Associate Professor Melinda Truesdale
Associate Professor Melinda Truesdale is a leading emergency and aeromedical physician, Director of the Emergency Department at the Royal Women’s Hospital, and Senior Emergency Physician at the Royal Melbourne Hospital.
After graduating from her medical degree at Monash University in 1988, Associate Professor Truesdale embarked on emergency medicine training with the Australasian College for Emergency Medicine (ACEM).
Early in her specialist career, Associate Professor Truesdale worked at the University of Alberta Hospital, Canada and Southern Health, now known as Monash Health. Her enjoyment of flying both as a private pilot and as an aeromedical retrieval physician were possible during her work in both Canada and for over a decade in Melbourne. Associate Professor Truesdale moved to The Royal Melbourne Hospital (RMH) in 2003 and has worked as an emergency physician continuously for more than 20 years and still enjoys her work as a “front line” clinician.
Associate Professor Truesdale became the Director of the Emergency Department (ED) at the co-located Royal Women’s Hospital (RWH) in 2007 and except for a brief period, has held this position continuously since. She was Director of the RMH ED from 2008 to 2014 and has since undertaken interim roles as Divisional Director for Critical Care Services RMH, Chief Medical Officer of RMH and Medical Director of Services for Women’s Health at RWH.
Associate Professor Truesdale is a sought after presenter in national and international forums. She is a founding member and past Chair of the International Federation of Emergency Medicine’s Quality and Patient Safety special interest group. Associate Professor Truesdale has also developed and implemented short courses at Monash University in aviation and retrieval medicine, and in ultrasound education.
Associate Professor Truesdale became a founding Associate Fellow of the College of Aerospace Medicine in 2012, a Member of the Australasian College of Legal Medicine since 2015 and an Associate Fellow of the Royal College of Medical Administrators in 2019. She has also been on government advisory boards and been an inspector of hospitals with ACEM, Trauma Services Australasia and the Australian Council of Healthcare Standards. She spent a sabbatical in Canada as a Visiting Professor, Emergency Medicine, at the University of Montreal.
Associate Professor Truesdale’s passion for emergency medicine is exemplified by her extensive involvement in ACEM. She has held positions as board member, committee chair and committee member positions for over 20 years.
Associate Professor Truesdale was recognised for her contribution to ACEM with the Distinguished Service award in 2022 and she received the ACEM Medal, its highest honour, in 2024. She was the first woman in Victoria to be awarded the medal, and only the 18th recipient in 40 years of the College.
Outside of her successful medical career, Associate Professor Truesdale has been fortunate to travel to every continent and enjoys animals in their natural environment and exploring Roman ruins. She has obtained a level 1 ski Instructor Certificate and private pilot’s licence.