutions to social injustices. We are so grateful to both Professor Mazza and Associate Professor Harwood for sharing their experiences, expertise, and enthusiasm!
Concurrent sessions and posters spanned a broad range of academic primary care. BIG thank you to all presenters for sharing their work, ideas, and contributing to discussions. Published abstracts are available through the Australian Journal of Primary Health (volume 27, issue 4).
Last but not least, congratulations to the AAAPC Conference Prize Winners!
Congratulations to one of our members who have completed their PhD!
Dr Mari Somerville conducted a 4-phase, multi-methods program of research, guided by the i-PARIHS framework, to understand the nutrition care provided to people with prediabetes in Australia. Mari’s PhD findings suggests that prediabetes is inconsistently detected, and nutrition care is rarely provided to people, despite their desire for support to eat well. Mari’s PhD highlights opportunities to improve care for people living with prediabetes, and may inform redevelopment of health service and workforce models.
Congratulations also to some of our members on successful publications in August!
This list does not comprehensively include the achievements of all of our members (sorry!). Please send me an email at katelyn.barnes@anu.edu.au when you or another member you know has an achievement that we can all celebrate! Some previous examples include a new PhD completion, new publication, or an award.
Hello and welcome to our new members! We would like to formally introduce:
From a background in rural general practice, Professor Roger Strasser (AM), was Australia's first Professor of Rural Health and Inaugural Head of the Monash University School of Rural Health before he moved to Canada to become founding dean and CEO of the Northern Ontario School of Medicine from 2002 to 2019. In 2020, Professor Strasser became the first professor of rural health in is New Zealand, and now leads the University of Waikato's Rural Health Public Engagement, including public education about rural health and advocacy for rural health, as well as community engagement at the local level. In addition,
Professor Strasser is leading capacity building in rural health research across remote and rural New Zealand. Recognizing the importance of context and community in medical education and research, Professor Strasser has become one of the world’s foremost authorities on rural, socially accountable medical education, and a sought-after speaker and advisor.
We warmly welcome all our new members! We would love to introduce new members in the newsletter - it is a great way to build networks within our community. If you would like your bio to be published in the monthly newsletter, please email secretariat@aaapc.org.au or katelyn.barnes@anu.edu.au. We are excited to meet you!
The end of July is upon us! There have been lots of exciting AAAPC happenings this month, make sure you don't miss anything, including announcements regarding:
AAAPC Annual General Meeting
The Annual General Meeting (AGM) of the Australasian Association of Academic Primary Care (AAAPC) will be held on the eve of the Annual Research Conference 2021 on Wednesday 11th August 5pm AEST via video conference. All members are eligible to attend. Details to join the meeting will be circulated closer to the date. If you cannot join the meeting, please email secretariat@aaapc.org.au with this form completed to appoint a proxy.
Previous AGM minutes can be found on our website.
Nominate for AAAPC Executive Committee Membership
Nominations are now open for eight committee positions undergoing election at the 2021 AGM. Join this active group to engage and contribute to ongoing AAAPC activities!
To nominate yourself, or another equally amazing person, please complete a nomination form and email to secretariat@aaapc.org.au by Monday 9th of August.
AAAPC Annual Research Conference
The conference kicks off in 2 weeks! AAAPC annual research conference registrations are still open - register to attend on our conference webpage. On the website you can also see the online program, and workshop descriptions.
Even though we are online this year, don’t miss out on the social program! There is the Welcome event on Wednesday 11th of August, ECR lunch and evening networking shuffle on Thursday, and a chance to connect with like-minded colleagues in special interest group discussions on Friday.
We cannot wait to see you all online soon
FACES Update
Come and catch up with colleagues at the virtual lunch for peer-networking! The FACES lunch is on Thursday 12th of August at 12 noon. This session will use breakout rooms to provide an opportunity to connect with FACES participants and conference attendees in small groups.
We would also like to take this opportunity to thank Hyun Song, Annette Peart and Ben Harris-Roxas for generously sharing with FACES participants their journey into the ECR workforce on June 16th. The session provided excellent insights into life post-PhD for FACES participants.
AAAPC is an active organisation. The Subcommittees give members a chance to reflect upon and contribute to AAAPC strategic priorities, spanning a wide range of topics such as marketing of AAAPC, engagement of members, national primary care policy reform and writing statements the value of primary care. For more information on the subcommittees, check them out on the website! Here, we will provide a brief overview of each subcommittee from 2020/21.
The Policy & Advocacy subcommittee have spent a great deal of time working out how AAAPC can contribute to an Australian national practice based research network and are the engine room for writing AAAPC responses to calls from input on a range of nationwide strategies. This year we have responded to the call from the Medical Research Future Fund for input into how the fund has been implemented, and, very recently on Australia's 10-year plan for primary care. We have so far mainly been focussed on Australian issues and would be keen to make an impact into New Zealand's primary care system in years to come.
Thank you to the 20220/21 subcommittee members, for their insight and contributions through the year! If you would like to get involved for 2021/22 please do get in touch to register your interest! Importantly, either Grant Russell (grant.russell@monash.edu) or any member of the current executive would be keen to speak to members interested in taking over the role of the Committee Chair and Deputy Chair for 2021-22.
The Marketing & Membership subcommittee has been busy making AAAPC a more visible, effective and sustainable organisation! This year the subcommittee has been led by Dr Lauralie Richard. Our new subcommittee chair, Dr Kristi Milley took on the role in May. Lots of thanks to the 2020/21 subcommittee members, you have all helped shape AAAPC this year! If you are not yet a member, and are passionate about science communication, register your interest via email to kristi.milley@unimelb.edu.au. Don’t forget to follow AAAPC on Twitter @AAAPC_ANZ!
The ECR and Capacity Development subcommittee has been busy creating supports and networking events for early career researchers. This lively and engaged group has been led by Dr Rita McMorrow in 2020/21, and has implemented the mentoring program (FACES), regular catch up sessions, and coordinated the May 2021 webinar with Jean Frederique (available online here). To see some of their hard work in action, come to the FACES networking lunch at the AAAPC Annual Research Conference on Thursday 12th of August. Big thank you to all members of the ECR subcommittee for their input this year! If you are not a member of this subcommittee, but are interested in becoming one, register your interest via email to secretariat@aaapc.org.au.
The Conference Subcommittee has been busy preparing for the annual research conference, happening in 2 weeks. Dr Lauren Ball has chaired the committee to pull together a marvellous 2021 program, with invited presentations from Professor Mazza and Associate Professor Harwood. This subcommittee will be ready for a well-deserved rest soon! But there is no rest for the wicked(ly awesome), and the subcommittee will be ramping up again in September this year to start coordination for the 2022 conference. If you would like to get involved to help pull together amazing primary care research from all around Australasia, get in touch via email to secretariat@aaapc.org.au to register your interest in joining.
The Education Subcommittee has just started this year, with Dr Kylie Vuong at the helm. The group is ambitious and coordinating a AAAPC webinar for later this year. Big thanks to all the education subcommittee members in 2020/21! If you are not yet a member, have an interest in primary care education, and would like to get involved; get in touch via email to Kylie at kylie.vuong@unsw.edu.au.
Subscribe to the Members Noticeboard!
New jobs, education opportunities, research projects, and primary health care discussions have been posted on the members noticeboard this past month.
Keep your finger on the pulse by subscribing!
Get in and engage with members - discussion posts are welcome! You can respond to posts by scrolling down to the bottom of a post and clicking “Reply”. Ask questions, stimulate discussion, or simply let us know which topics you like hearing about.
AAAPC is full of prolific writers! Congratulations to several members on their recent publications:
Dr. Erin Oldenhof is a Benzodiazepine withdrawal counsellor at Reconnexion, where she works long-term with individuals who have become dependent on their prescription medication (benzos/z-drugs). She recently completed her doctorate (clinical psychology), where the research impetus was the advent of real-time prescription monitoring of benzodiazepines in Australia. Erin’s thesis presented a new patient-centred model for deprescribing benzodiazepines. She continues research and advocacy to improve patient-centred care amongst primary care clinicians, to reduce the potential harms associated with abrupt discontinuation of benzodiazepines.
Another very full AAAPC newsletter is here! There are lots of exciting AAAPC happenings so make sure you don't miss anything, including announcements regarding:
The Annual General Meeting (AGM) of the Australasian Association of Academic Primary Care (AAAPC) will be held on the eve of the Annual Research Conference 2021 on Wednesday 11th August 5pm AEST via video conference. All members are eligible to attend.
Details to join the meeting will be circulated closer to the date. If you cannot join the meeting, please email secretariat@aaapc.org.au with this form completed to appoint a proxy.
Nominations are now open for eight committee positions undergoing election at the 2021 AGM. Join this active group to contribute to ongoing AAAPC activities!
2021 ARC registrations have reached over 100! Woohoo! Registration costs include AAAPC 2021 membership and all conference activities, including the AGM. Discount prices are available for student members. Register now !
We are looking forward to seeing you online, and discussing all things primary care in August!
AAAPC research and teaching awards are open!
The Charles Bridges-Webb Medal is awarded to an AAAPC member who has made, and will continue to make, sustained high level contributions to academic environment of primary care research.
The Neil Carson Medal is a new award, installed in 2020, and is awarded to an AAAPC member who has made, and will continue to make, sustained high level contributions to the leadership in primary care and medical education.
These two awards are one of the ways AAAPC commits to fostering and supporting career development in academic primary care. Application instructions and nomination forms are available on the prizes tab of the AAAPC webpage. Applications close 5pm 9th July 2021. Prizes will be announced during the AAAPC Annual Research Conference!
AAAPC travelling fellowships are open!
The AAAPC Travelling fellowship is up to $2000 for use towards costs and activities that will foster collaborations and partnerships between primary care researchers and/or external stakeholders. A total fellowship pool of $6000 is available. The travelling fellowship is available to all AAAPC members, though will prioritise Early Career Researchers. Get in quick! Application instructions and nomination forms are available on the Travelling Fellowship webpage. Applications close 5pm 9th July, 2021.
Update from the Early Career Researcher and Capacity Development Subcommittee
Are you a member of AAAPC and looking to advance your career through research? Join Friends Advancing Careers through E-based Support (FACES)! We provide regular meetings for mentoring, advice and collegial discussions about career advancement in primary care research and academia. Please contact Dr Rita McMorrow rita.mcmorrow@unimelb.edu.au to express your interest!
Several AAAPC members have received national accolades this month! We would like to congratulate Professor Kirsty Douglas, Professor Paul Glaziou, Professor Chris Del Mar, and Professor Claire Jackson for their substantial contributions to primary care.
Congratulations Professor Kirsty Douglas on your AMA President’s award!
At the recent Annual General Meeting of the Australian Medical Association (ACT), held on Wednesday, 26 May 2021, Professor Kirsty Douglas was presented with the 2021 President’s Award by the outgoing AMA President (ACT) Dr Antonio Di Dio.
Professor Douglas’ award is in recognition of a fine and longstanding contribution to the health services of the ACT. Professor Douglas’ work has encompassed vital roles in almost every aspect of clinical and executive practice. Her long-term contribution has been made with great strength and enthusiasm that continues to this day, in a diverse range of often challenging roles.
Congratulations Professor Paul Glasziou on your 2021 Order of Australia (AO) badge!
Professor Glasziou received his Officer of the Order of Australia (AO) for distinguished service to medical education and standards, and to evidence-based medical research. He is a Professor of Evidence-Based Practice at Bond University and the Director of the Institute for Evidence-Based Healthcare. Professor Glasziou’s key interests include identifying and removing the barriers to using high-quality research in everyday clinical practice.
Congratulations Professor Chris Del Mar on your Order of Australia (AM) badge.
Professor Del Mar received his Member of the Order of Australia (AM) for significant service to tertiary education, to health and medical research, and to professional bodies. He is Professor of Public Health at Bond University and Professor at the University’s Institute for Evidence-Based Healthcare.
Congratulations Professor Claire Jackson on your Order of Australia badge.
Professor Claire Jackson was made a Member in the General Division (AM) for significant service to primary health reform, and to general practice medicine.
Professor Jackson has devoted the past three decades of her life to health services research and reform and pioneered a new mode of primary care that was used as a prototype nation-wide.
We would also like to congratulate several members on their recent publications:
Dr Jessica Botfieldis a Research Fellow with SPHERE, the NHMRC Centre of Research Excellence in Sexual and Reproductive Health for Women in Primary Care at Monash University. At SPHERE she is involved in the ORIENT study (ImprOving Rural and regIonal accEss to long acting reversible contraceptioN and medical abortion through nurse-led models of care, Tasksharing and telehealth), the AusCAPPS study (the Australian Contraception and Abortion Primary Care Practitioner Support), and coordinating the Women's SRH COVID-19 Coalition. Jessica is also a Senior Research Officer and Registered Nurse at Family Planning NSW. Her research interests focus primarily on sexual and reproductive health and rights (in particular contraception, unintended pregnancy and abortion, and promoting equitable access to information and services for these), nurse-led models of care and service provision, and the design and evaluation of health services.
Dr. Sanne Petersis a postdoctoral research fellow and started her work at Monash University in January 2021. As part of the General Practice Department, it is Sanne's aim to develop a sustainable collaboration between medical staff and researchers in order to facilitate data-led healthcare improvements. Sanne’s PhD explored strategies aimed at improving the knowledge translation in the training of general practitioners at the University of Leuven in Belgium. During her postdoctoral work in Belgium and as Vice-Chair of the Implementation Working Group of the Guidelines International Network, she has been focusing on practice-oriented research projects. She facilitated bottom-up change processes that aimed to increase the uptake of evidence-based clinical guidelines into primary healthcare practices. Sanne is the co-supervisor of a PhD student in medical education and several other student-led research projects.
Dr Habiba Jahanis an academic registrar of RACGP for 2021-2022. She is undertaking a quantitative study analysing a large dataset MedicineInsight at University of Adelaide under Professor Nigel Stocks. Her study is to investigate General Practice management of Depression in patients with Coronary Heart Disease. Dr Habiba Jahan completed her MBBS in 2012. She holds a Diploma in Child Health (University of Sydney) and a Certificate course in Emergency medicine (ACEM).
Dr Jahan is currently working as a GP in training at Hindmarsh Bowden Health, South Australia. Outside work, she enjoys spending time with family and travelling.
