Appointment recognises a ‘great advocate for general practice’

The RACGP President has a new qualification under her belt: Adjunct Clinical Professor, Monash University.
 
Clinical Professor Karen Price was appointed in March as part of her ongoing work with Monash University’s Department of General Practice.
 
Chair of General Practice at Monash University, Professor Danielle Mazza, says her department nominated Clinical Professor Price for the title in recognition of the ‘amazing work’ that she has undertaken as college President.
 
‘The title of Clinical Professor is recognition of her senior role and leadership in the discipline of general practice and advocacy for evidence-based practice,’ Professor Mazza told newsGP.
 
‘Karen has also commenced her PhD and is a great advocate for evidence-based practice.
 
‘We are delighted to have her affiliation with the Department of General Practice at Monash University.’
 
Monash University Professor of Primary Care Research and Chair of the AJGP Editorial Advisory Committee, Grant Russell, also welcomed the news.
 
‘This is a great acknowledgement of Karen’s career and an acknowledgement of the importance that Monash University places on primary care and general practice,’ Professor Russell told newsGP.
 
‘Karen worked in our department prior to her presidency and I have the pleasure of being one of her PhD supervisors.
 
‘The demands of the RACGP presidency have meant that Karen has taken a formal break from her PhD. However, when her never-ending cycle of meetings and media appearances slow down in a year or so, we are really looking forward on having her return to finish the PhD.’ 
 
Professor Price’s PhD explores peer-connection in general practice, focusing on GPs’ wellbeing and goal-directed informal learning. In her new role she will combine this with teaching and other research activities and support within the university.
 
The benefits of combining academic work with general practice are two-fold, according to Professor Russell, with research findings guiding GPs in their practice and directly benefitting patients’ health outcomes through translational research.
 
‘For years our speciality has struggled to link the real world of general practice with the strange world of academia,’ he said.
 
‘In reality, each world has much to offer the other. Karen’s appointment is something that can help forge links between the two worlds – for mutual benefit.’ 
 
Professor Russell said there are ‘many ways’ that linking research with general practice can benefit the profession, by helping to make the work of universities more relevant to the needs of patients in the community, and to the GPs and practices that seek to serve them. 
 
‘Karen has been a great advocate for general practice over the past few years,’ he said.
 
‘The better the links between the university and the profession, the best for all of us. This is an important step.
 
‘There are a many GPs in Australia whose wisdom, vision and passion could benefit how universities teach medical students, and how they research and try to inform policy.
 
‘The more appointments like Karen’s the better it is for both. And for our patients.’
 
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clinical professor general practice research Monash University RACGP President