Monash Emergency Physician recognised with academic promotion

Professor Simon Craig

Simon Craig, an Emergency Physician at Monash Medical Centre, has been recognised for his outstanding clinical work and research, receiving an academic promotion at Monash University.

Adjunct Clinical Professor Craig’s early work focused on emergency medicine education, during which time he completed a Masters in Health Professional Education. However, since moving to a full-time paediatric role, his research has focused on emergency care for children, including work on 
oxygen therapy, abdominal pain, asthma, bronchiolitis, critical procedures and fracture management.

Professor Craig said over the last few years, academic paediatric emergency medicine has grown at Monash Health.

“The department has participated in a number of research projects as part of the Paediatric Research in Emergency Departments International Collaborative (PREDICT) Network, including NHMRC-funded studies on high-flow therapy in bronchiolitis and Bell’s palsy in children, and other randomized clinical trials on paediatric status epilepticus and procedural pain management,” he said.

“In developed countries, serious acute illness in children is rare. Most of the ‘big’ questions in acute paediatrics need collaborative, multicentre research, such as the recent PREDICT studies on seizures and bronchiolitis.”

“We are also fortunate to be able to collaborate with similar research networks from all around the world, through the Paediatric Emergency Research Networks (PERN).”

Beyond his clinical and research load, Simon lectures to medical students, supervises medical student BMedSc(Hons) and trainee research projects, and is regularly invited to speak at national and international meetings.

He is currently completing work as a senior medical advisor to the Monash Health EMR project, and has other non-clinical roles including vice-chair of the PREDICT network executive, co-chairing the Monash Health Human Ethics Low-Risk Review Panel, and chairing the ACEM Trainee Research Panel.

In 2014, while chair of the paediatric resuscitation committee, Simon wrote the first edition of the Monash Children’s Paediatric Emergency Medication Book. The second edition, co-edited with Nicole Dirnbauer, has sold hundreds of copies across Australia, and been incorporated into the Australian Advanced Paediatric Life Support Course. He was also one of the editors of the recently released 3^rd edition of the Textbook of Paediatric Emergency Medicine, which featured a number of authors from Monash Children’s Hospital.

Simon is currently leading an international working group aimed at achieving consensus on outcome measures for trials in acute severe paediatric asthma.

“Being a clinician-researcher has given me the opportunity to meet and work with wonderful people within Monash Health, across Australia, and from many different countries,” Simon said.
“The more we collaborate in high quality research, we not only improve the profile of our department and health service, but we can influence practice – in our own hospital, and across the world.”

“During my time at Monash, I’ve been lucky enough to work with some fantastic academic role models, including Ed Oakley, George Braitberg, Andis Graudins and Diana Egerton-Warburton,” he said.

“It’s also been great to have support from the ED leadership, including Adam West (Director of Paediatric Emergency), Neil Goldie (Emergency Service Director), and previous Directors Pam Rosengarten and Tony Kambourakis, as well as from Monash University’s Professors Peter Ebeling and Eric Morand.”

“I’d like to thank all of my medical and nursing colleagues who have helped out with research within the ED. Despite the busy environment, we have been able to recruit patients, collect data, complete a number of important studies, and help many trainees and students achieve their own research goals.”

“Finally, and most importantly, I’d like to thank my family, who have put up with countless hours of me either being away from home, spending time on teleconferences, taking calls about study recruitment while on holidays, and sitting with a laptop editing, writing, or reading!”

Simon can be followed on twitter: @DrSimonCraig