Berny Abrahams

Predicting Postoperative Outcomes in Elective Major Joint Surgery at a Regional Centre - The Role of a Multidimensional Frailty Scale

Dr Berny Abrahams is a PGY3 doctor at Bendigo Health with a focus on Intensive Care Medicine and Anaesthetics. A Monash University Malaysia graduate, she completed clinical years in regional Malaysia (Segamat, Johor Bahru) and her early postgraduate years in Townsville. Passionate about healthcare system improvement, she engages in research, quality projects, and collaborative care in Victoria. Berny intends to pursue anaesthetic training through the Victorian Regional Training Network, with a long-term vision to contribute to sustainable models of rural healthcare delivery.

Brienna Allman

On-Country Learning Opportunities to Enhance The Cultural Safety of Medical Education in Gippsland

Ms Brienna Allman is a final year medical student at Monash University, originally from rural New South Wales. She holds a Bachelor of Biomedical Science with First Class Honours and has worked as a research associate at Epworth Hospital. Her clinical rotations span across Gippsland, where she has also worked as a personal care assistant at Latrobe Regional Health. Brienna's professional interests include mental health, First Nations health, and women’s health. She aspires to become a rural generalist in South Gippsland, actively contributing to healthcare equity and community wellbeing in regional Victoria.

Samiha Arulshankar

Water expanding beads - clinical impacts and management challenges in rural and regional Australian healthcare settings

Chemotherapy Uptake in Muscle-Invasive Bladder Cancer - Rural Versus Metropolitan Disparities

Ms Samiha Arulshankar is a fourth-year medical student at Monash University, completing placements in Sale and Wonthaggi. With clinical exposure to O&G, paediatrics, psychiatry, and general practice in regional Victoria, she is passionate about rural medicine.

Catherine Bateman

Does ultrasound place an unnecessary risk on patients seeking early medical abortion?

No Touch Medical Abortion - Implementation by Latrobe Sexual and Reproductive Health Hub

Ms Catherine Bateman is a Registered Nurse and Nurse Practitioner Candidate in Sexual and Reproductive Health based in Gippsland. With qualifications in public health, gender studies, and bedside ultrasound, she leads Latrobe Community Health Service's SRH Hub. Her initiatives have expanded services to Mildura and Bundoora, supporting regional access to high-quality care. Catherine represents sexual health nurses nationally and contributes to state-level reform through Women’s Health Victoria. Her career reflects a commitment to advancing gender-affirming, equitable health services in underserved areas.

Seth Benson

Retrospective Study of Paediatric Allergy Presentations to Regional Outpatient Clinics

Mr Seth Benson is a final-year medical student at Monash University with clinical training across Sale, Traralgon, and South Gippsland. A lifelong Gippsland resident, he aims to return to his community as a rural paediatrician. Seth's academic focus includes understanding barriers in regional healthcare and advocating for paediatric service expansion. Outside medicine, he enjoys playing music and surfing through the coastline of South Gippsland, combining creative passion with community engagement.

Jonathon Chi

Representation of Regional Institutions in Cancer Registries in Australia

Mr Jonathon Chi is a third-year medical student at Monash University, currently undergoing placement in Warragul. Originally from Toowoomba, he entered medicine via a rural pathway and plans to continue his training in Gippsland. Passionate about research and equity, Jonathon is investigating cancer registry representation in regional hospitals. He hopes to apply his findings to inform health policy and contribute to broader rural medical education and clinical care across Victoria.

Thomas Davis

Single use anaesthetic drug tray use at GV Health

Dr Thomas Davis is a medical intern at Goulburn Valley Health in Shepparton with a background in occupational therapy. He completed his Doctor of Medicine at the University of Wollongong, including rural placement in Shoalhaven. With extensive experience across East Gippsland and rural NSW, Thomas is committed to quality improvement and sustainable care models. He aims to pursue anaesthetic or rural generalist training and practice in a regional centre close to his community.

Jasmine Elliott

The 'Goldilocks Medical Clearance' and Audit of Medical Evaluation of Psychiatric Patients Admitted to the Adult Acute Unit

Dr Jasmine Elliott is a Psychiatry Registrar at Bendigo Health with a focus on youth mental health. Raised in Arnhem Land and regional Queensland, she studied through Monash’s Extended Rural Cohort. Jasmine contributes to governance and advocacy through Orygen and the Murdoch Children's Research Institute CREYATE team. Her clinical work and leadership roles underscore a commitment to reforming rural mental health systems and supporting young people across regional Australia.

Kayla Gallert

A NUTS Approach to DVT Investigation, as Audited at a Regional Emergency Department

Dr Kayla Gallert is a PGY1 intern at University Hospital Geelong. A lifelong Gippsland resident, she previously earned degrees in biomedical science and pharmacy. Her medical training included rural placements in Leongatha and Traralgon. With an emerging interest in research and clinical care, Kayla intends to return to regional Victoria to give back to the community that shaped her.

Mark Gerges

Genomic Testing Uptake in mCRPC - A Retrospective Audit at a Regional Oncology Unit in Victoria

Mr Mark Gerges is a third-year medical student at Monash University currently placed in Traralgon. Having entered medicine via the rural pathway, he has committed most of his training to regional placements. Mark’s interests include oncology and primary care, and he actively contributes to quality improvement projects. He plans to pursue a career in rural medical practice, combining research and clinical service in underserved areas.

Muhammad Abdul (Hadi) Hadi

The Regional Medical Pathway - A Blueprint for Sustainable Regional Medical Training in Australia

Mr Muhammad Abdul (Hadi) Hadi is a first-year medical student at the University of Queensland via the Regional Medical Pathway in Rockhampton. He is passionate about medical administration and critical care, aiming to strengthen regional healthcare infrastructure. Hadi holds leadership roles in student advocacy groups and contributes to policy development in medical education. His ultimate goal is to improve service delivery through strategic planning and community-driven care models, driven by a personal commitment to the provision of high-quality care.

Aidan Hanrahan

One Injection at a Time - A Rural Case of Pseudoxanthoma Elasticum Managed with Individualised Anti-VEGF Therapy

Mr Aidan Hanrahan is a final-year medical student from Monash University, raised in regional Victoria. His clinical placements span Gippsland, Bendigo, and Castlemaine. Aidan’s interests include general ophthalmology, rural generalism, and psychiatry. He is committed to working in regional communities like Ballarat or Bendigo, contributing to holistic healthcare delivery and advocating for local service improvements.

Sarah Hui

Utility of Mobile Health Clinics in the Provision of Cardiac Care Services

Miss Sarah Hui is a third-year medical student at Monash University, undertaking clinical placement at Latrobe Regional Health. An Extended Rural Cohort student, she is interested in global health and rural healthcare barriers. Sarah envisions contributing to outreach programs while balancing metropolitan experience. Outside medicine, she enjoys music, running, and exploring food cultures with friends and family.

Isabelle Huynh

A Rare Case of De Garengeot Hernia with Acute Appendicitis - Diagnostic and Surgical Challenges

Dr Isabelle Huynh is a general surgery registrar at Austin Health with prior experience in Sale, Gippsland. Her rural surgical training strengthened her clinical adaptability and teamwork. Isabelle is passionate about improving surgical education and care in resource-limited environments. She recently joined a medical mission to Fiji and hopes to contribute to underserved communities through outreach and mentorship.

Matthew Kim

Fieldwork and Reflection: Understanding People Who Use Drugs in a Regional Town

Mr Matthew Kim is a final-year medical student at Monash University, completing placement at Mildura Base Public Hospital. He is also a research officer for the MIXMAX study, Australia’s largest cohort of active drug users. Matthew's rotations have included psychiatry, Indigenous health, general medicine, and aged care. He is considering career pathways in general practice or psychiatry, and hopes to contribute to service delivery and harm reduction programs in regional Australia.

Jamie Lan

Raptor_ED - Implementing a Rapid ACS Pathway to Optimise Rural ED Care

Dr Jamie Lan is an Emergency Medicine Specialist at West Gippsland Healthcare Group, where he leads the RAPTOR_ED initiative to improve acute coronary syndrome care in rural emergency departments. His clinical experience spans metropolitan, regional, and remote settings, including retrieval medicine in Central Australia. Jamie’s focus is on diagnostic safety, systems reform, and advancing equity in emergency care. He also contributes to education and sustainable quality improvement projects tailored to regional emergency medicine practice.

Hamed Lotfi

Enhancing Colorectal Cancer Care in Regional Victoria - Analysing Optimal Care Pathway Adherence

Dr Hamed Lotfi is a PGY2 doctor at Latrobe Regional Health, currently undertaking a General Medicine rotation. He brings international clinical experience and holds a Master of Public Health from Deakin University, with a strong focus on improving colorectal cancer outcomes and advancing health equity. Hamed has a keen interest in the GP-surgery training pathway and is committed to continuing his clinical work and research in regional Victoria, with the aim of strengthening cancer diagnosis and treatment frameworks.

Kumaran Manivannan

Profile of Regional Paediatric Patients and the Prevalence of Childhood Obesity - A Descriptive Audit

Mr Kumaran Manivannan is a final-year medical student at Monash University, currently placed at Latrobe Regional Health. He has completed a rural elective in paediatrics in Bendigo and intends to apply for the Extended Rural Stream for paediatric training. Kumaran is passionate about general and developmental paediatrics, and also interested in health economics and policy. He aims to practice in Gippsland or Bendigo, contributing to both patient care and system improvement.

Shizar Nahidi

Bridging Bush and Brain: A Review of Challenges and Barriers to Mental and Psychiatric Care in Rural and Remote Australia

Brains, Bots, and Boundaries: Navigating the Rise of Artificial Intelligence in Psychiatry

Dr Shizar Nahidi is a Psychiatry Registrar at Latrobe Regional Health and an adjunct senior lecturer at Monash University. He holds a PhD in public mental health and previously managed rural health centres in Tehran. With over three years’ experience in Victoria’s Latrobe Valley, Shizar advocates for evidence-based reform in regional mental health systems. He currently serves as president of the Junior Medical Officer Society at LRH.

Symrin Oad

Atypical Presentation and Management of Primary Colonic Diffuse Large B-Cell Lymphoma - A Case Report and Systematic Review of Diagnostic Challenges in Rural Setting

Dr Symrin Oad is a PGY1 intern at Monash Health, currently based in emergency at Wonthaggi Hospital. She holds degrees in biomedical science and medicine from Monash University, and is passionate about procedural care and rural health access. Symrin aims to become a rural general practitioner or surgeon, working in South Gippsland to improve health literacy and continuity of care in regional communities.

Noah Pallot

Being Patient for the Patient - Crafting Communication Skills

Dr Noah Pallot is an ACRRM registrar at Central Gippsland Health, pursuing rural generalist training. Raised in Gippsland, he completed his internship locally and is committed to continuing medical education and health system improvement. Noah is a board director of the Rural Doctors Association of Victoria and is undertaking a Master of Public Health to further strengthen regional service delivery.

Yesha Parikh

Nowhere Feels Like Home - Navigating Autonomy and Aged Care Discharge in Rural Victoria

Miss Yesha Parikh is a third-year medical student at Monash University, currently placed at West Gippsland Hospital in Warragul. Passionate about gastrointestinal surgery, she aims to improve equitable surgical access in rural and regional Australia. Her research interests include sustainable healthcare models and inclusive service design. Combining clinical expertise with a commitment to advocacy, Yesha aspires to be part of policy-making decisions to improve rural health alongside her medical career.

Griffan Randle

Messages for Doctors from the Gippsland PHN Health Needs Assessment 2025-28

Mr Griffan Randle is a first-year medical student at Deakin University with a background in biomedical science and project management. He holds roles at Gippsland PHN and Latrobe Regional Health, leading initiatives in digital health, GP workforce planning, and chronic disease care. Griffan presented at the CaPRI-2024 conference and hopes to combine clinical training with immunology research, strengthening system-level healthcare outcomes in regional Australia.

Abigail Rowe

Rural Generalist Training Opportunities in Victoria

Miss Abigail Rowe is a final-year Doctor of Medicine student at The University of Melbourne, completing rural placement at Echuca Regional Health. Originally from Mildura, she studied biomedical science at La Trobe University and is a member of the rural medical pathway. Abigail is active in research, advocacy, and rural leadership initiatives and hopes to begin her career as a rural generalist in her hometown to improve community health outcomes.

Zhi En (Mark) Tay

Listening to Country Hearts - Exploring Access to Paediatric Cardiology in Rural Gippsland

Mr Zhi En (Mark) Tay is a final-year Monash medical student completing placement in Traralgon. He spent two prior years training in Warragul through the Extended Rural Cohort. Mark is passionate about paediatrics and rural child health advocacy, with a particular interest in paediatric cardiology. He has led health education initiatives and contributed to clinical research in Gippsland. Mark aims to pursue outreach work and advanced training to improve specialist access for children in rural communities.

Siri Uddandam

From Malignancy to Masterpiece - Evaluating Full-Thickness Skin Grafts for Nasal Reconstruction in Regional Victoria

Dr Siri Uddandam is a PGY4 general surgery registrar currently deployed to Central Gippsland Health via Austin Health. With an interest in colorectal surgery and rural healthcare access, she plans to sub-specialise after obtaining fellowship with RACS. Siri envisions practicing in regional centres such as Bendigo or Sale, addressing delays in diagnosis and continuity gaps. She is passionate about building sustainable surgical services and mentoring junior doctors in underserved areas.

Rochelle Vaz

Traumatic Digital Amputation - A Literature Review on the Digital Dilemma and Outcome-Comparison of Replantation vs Revision Amputation

Dr Rochelle Vaz is a PGY3+ Surgical HMO at Bendigo Health, originally graduating from Monash University Malaysia with prior clinical training across Malaysia, Australia and surgical apprenticeships during COVID in Oman. She has developed deep interests in general and plastic surgery and her experience includes medical and surgical terms in Bendigo. She will be working as an unaccredited Surgical Registrar next year, and aims to practise in regional Victoria as a future surgeon, while contributing to education and research in the ever-advancing landscape of general and plastic surgery.

Maria Vaz Serra

NEED Digital Health Education Evaluation Project

Ms Maria Vaz Serra is a fourth-year medical student at Monash University, training through the End-to-End Rural Cohort. She has completed placements in Churchill, Bendigo, Mildura, and Swan Hill. Maria is passionate about rural health, critical care, and surgery, with career aspirations in regional Victoria. She is actively involved in leadership and volunteering, with a focus on clinical innovation and equitable care for rural and remote populations.

Jessica Vereker

The perspective of vulnerable populations on palliative care in Australia - a scoping review

Miss Jessica Vereker is a final-year medical student at Monash University, currently completing her aged care rotation in Leongatha. Her honours research focuses on palliative care equity for vulnerable populations in rural Australia. Jessica aims to explore diverse clinical settings post-graduation and is particularly interested in tailored service delivery that reflects community-specific needs. She is committed to applying an intersectional lens to future research and practice.

Pulasthi (Vinu) Wettesinghe

Optimising stroke imaging in a regional hospital - a clinical audit

Mr Pulasthi (Vinu) Wettesinghe is a final-year medical student at Monash University, having undertaken clinical training in Warragul, Traralgon, and Sale. He is committed to research and improving healthcare delivery in regional and remote communities. Drawing on his experiences in Gippsland, Vinu aspires to integrate rural practice into his future career following specialty training.

Grace Yap

Assessment and Management of Malignant Pleural Effusions in a Regional Centre

Dr Grace Yap is a respiratory advanced trainee at Monash Health, having completed two years of general medicine training at Latrobe Regional Health. Her research into malignant pleural effusions earned regional bursaries and was presented internationally. Grace plans to pursue a sleep fellowship and return to Gippsland to improve specialist access. She is committed to bridging metropolitan–rural care gaps and strengthening clinical services through research and practice.

Kerrilee Young

Bridging the Gap - Novel 'Pledget' Closure for Atrophic Skin in a Rural Setting

Dr Kerrilee Young is a PGY6 general surgery registrar completing regional rotations through Central Gippsland Health in Sale. She holds an MBBS (Hons) from Monash and a Master of Surgery from the University of Sydney. Kerrilee grew up in Central Queensland and Gippsland and has participated in surgical missions to Nepal and Fiji. She is passionate about medical education and global health, and hopes to practise as a regional general surgeon while leading teaching and outreach programs.

Belinda Zheng

From Triage to Treatment - How Long are Lung Cancer Patients Waiting in Gippsland

Miss Belinda Zheng is a final-year Monash medical student who completed over two years of rural placements at Latrobe Regional Health. She is passionate about oncology, health equity, and clinical research, and aims to become a research-oriented physician. Belinda has participated in Teddy Bear Hospital programs and regional outreach, and hopes to advance regional cancer care through her work in clinical trials and education.

Gerard Kim

Patterns and Timeliness of Patient Transfers from a Rural Emergency Department - A Retrospective Study

Mr Gerard Kim  is a third-year medical student at the University of Queensland’s rural cohort, currently placed in Toowoomba. Originally from Canada, he studied neuroscience before pursuing medicine in Australia. Gerard is conducting research into inter-hospital transfer systems in rural Queensland. He hopes to use AI and digital health to bridge rural specialist care gaps and improve service delivery.

Dr Nayomi Shermila Jayasinghe

Transforming Rural Diabetes Care - Challenges and Mission Impact of Establishing a Specialist Diabetes Clinic in East Gippsland

Perspectives from a mentor - building capacity, connection, and career purpose in rural junior doctors

A Case of Rapidly Progressive Neurological Decline

Dr Nayomi Shermila Jayasinghe is a consultant physician at Bairnsdale Regional Health Service with over six years of experience in regional practice. She holds fellowships from the UK and the Mayo Clinic and contributes to national medical workforce initiatives. Nayomi lectures with Monash University and mentors rural doctors through her medical career coaching practice. She is passionate about integrating education, leadership, and clinical care to uplift rural health systems.

Seshani Iddawela

Current trends in the Utilisation of the Precision Oncology Program in Gippsland

Miss Seshani Iddawela is a third-year medical student at Monash University, currently completing placement at Latrobe Regional Health in Traralgon. A member of the Extended Rural Cohort, she is passionate about rural health, health equity, and preventative medicine. Seshani is actively involved in research and medical student initiatives focused on global health and medical education. Inspired by her regional placement, she hopes to pursue a career that combines clinical care with advocacy, helping bridge healthcare gaps in underserved communities across Victoria.