SCS fellowship enables research to improve outcomes for children with brain injury

Dr Ali Crichton

Clinical neuropsychologist Dr Ali Crichton is a recipient of the School of Clinical Sciences at Monash Health (SCS) 2018 Early Career Practitioner Fellowship, a scheme that gives young physicians protected time, enabling physician scientists to continue their clinical duties while remaining active in research.

Dr Crichton is a senior clinical neuropsychologist, Victorian Paediatric Rehabilitation Services, Monash Children’s Hospital and an adjunct lecturer at Monash University.  To date, her research has combined a focus on the neuropsychological consequences of brain injury and providing interventions to support children and families following brain injury.

“My PhD focused on a common clinical complaint with limited scientific study so far -  the measurement of fatigue after child brain injury, tracking this over time after injury and taking into account multiple factors including sleep, mood and pain,” Dr Crichton said.

“This fellowship will enable me to work with Professor Rosemary Horne to better understand the complex science of sleep and fatigue in children with brain injury, and I will trial new interventions to address these difficulties.”

“I also hope to continue to establish a foundation for paediatric neuropsychological research at Monash Children’s Hospital, and to use my clinical expertise to facilitate several existing clinical projects currently underway.”

Dr Crichton said she was grateful for the fellowship at key time in her career, and it will provide her with the opportunity to collaborate with paediatric sleep experts to better understand and treat sleep disorders and fatigue.

“I hope that findings generated through this research will support children and families to maximise their functional outcome from brain injuries.”