Manisha Fernando
Thanks for taking the time to read a little bit about me and why I would like the opportunity to represent Australian medical educators on the AMEN executive.
Since graduating from Monash University in 1999, I have lived and worked in rural and regional Victoria and overseas- including volunteering in remote Vanuatu and post-tsunami rural Sri Lanka. My work spans clinical rural general practice, rural hospital work, public health medicine, primary health care research, clinical education and advocacy for general practice education and rural health. From 2007-2009 I undertook my masters research project, on patient controlled health records, at MacFarlane Burnet Institute for Medical Research and Public Health.
I love my work as rural GP and medical educator, and throughout my career I have always demonstrated a passion for the bigger health picture. I have experience on rural health, general practice and community boards and a particular interest in issues around access and equity for rural and remote people. I hope to put my passion and experience to work on the AMEN executive.
I feel privileged to be a GP and doubly privileged to be able to contribute as a medical educator to GP training. If successful in being appointed to the AMEN exec, I look forward to working alongside other medical educators and with other peak bodies in general practice education including the RACGP and ACRRM, General practice registrars’ association (GPRA), General Practice Supervisors’ Association (GPSA), and the Department of Health.
Recent changes to general practice and general practice training mean now is a crucial time for GPs to work alongside one another and our communities to preserve and enhance the role of primary health care in Australia; As medical educators we can work together to preserve and further build high quality General Practice Training. I am keen to be part of this process.
With regards to previous experience in representing my peers:
As a medical student i was a founding member of Monash University’s Rural Practice Association (WILDFIRE) and the National Rural Health Students’ Network (NRHSN). Along with other executive positions I was NRHSN chair in 1997,and conference committee member and conference convenor for the second and third National Undergraduate Rural Health conferences respectively. In1997 I was student representative on the RACGP National Rural Faculty committee.
From 2007 to 2010I was a registrar liaison officer (RLO) for Victoria Felix and was also on GPRA’s advisory council during this time, from 2008 to 2010 I was a GPRA board member. Since March 2012 I have been a member of the committee of governance for Woodend Neighbourhood House.
My husband and I are raising our young family in the small rural community of Woodend, Victoria, where I have lived for ten years. I work in rural general practice in Riddell’s Creek and as academic medical educator for Beyond Medical Education.
Dr Manisha Fernando
MBBS, DRANZCOG, MPH, FRACGP, FARGP, Grad Dip Rural, GCCE, FACRRM
Since graduating from Monash University in 1999, I have lived and worked in rural and regional Victoria and overseas- including volunteering in remote Vanuatu and post-tsunami rural Sri Lanka. My work spans clinical rural general practice, rural hospital work, public health medicine, primary health care research, clinical education and advocacy for general practice education and rural health. From 2007-2009 I undertook my masters research project, on patient controlled health records, at MacFarlane Burnet Institute for Medical Research and Public Health.
I love my work as rural GP and medical educator, and throughout my career I have always demonstrated a passion for the bigger health picture. I have experience on rural health, general practice and community boards and a particular interest in issues around access and equity for rural and remote people. I hope to put my passion and experience to work on the AMEN executive.
I feel privileged to be a GP and doubly privileged to be able to contribute as a medical educator to GP training. If successful in being appointed to the AMEN exec, I look forward to working alongside other medical educators and with other peak bodies in general practice education including the RACGP and ACRRM, General practice registrars’ association (GPRA), General Practice Supervisors’ Association (GPSA), and the Department of Health.
Recent changes to general practice and general practice training mean now is a crucial time for GPs to work alongside one another and our communities to preserve and enhance the role of primary health care in Australia; As medical educators we can work together to preserve and further build high quality General Practice Training. I am keen to be part of this process.
With regards to previous experience in representing my peers:
As a medical student i was a founding member of Monash University’s Rural Practice Association (WILDFIRE) and the National Rural Health Students’ Network (NRHSN). Along with other executive positions I was NRHSN chair in 1997,and conference committee member and conference convenor for the second and third National Undergraduate Rural Health conferences respectively. In1997 I was student representative on the RACGP National Rural Faculty committee.
From 2007 to 2010I was a registrar liaison officer (RLO) for Victoria Felix and was also on GPRA’s advisory council during this time, from 2008 to 2010 I was a GPRA board member. Since March 2012 I have been a member of the committee of governance for Woodend Neighbourhood House.
My husband and I are raising our young family in the small rural community of Woodend, Victoria, where I have lived for ten years. I work in rural general practice in Riddell’s Creek and as academic medical educator for Beyond Medical Education.
Dr Manisha Fernando
MBBS, DRANZCOG, MPH, FRACGP, FARGP, Grad Dip Rural, GCCE, FACRRM
