SCS staff receive Dean's Awards for Excellence

The School of Clinical Sciences is celebrating the outstanding achievements of Dr Monique Kilkenny of the Department of Medicine and the Monash Nutrition Indigenous Curriculum Working Group for their recognition in the 2019 Dean’s Awards for Excellence held earlier this month.

Excellence in Research (Enterprise) – Dr Monique Kilkenny

Dr Kilkenny, a highly experienced epidemiologist and research leader for stroke received the Dean’s Award for Excellence in Research (Enterprise) for her work on the National Stroke Data Linkage Program.

Dr Kilkenny joined the Stroke and Ageing Research group at Monash University in 2011 from The Florey Institute, and in 2018 became Head of the National Stroke Data Linkage Program. The program, which focuses on an integrated national data platform for stroke, links administrative and clinical datasets to facilitate the investigation of the entire journey of patients with stroke.

Dr Kilkenny’s work on the program has seen her collaborate with other researchers and end-users, including the Stroke Foundation and state governments, to advance the use of linked data for health services research including performance monitoring, clinical trials and evaluation of health promotion programs.

Stroke is the leading cause of death and disability in Australia with one in four people affected under the age of 65 years. Great opportunities exist to reduce preventable death or disability, and linking these datasets will allow researchers to reliably investigate the characteristics of stroke patients who are re-hospitalised to help determine whether these hospitalisations are avoidable.

Dr Kilkenny said it was a privilege to receive the award.

“To be a researcher is an honour as it gives me the opportunity to pursue my passion for epidemiology and health services research to provide important evidence to improve the health of people in the community,” she said.

“I’d like to thank my supervisor and mentors Professor Dominique Cadilhac and Professor Amanda Thrift, and also the amazing staff and students at the Stroke and Ageing Research group at Monash University and the Stroke Division at The Florey Institute of Neuroscience and Mental Health for their support and dedication to improving quality of care and outcomes for patients with stroke. Lastly, I would like to thank my family who are always there believing in me and reminding me of the importance of life.”

Excellence in Education (Teaching Excellence) - Monash Nutrition Indigenous Curriculum Working Group

The Monash Nutrition Indigenous Curriculum Working Group, led by Ms Julia McCartan: Ms Janeane Dart, Ms Andrea Bryce, Dr Aimee Dordevic, A/Prof Julie Brimblecombe, Ms Liza Barbour, Dr Nicole Kellow, and Dr Chiara Murgia received the Dean’s Award for Excellence in Education (Teaching Excellence) for their work in preparing students to become culturally capable graduates.

In 2014, the Faculty of Medicine, Nursing and Health Sciences formed an Indigenous Health Curriculum Committee (IHCC) to strengthen the integration of Aboriginal health curriculum within each of the health professional disciplines at Monash University.

The committee, led by the Faculty’s Gukwonderuk Indigenous Engagement Unit, adopted the Department of Health’s Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Health Curriculum Framework, which aims to prepare graduates to practice in a culturally safe manner with Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples and communities.

Under the guidance of the IHCC, the Monash Nutrition Indigenous Curriculum Working Group was established in 2016 with the aim of adopting a programmatic approach to Indigenous health curriculum design.

Since its establishment, 26 new Indigenous-focused learning activities have been integrated across 13 nutrition and dietetics undergraduate and six postgraduate units, scaffolded across all levels of learning. Innovative teaching methods include flipped learning, use of technology (Instagram), and innovative use of learning spaces (place-based Indigenous mnemonics in the Lemon Scented Gum lawn on Clayton Campus).

Research led by the working group found a statistically significant increase in students' attitude, confidence and commitment scores relating to Indigenous health after exposure to the Year 1 Indigenous curriculum. Another research study is underway to evaluate student learning longitudinally.

The Monash Nutrition Indigenous Curriculum Working Group is recognised within the Faculty as a model of exemplary collaboration between academic and professional staff to enhance the student learning experience.