Research is critical to advancing healthcare. A key goal in the Metro North Research Strategy is to find ways to support research and researchers to continue their work to find new ways to treat, diagnose and prevent serious health conditions.

The Fellowship program awards up to five part-time grants, specifically designed to allow our most promising clinicians to develop and advance a body of research aligned to the Research Strategy to create a strong foundation of evidence-based healthcare through research. Since 2019, twenty Fellowships have been awarded across a wide range of fields and addressing a wide array of topics. To read more about our current Fellows, please go to the Metro North Research website.

We are extremely pleased to announce our Metro North Clinician Research Fellows for 2023. We congratulate our new Fellows:

Dr Elizabeth Marsden (RADAR Rapid Response, Caboolture Hospital)

RADAR Emergency Falls and Orthopaedic Residential Model (REFORM) – a program of research

Elizabeth’s team is addressing the need for innovations in health care of older adults in residential aged care facilities with the formation and delivery of a novel patient-centred model of care (MOC) that utilises a multidisciplinary outreach team of nurse practitioners, geriatricians, ED physicians and pharmacists, to diagnose and manage falls and upper limb fractures in older adults in their own place of residence rather that in the ED. The vision for the RADAR emergency falls and fracture orthopaedic residential model (REFORM) and Elizabeth’s fellowship is to provide value-based pragmatic ED substitution service enabling timely access to specialist care for older adults in residential aged care facilities. Her research program will comprise three interrelated projects:

• a process evaluation of the REFORM MOC structure, processes and outcomes
• a diagnostic accuracy of bedside point-of-care ultrasound (POCUS) for older adults with a suspected acute distal radius fracture
• a randomised controlled trial (RCT) in residents with dementia and a distal radius fracture to determine if plaster cast colour leads to fewer cast removals

A/Prof Alka Kothari, (Obstetrics & Gynaecology, Redcliffe Hospital)

Supporting fathers during a traumatic pregnancy: Towards holistic care

Alka’s mission is to is to build sustainable systems to universally identify and proactively support ‘at risk’ fathers, especially after a traumatic pregnancy and childbirth. Unfortunately, maternal or fetal complications occur in up to one-third of pregnancies resulting in serious mental health consequences for the father, mother, and the entire family unit.  While there is targeted support afforded to women during pregnancy and postpartum, this is not the case for fathers. Fathers are also typically reluctant to access and accept care and support due to stigma and societal constraints, which highlights the importance of tailored father-friendly solutions. Alka’s aim is to develop appropriate interventions to support the psychological health and wellbeing of fathers, particularly after a traumatic event. Her vision is to broaden the scope of obstetric services to be father-inclusive, holistic and equitable which will in turn target a major unmet need to ensure a best start to life for all children by promoting the health and wellbeing of both mothers and fathers.

Dr Julie Adsett, (Physiotherapy, RBWH)

Time to Get Moving: Creating active hospitals to reduce hospital-associated functional decline

Julie’s intention is to create ‘active hospitals’ where staff and systems safely support greater physical activity to optimise patients’ functional recovery after acute illness and surgery. Underpinned by multidisciplinary clinical and organisational expertise, consumers’ lived experience, contemporary implementation science methods and rigorous real-world evaluation, this collaborative research program will create, synthesise, implement, evaluate and share evidence to improve functional outcomes and foster a culture that prioritises function and physical activity.

Dr Sarah Andersen, (Dietetics and Food Services, RBWH)

Using prebiotic fibre supplementation to improve patient outcomes during treatment for haematological malignancies

Sarah will use her Fellowship to complete research that builds the evidence and addresses knowledge gaps on how nutrition can help optimise patient outcomes during haematological cancer treatment. Her research will assess the feasibility of prebiotic fibre supplementation and assess if it can protect a healthy microbiome and reduce complications. It will build the evidence on optimal nutrition support during haematological cancer treatment to enable future translation of these findings into clinical practice, to improve patient care and outcomes.

Congratulations to our four recipients for 2023. We’re looking forward to seeing the progress of these diverse research projects.

Clinical Research Training Program

I would like to remind you that applications for the Clinical Researcher Training Program (CRTP) close on Wednesday 23^rd November 2022. I would like to encourage you all to submit your application as soon as possible.

What is the CRTP?

The program provides a concurrent clinical and research training pathway to support and develop our future health research leaders. This includes opportunities for research training through a PhD with The University of Queensland’s Faculty of Medicine or Faculty of Health and Behavioural Sciences, and protected time for research post-PhD with Metro North Health.

UQ has secured Living Stipend Scholarships of $50,000 per annum (full-time; tax-free*) for four successful applicants.

Who is the CRTP for?

Bespoke and tailored towards the research direction of each successful candidate, the 2023 intake of CRTP is flexibly designed by UQ and Metro North Health for:

• Doctors in post or on a vocational training program that will bring them to MNH by Feb 2023;
• Nurses and Midwives who want to practice and research in a specialist area; and
• Allied Health Practitioners who want to practice and research in a specialist area.

Applications aligned to Metro North Health and UQ strategic imperatives are preferred. Applicants with an interest in surgery and surgical outcomes; infectious disease management and preventions; and cancer control and care are encouraged to apply, noting that CRTP is not restricted to these areas of research.

Key Dates

• Currently accepting applications until 5pm (AEST) November 23^rd 2022
• Interviews of short-listed applicants on 6^th December 2022

Want to know more

For full details, including eligibility and how to apply, visit the website.

If you have questions, please direct enquiries to med.adr@uq.edu.au.

Regards,

Dan