Professional Development
The CMVH has a number of Professional Deveopment opportunities with courses a number of courses currently being run and many opportunities for PhD students. The University of Adelaide options are listed below.
The University of Queensland offers an MPH - Defence and you can obtain more information by clicking on the following link. CMVH UQ Professional Development.
Occupational and Environmental Health Course
Through the Discipline of Public Health, the Adelaide Node offers the Occupational and Environmental Health Course to ADF Officers with health specialisations. The course has been specifically designed for the ADF and aims to:
- introduce a range of environmental factors which may pose a risk to the health of human populations.
- introduce risk assessment methods for evaluating and controlling such risks.
- discuss a variety of diseases associated with exposure to common occupational and environmental factors, and approaches to investigating the work-relatedness of disease.
- briefly introduce the historical, legislative and administrative aspects of occupational and environmental health.
This course can be undertaken in an intensive (residential) format or on-line, as a stand alone subject or as part of the University of Queenslands’ Masters of Public Health (Defence).
see OEH Flyer (doc 65kB) and OEH On-line Flyer (doc 66kB)
The course has undertaken a significant update in response to previous critiques. please read the brief below for details of the current course structure and content.
CMVH OCCUPATIONAL AND ENVIRONMENTAL HEALTH COURSE REVIEW
Background
1. The CMVH Intensive Occupational and Environmental Health Course was developed in 2004 by the CMVH in conjunction with the University of Adelaide and the Department of Defence in order to address the F111 Board of Inquiry agreed recommendation that ADF Medical Officers are to receive training in Occupational and Environmental Medicine.
2. This course is designed to provide the concepts and principles required to evaluate any Defence (or civilian) workplace and to provide a network of Defence and Academic subject matter experts for future access for the students.
Current status
3. The course has been run three times now and has evolved significantly since the early versions. Every effort is being made to increase the military focus on the course in line with 2006 course critique outcomes, while still fulfilling the academic requirements. This years’ course military input will include:
• 2 full days of facilitation and lectures by GPCAPT (DR) Peter Wilkins (Defence centre for Occupational Health DCOH)
• 2 full days of facilitation and lectures from Dr Ian Gardner (DCOH)
• Lectures from Dr Martin Jennings (DCOH)
• 1 full day facilitation and lectures by COL John Turner and LTCOL Bob Cooper (Army Malaria Institute)
• 1 Lecture from Kevin Goldsmith (Defence Science and Technology Organisation DSTO)
• 2 lectures by GPCAPT Sandy McFarlane (on operational stress and PTSD)
• Multiple lectures by Dr Scott Cameron ex Army Reserve
• a military teaching environment and access to military information
4. There will be case studies presented on:
• The Oberon Submarine Health Study (A/Prof Dino Pisaniello)
• Military Aircraft Turbine Fuel Health Effects study (Dr Sam Bruschi)
• Cadmium health effects (Dr Suresh Babu - WGCDR ret'd)
• MEAO Dust and Particulates study (Dr Ritchie Gun)
** These presenters have completed significant research for DCOH in the past.
5. The field visits will be to:
• a confidence course
• Military working dog handlers section
• a Military kitchen
• a military paint and stripping shop
• DSTO explosives ordnance area
• Wetlands visit to simulate tsunami response
6. The project work will include:
• an aircraft crash with toxic chemical and smoke
• Musculoskeletal disease and its prevention
• reviewing an ADF Health brief for the Sudan
• a Wetlands scenario
7. The tutorials will be around:
• a military field kitchen
• Heavy metal exposure
• Risk assessment for an on-base childcare facility.
8. The legislation lectures and musculoskeletal injury lectures have been altered to take into account the ADF requirements.
9. A small portion of the course needs to come from subject matter experts not available in Defence in order to provide the underpinning knowledge and also meet the academic requirements of this Masters level course. However, these lecturers have now been presenting to Defence members for 3 years and have developed a good understanding of Defence needs and processes in that time.
Conclusion
10. The CMVH is continually striving to improve the course and is more than happy to accommodate any changes to the course structure or content that are required.
PhD
The Adelaide Node also has many opportunities for post graduate study. There are currently 15 PhD students enrolled with 6 doing Defence related topics. (see list) The CMVH welcomes inquiries from students wishing to undertake PhD with subjects available in the area of post traumatic stress and in other areas by negotiation with the director.
Masters of Psychology - Defence
The Adelaide Node is currently assisting Defence with the development of a Masters of Psychology (Defence) to help meet the needs of the ADF Mental Health Program.
For information on any of these, please contact Adelaide Liaison Officer on Ph: 08 8303 5200
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