Rheumatologists and Trainees > Training > Vic

Rheumatology Trainee Tutorial/Journal Club Program 2011
Download 2011 Program
These programs are co-ordinated by Lionel Schachna and Marie Feletar

> Alfred Hospital
> Austin Health
> Southern Health, Monash Medical Centre
> Royal Melbourne Hospital
> St Vincent's Hospital
> Western Hospital

Alfred Hospital (updated January 2008)

TRAINING SITE NAME OF SITE: Alfred Hospital
Head of Unit: Professor Flavia Cicuttini Contact Details: Phone: 03 9903 0555 Fax: 03 9903 0556	Number of Training Positions: 1   Research Interests of Unit: There is ample opportunity for registrars to undertake a well defined project that will result in a peer-reviewed publication. The current major research focus is in the understanding of factors that effect joint cartilage in health and disease and role of new imaging modalities in rheumatology. Other areas include inflammatory/connective tissue diseases, medical synovectomy in haemophiliac arthropathy, heat-shock/proteins in rheumatoid arthritis, steroid use in osteopenia in inflammatory joint disease, epidemiology of rheumatic diseases, computerised rheumatology data bases.
STAFF: Consultants: 6 sharing Ward Service; 7 Out Patient VMOs Resident Staff: 1 Registrar 2008:	Facilities: Office Space Procedure Area Library
Patient Services per week: Average Inpatients: 2-4 Average Consultations: 6-8 Average Outpatients: 5 More than 3500 consultations per year. Inpatient beds at hospital are maintained on two campuses with 8 beds being located at the Caulfield General Medical Centre campus and one at the Alfred campus.  It is expected that each trainee will also complete a well-supervised project that will be presented at a relevant meeting and result in a peer-reviewed publication.	Types of Patients Seen (Approx. %): Inflammatory/Connective Tissue Disease:50% Degenerative/Soft Tissue: 40% Chronic Pain: 10% Other: Transplantation related gout, Cystic Fibrosis arthropathy, Haemophiliac arthropathy and HIV related diseases are conditions particular to the Alfred.
Procedures performed in unit: Joint Injection/Aspiration Eipdural injections	Education Activities: Clinical Conference: 1 per week X-Ray Conference: 1 per month Histopathology Conference: 1 Journal Meeting: weekly
Additional Clinics Attended:	Previous registrars: Dr Michael Gingold (2007) Dr Maninder Mundae (2006) Dr Emma Guymer (2005) Dr Anne Powell (2004) Dr Rebecca Grainger (2003)
Comments: We have two very busy outpatient clinics, more than 3,500 consultations per year.   Inpatient beds at our Hospital are maintained on two campuses with eight beds being located at the Caulfield General Medical Centre campus and one at the Alfred campus. It is expected that each trainee will also complete a well-supervised project that will be presented at a relevant meeting and result in a peer-reviewed publication.

 

Austin Health (updated 23rd February 2011)

TRAINING SITE NAME:  Austin Health
Head of Unit: A/Prof Russell Buchanan Contact Details: Tel:  03 9496 4013 Fax: 03 9496 4012	Number of Training Positions: 2 Research Interests of Unit: 1. Rheumatoid arthritis: epidemiology, clinical trials of novel biologic therapies, serologic biomarkers, translational research 2. Ankylosing spondylitis: epidemiology, work disability, sleep disturbance 3. Systemic lupus erythematosus: epidemiology, clinical trials, predictors of long term outcomes
STAFF: Consultants: A/Prof Russell Buchanan Dr Lionel Schachna Dr Kim Boyden Dr Alberta Hoi Dr Tony Kostos Dr Simon Lam Dr Esther Yenson-Chu A/Prof Richard O'Brien Registrars 2011: Dr Diane Apostolopoulos Dr Andrew Foote Resident Staff: 1	Facilities: Office space with desktop computers Online access to major rheumatology journals UptoDate Ambulatory Care Centre Conference room
Patient Services per week: Average Inpatients: 4-6 Average Consultations: 6-10 Average Outpatients: 4 outpatient clinics (1 new and 6 reviews per Clinic)	Types of Patients Seen (Approx. %): Inflammatory/Connective Tissue Disorders: 40% Regional Musculoskeletal Disorders: 30% Osteoarthritis and Crystal Arthropathy: 20% Other: 10%
Procedures performed in unit: Joint aspiration/injection: 5-10 per week Epidural Injection: 1-2 per week	Education Activities: Clinical Conference program includes: - Monthly registrar presentations - Monthly radiology conference - Rheumatology consultant presentations - Quarterly histopathology meeting - Journal club session - Guest speaker program Weekly professorial ward round In-house rheumatology tutorial program Orthopaedic trainee tutorial program
Additional Clinics Attended: Lupus/Scleroderma Clinic Austin Spondylitis Clinic Rheumatoid Arth/Biologics Clinic Combined Orthopaedic/Rheum Clinic Musculoskeletal/injections Clinic	Previous registrars: Dr John Moi (2010) Dr Kim Le Marshall (2010) Dr Jessica Luong (2009) Dr Qiang Li (2009) Dr Simon Lam (2008) Dr Michele Seah (2007) Dr Simon Chatfield (2006) Dr Mark Reed (2005) Dr Suba Nadesapillai (2004)
Comments: The Department of Rheumatology at Austin Health provides outstanding learning opportunities across the depth and breadth of rheumatology with particular strength and research opportunities in rheumatoid arthritis, ankylosing spondylitis, connective tissue diseases and regional musculoskeletal disorders.  For six months, trainees are responsible for inpatient care and ward consultations at the Austin Hospital and attend outpatient clinics at the Austin Hospital.  The other six months, trainees manage ward consultations at the Northern Hospital and attend outpatient clinics at both the Northern and Austin Hospitals.  Our consultants are committed to teaching and we provide ample clinical exposure to foster the development of first-rate clinician rheumatologists.  Trainees are required to complete an independent research project where they develop the research concept, design the study methodology and interpret their results under the supervision of a mentoring consultant.  Successfully completed, this should result in presentation at a national or international scientific meeting and submission for peer-reviewed publication.

Southern Health, Monash Medical Centre (updated January 2008)

TRAINING SITE NAME:  Southern Health, Monash Medical Centre - Clayton Campus
Head of Unit: A/Prof. Geoff Littlejohn Contact Details: Phone: 03 9594 3575 Fax: 03 9594 6512	Number of Training Positions: 1 Research Interests of Unit: Connective Tissue Disease, Inflammatory mechanisms (cytokines), Fibromyalgia, Spinal Pain Mechanisms.  The unit is part of the Monash Centre for Inflammatory Diseases.
STAFF: Consultants: A/Prof Eric Morand Dr Marian Miller Dr Daniel Lewis Dr Michelle Leech Dr Myew-Ling Toh Dr Alberta Hoi Dr Kathryn Johns Dr Joanne Sahhar Registrar 2008: Dr Michael Gingold	Facilities: Equipment Office Space Secretarial Assistance Procedure Area Laboratory Library
Patient Services per week: Average Inpatients: 6-10 Average Consultations: 7-10 Average Outpatients: 100	Types of Patients Seen (Approx. %): Inflammatory/Connective Tissue Disease:40% Degenerative/Soft Tissue: 30% Chronic Pain: 30% Sports Injuries: <5%
Procedures performed in unit: Joint Injection/Aspiration: several times per week/Yttrium injections	Education Activities: Clinical Conference: weekly X-Ray Conference: monthly formal, weekly informal Histopathology Conference: 2 monthly Journal Meeting: weekly Research Meeting: weekly Combined Conferences: monthly combined orthopaedic meeting
Additional Clinics Attended: 3 clinics per week Regional Clinic: Traralgon - monthly	Previous registrars: Drs Tina Racunica/Emma Guymer (2007) Dr Sally Ayoub (2006) Dr Anne Powell (2005) Dr Anthony Boers (2004) Dr Emma Guymer (2003)
Comments: The Unit offers a wide experience of rheumatic disease, including paediatrics, in the setting of a large hospital, plus regional clinic and private practice experience.

Royal Melbourne Hospital (updated 23rd Feb. 2011)

TRAINING SITE NAME:  Royal Melbourne Hospital
Head of Unit: Professor Ian Wicks Contact Details: Phone: 03 9342 7634 Fax: 03 9342 7632	Number of Training Positions: 2 Research Interests of Unit: Pathogenesis of rheumatoid arthritis Cardiovascular disease in rheumatoid arthritis Assessment of quality of life in rheumatic diseases Patient education strategies Epidemiology and public health of rheumatic diseases
STAFF: Consultants: Prof. Ian Wicks Dr Sharon van Doornum Prof. Geoff McColl Dr Geoff Markov Dr Suba Nadesapillai Dr Sabina Ciciriello Dr Simon Chatfield Dr Gene-Siew Ngian Honorary Dr Rick Travers Dr Alex Stockman A/Prof. Caroline Brand Dr David Barraclough Dr Andrea Bendrups Resident Staff: 1 Registrars 2011: John Moi & Kate Gregorevic	Facilities: Office Space and Secretarial Assistance Library: RMH and Univeristy of Melbourne Other: Private practice training in Melbourne Private (on site) Strong links with WEHI (Prof. I Wicks), Univeristy Department of Medicine (Dr Sharon van Doornum), Clinical Epidemiology (Drs Sharon van Doornum & Caroline Brand) and General Medicine (Dr Andrea Bendrups).
Patient Services per week: Average Inpatients: 4-6 Average Consultations: 10 (2 ward rounds/week) Average Outpatients: 3.5 public outpatient clinics (1 new and 7 review patients per clinic); 2 Private Practice Outpatient Sessions each registrar	Types of Patients Seen (Approx. %): Inflammatory/Connective Tissue Disease:40% Degenerative/Soft Tissue, Osteoporosis: 60%
Procedures performed in unit: Joint Injection/Aspiration: 5-10  times per week Infliximab infusions 1-2 per week Epidural injections 1-2 per week	Education Activities: Clinical Conference: 1 per week X-Ray Conference: 1 per week Histopathology Conference: quarterly Journal Meeting: quarterly Research Meeting: as required Combined Conferences: Monthly meeting with orthopaedics and Victorian ARA Teaching: trainee contributes to undergraduate and postgraduate teaching.
Additional Clinics Attended: Rehab team meetings for rheumatology patients at Melbourne Extended Care Monthly Rheumatology/Orthopaedic meetings	Previous registrars: Dr Shereen Oon/Jessica Luong (2010) Dr Gemma Strickland/Dr Tim Bennett (2009) Dr Gene-Siew Ngian/Dr Maree Micallef (2008) Dr Maninder Mundae (2007) Dr Mark Reed (2006) Dr Simon Chatfield (2005) Dr Sabina Ciciriello (2004) Dr Suba Nadesapillai (2003) Dr Lynden Roberts (2002) Dr Mandy Nikpour (2001) Dr Andrew Ostor (2000)
Comments: Responsibility for supervision of inpatient work rotated between 6 consultants (Prof. Wicks, Prof. McColl, Dr Markov - 3 months each; Dr Nadesapillai, Dr Ciciriello and Dr Chatfield - 1 month). Strong links with basic and clinical research (Dr Van Doornum - Department of Medicine, Prof Ian Wicks - WEHI).  Strong links with other musculoskeletal departments at RMH, including orthopaedics, physiotherapy and osteoporosis, with general medicine (through Dr Bendrups) and with clinical epidemiology (through Dr Caroline Brand).

St Vincent's Hospital (updated November 2008)

TRAINING SITE NAME: St Vincent's Hospital
Head of Unit: Dr Laurence Clemens Contact Details: Tel: 03 9417 7522 Fax: 03 9417 0922	Number of Training Positions: 1 Research Interests of Unit: 1. Scleroderma. Database of Limited and Diffuse disease patients. Intervention studies in patients with pulmonary disease 2. Effect of Inflammatory disease on bone biology (collaborative with Dept of Medicine). 3. New therapies for Inflammatory Joint disease and Osteoarthritis. 4. Cardiovascular disease in SLE and Rheumatoid Arthritis
STAFF: Consultants: Dr L Clemens Dr   E Romas Dr W Stevens Dr T Godfrey Dr M Nickpour Dr K Lim Dr M Wong Dr F Laska Dr Veronique Sayag-Boukris Resident Staff: 2nd Year RMO Rheumatology Advanced Trainee Clinical Trials Co ordinator One full time ,one part time B Med Science Student Secretary   (Shared with Orthopaedics) Registrar 2008:	Facilities: Office Space: Director, Deputy Director and Clinical Trials Co ordinator have individual offices. Trainee has own workstation with computer and phone in the Dept. Workroom; a large room with individual workstations for the clinical research groups. Secretarial Assistance: Available for letters/abstracts, etc. Laboratory: Shared with Dept. of Orthopaedics Library: Main medical library receives major rheumatology journals Other: Conference room with projector, video, etc.
Patient Services per week: Average Inpatients: 5 Average Consultations: 4 Average Outpatients: Rheumatology Clinic: 10-12 new, 70 old (2 clinics)	Types of Patients Seen (Approx. %): Inflammatory/Connective Tissue Disease:60% Degenerative/Soft Tissue: 30% Chronic Pain: 5% Sports Injuries: 5%
Procedures performed in unit: Joint Injection/Aspiration: 5-10 per week Epidural Injections: 10-20 per year Muscle Biopsy: Referred to Neurosurgery Nerve Conduction Studies: Performed by Neurology EMG's: Performed by Neurology	Education Activities: Clinical Conference: Monthly Presentation X-Ray Conference: Monthly Histopathology Conference: Quarterly Journal Meeting: Monthly Research Meeting: Combined with Audit two-monthly Combined Conferences: Registrar attends weekly orthopaedic surgery conference Other: Rheumatology and orthopaedic clinics co-located.   Plastic Surgeon attends Rheumatology clinic two-monthly.   Unit meeting with P/T, O/T, Nursing staff weekly. Medical Grandround Meetings Presentation at Dept of Medicine Clinical Meetings
Additional Clinics Attended: Paediatric Rheumatology (Royal Children's fortnightly) Neuro-Immunology/Uveitis Clinic (Royal Vic. Eye & Ear Hospital) Combined Renal/SLE clinic	Previous registrars: Dr Simon Lam (2007) Dr Maxine Szramka (2006) Dr Sabina Cicirello (2005) Dr Rebecca Grainger (2004) Dr Linden Roberts (2003) Dr Mandy Nickpour (2002) Dr Melinda Wong (2001) Dr Ling Toh (2000)
Comments: The present position offers broad exposure to all aspects of adult rheumatology and experience in immunosuppressive treatment for inflammatory diseases of eye, kidney and nervous system.

Western Hospital (updated 23rd Feb. 2011)

TRAINING SITE NAME OF SITE: Western Hospital
Head of Unit: Associate Professor Keith Lim Contact Details: Phone: 03 9318 1722 Fax: 03 9318 3701	Number of Training Positions: 1   Research Interests of Unit: Osteoarthritis: mechanisms of pain and clinical outcomes, drug interventions, orthopaedic surgery and outcomes. Back pain and management pathway. Biological agents in inflammatory disease.
STAFF: Consultants: A/Prof. Keith Lim Dr Richard Travers (Honorary Senior Consultant) Dr Maninder Mundae Dr Simon Lam Dr Suba Nadesepillai Dr Maree Micallef Dr Shom Bhattacharjee Dr Talib Tahir Dr Veronique Sayag Boukris (locum) Clinical Fellows: Dr Jessica Luong Research Fellow: Dr Amee Sonigra Rheumatology Research Coordinator:Janis Lim Junior Medical Staff: Registrar for 2011: Dr Tim Bennett HMO: (shared with Dermatology)	Facilities: Excellent library with work space Day Care Procedure Unit
Patient Services per week: Average Inpatients: 5-8 Epidural injections average 2 per week Average consultations: 5-10	Types of Patients Seen (Approx. %): Inflammatory Arthritis: 30% Soft Tissue rheumatism including Back pain & Osteoporosis: 30% Osteoarthritis & Crystal Arthropathy: 20% Connective Tissue Disease & others: 20%
Procedures performed in unit: Joint & Soft tissue injections Sacral Epidural injections	Education Activities: Weekly Unit meetings Monday (1pm-2pm) including monthly X-Ray meeting, Journal club, case presentations, research discussion and quest speakers Weekly grand rounds including twice a year unit presentations Weekly Professorial rounds
Additional Clinics Attended: Outpatient clinic St Vincent's Hospital, once a week. Sunbury once fortnightly, Medical Obstetrics fortnightly	Previous registrars: Dr Albert Leung (2010) Dr Madeleine Healy (2009) Dr Shom Bhattacharjee (2008) Dr Maree Micallef (2007) Dr Simon Lam (2006) Dr Maninder Mundae (2005)
Comments: (for 2010) This is a core job for rheumatology advanced training in Victoria.  It is ideal for a candidate seeking a broad exposure in rheumatic conditions. The rheumatology unit serves the large multicultural population of the Western suburbs. The outpatient clinics are extremely busy and provides an excellent base for learning and teaching. We see the full spectrum of rheumatic diseases and conditions. As one of the Melbourne University teaching hospitals, student and post-graduate teaching is expected. The library facilities are excellent. There are ample opportunities to discuss and present XRays, clinical cases and investigative results with the consultant rheumatologists, radiologists and other specialists in a friendly atmosphere. There are ample opportunities to participate in Fellowship and GP training sessions. A recent recruitment exercise has seen our senior ranks swell, further enhancing our service and academic capacity. The site underwent a successful college visit last year for accreditation of the training position. The unit meeting is held on Mondays weekly. The trainee is in charge of running this. In addition, participation in the other activities of the hospital is encouraged (Hospital grand rounds, Professorial grand rounds and audit sessions held weekly). There will be two grand round presentations per year, one clinical, one research/audit based. Trainees are encouraged to undertake a project in the area of their choice after discussing  with their supervisors. It is expected that the trainee presents a paper from the project at a rheumatology meeting and submit for publication. Thus far, registrars have been encouraged to present their findings abroad for exposure.   In the past three years we have managed to secure paper presentations at overseas meetings. The units have strong interests in osteoarthritis and there is an established program. In addition, the trainee attends clinics at the St Vincent's Hospital rotating between musculoskeletal clinic (Melinda Wong) and the OA clinic (Keith Lim).

Page Updated 21 March 2011