Research Team
Associate Professor Janani Pinidiyapathirage
Janani Pinidiyapathirage is Associate Professor and Research Lead of the Griffith University Rural Program, where she applies her expertise as a Public Health Physician and advanced research skills in epidemiology and biostatistics to address healthcare challenges of rural populations. Janani possesses over 15 years of medical teaching experience across undergraduate and postgraduate education. Having recently completed a Postgraduate Diploma in Medical Education through the University of Dundee, she is committed to delivering effective educational models for rural medical training. Janani’s research work is driven by a commitment to enhancing population health outcomes for disadvantaged communities. She leads impactful research projects that inform evidence-based interventions, driving positive change in the rural health landscape and empowering clinicians and organisations to strengthen their research capabilities.
Dr Hannah Woodall
Dr. Hannah Woodall is a Research Fellow at Rural Medical Education Australia and Senior Lecturer at the School of Medicine and Dentistry, Griffith University. She is a General Practitioner and Public Health Registrar currently pursuing her PhD through James Cook University School of Medicine and Dentistry. Hannah’s research focuses on Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander health and social determinants of health, with a particular interest in enhancing the quality and acceptability of health care for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander individuals and communities within the General Practice setting. A significant portion of her clinical experience has been in Aboriginal health, both within and outside of Aboriginal Community Controlled Health Services, and has strengthened her commitment to addressing challenges and improving access to primary care for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Australians.
Dr William MacAskill
William MacAskill is a post-doctoral research fellow with a background as an experienced secondary school educator. He has research experience in education and medical education and was the recipient of the 2023 ANZAHPE Early Career Award. William provides research support to run multi-site student-led clinical audits research projects across rural public hospitals in Metro South and Darling Downs. William has experience in conducting focus groups and interviews for both research and quality improvement purposes, and human clinical trials. He is particularly interested in research designed to improve the learning experience and outcomes for students including optimising reflective learning, fostering student interest in clinical research. His other research areas include Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Health and Rural Workforce.
Dr Linda Furness
Linda Furness is a Researcher at Rural Medical Education Australia. She also works at Southern Cross University, where she manages two Bachelor of Occupational Therapy Work Integrated Learning subjects. She has previously worked in Queensland Health, as a senior Occupational Therapist Clinical Education Support Officer and Advanced Occupational Therapist in the role of Clinical Education Lead, Adult Physical. Linda specialises in qualitative research methods, utilising focus groups and video reflexive ethnography to gain insights into the perspectives and experiences of medical and allied health trainees in rural and regional healthcare environments. Her research interests include advancing workplace learning opportunities for health professional trainees, improving healthcare access for rural and regional communities, implementation of occupational therapist-led interventions for falls prevention, and enhancing student performance in their academic course.
Mrs Sherrilyn Walters
Sherrilyn Walters is a Research Assistant at Rural Medical Education Australia and is currently in the final stages of her doctoral studies. Sherrilyn has a passion for research and investigation and has contributed to research in public and rural health with a focus on lifestyle-related disease management, models of rural medical education, and the rural medical workforce. Sherrilyn has also completed a Postgraduate Certificate in sports coaching and a Master of Research in sport and exercise science, teaches traditional martial arts and is researching the health benefits and human performance applications of this form of exercise in occupational settings including the military and emergency services.
Associate Professor Brendan Carrigan
Brendan Carrigan is an Associate Professor and Medical Lead of the Year 3 Longlook program. He is a Rural Generalist Obstetrician and has broad experience as a rural clinician, clinical educator and medical leader. For his contributions for medical education, he was awarded the 2019 Confederation of Postgraduate Medical Education Councils – Queensland Division Clinical Educator of the Year. Brendan is passionate about delivering evidence-based medical education in rural areas and has collaborated with leaders in the education field to conduct research in medical education including learning in rural and regional areas through VRE and reflective practices within medical students and rural clinicians.
Dr Robert Hefferan
Robert Hefferan is a Senior Lecturer and Rural Sub Dean of the Griffith University Doctor of Medicine Program. Robert is an experienced general practitioner and rural generalist. As a clinical supervisor to GP registrars and medical students, he values a safe learning environment that promotes curiosity and understanding. In the non-clinical environment, Robert strives to deliver authentic, hands on, case based medical education. Robert has a broad range of research interests across rural medical education and clinical care with a special interest in novel ways to engage with learners and recently completed a Graduate Diploma in Clinical Education through Flinders University.
Adjunct Associate Professor Megan O’Shannessy
Megan O’Shannessy is the Chief Executive Officer of Rural Medical Education Australia and an Adjunct Associate Professor of the Griffith University School of Medicine and Dentistry. She holds Master of Public Health and Tropical Medicine and Bachelor of Nursing degrees and is a registered nurse and midwife. Megan has over 25 years clinical and leadership experience in rural health as Director of Nursing of Thargomindah (1990–1992), Dirranbandi (1992–1995), St George (1995–2001) and Warwick (2001–2013) Hospitals. She was the District Manager of Southern Downs Health Service District from 2007-2008. Her research interests are focussed on the rural workforce.
Mr Paul Purea
Paul Purea is the Director of Training at Rural Medical Education Australia and a lecturer in the Griffith University Rural Program specialising in simulation education. He has extensive experience as a Registered Nurse working in regional and rural Queensland in the areas of anaesthetics, Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander health, general practice and emergency. Paul holds a Masters in Clinical Education from Flinders University. His research focus is on exploring effective models of teaching and learning in longitudinal curricula.
Dr Raelene Ward
Raelene Ward is a proud Aboriginal woman and traditional owner of the Kunja People on her late Grandfather Albert McKellar’s side. Her late Grandmother Hazel McKellar is a Kooma woman from southwest Queensland. Raelene has been employed at UniSQ as a research fellow and Senior Academic in the School of Nursing and Midwifery and more recently as the Knowledge Broker First Nations Engagement in the Southern Queensland Northern New South Wales (SQNNSW) Hub. Raelene leads engagement and research that is First Nations led and community driven, aligning to her role in the Hub. As she takes on this role she will advocate for First Nations People and right holders ensuring their perspectives, knowledge and participation are integrated by leading knowledge sharing around drought responses, resistance/adaptation to drought and the impact of drought on the social and emotional wellbeing of First Nations people and Traditional Owner groups. Raelene has an extensive network establishing longstanding, meaningful and effective relationships with Indigenous and non-Indigenous people and is highly respected in the community-controlled health sector, organisations providing advocacy and leadership.
Associate Professor Rebecca Evans
Rebecca Evans is a health services researcher at the College of Medicine and Dentistry and the Anton Breinl Research Centre for Health Systems Strengthening (a centre of the Australian Institute of Tropical Health and Medicine, AITHM). She has experience in both qualitative and quantitative research methodologies. Rebecca’s research interests are in health policy, addressing health inequities, health care workforce, innovative models of health service provision and implementation. Much of her research is conducted in the context of underserved populations (rural, remote, tropical, culturally diverse).
Dr Claire Dorothea Nicholls
Claire Nicholls is a lecturer in curriculum and pedagogy within the School of Education at the University of Southern Queensland. She brings over 16 years of experience as an educator having taught in primary and secondary state schools, tertiary university teaching and community learning contexts. Claire’s work as a researcher is hallmarked by interdisciplinary work and developing novel approaches for undertaking qualitative research. Her contributions to research offer unique insights into experiential lifelong learning, applied philosophy and innovating research methodologies and methods
