A recent flurry of awards for teaching within the College of Medicine and Public Health (CMPH) has shone a bright light onto the high quality of student learning experiences enjoyed at Flinders University.
“These awards are recognition of the good work that has been embedded within our teaching programs that run broadly across the College,” says Professor Karen Lower (BSc ’97, BSc(Hons) ’98, GradCertEd(HighEd) ’13), CMPH, Dean of Education.
“No educator in this college is an island, so awards such as these are a dynamic showcase of the high quality that stretches across CMPH teaching programs. It demonstrates that our teaching team has a constant focus on student excellence and delivering a quality student experience.”
Professor Lower says looking at ways that medical educators can heighten the student experience is extremely important. “Since the COVID-19 pandemic, we have seen a dramatic speed of change in the way we deliver education – and we have very quickly seen this as an opportunity to deliver higher education differently, in a fresh way that opens us to new methods of engaging with students and increasing inclusivity.”
This is reflected in the success that Flinders has enjoyed across its teaching staff, particularly through highlighting the achievements of eight recent education award winners.
Associate Professor Voula Gaganis (PhD(Med) ’05, MEd(HighEd) ’23) – winner of a 2024 Universities Australia Award for Teaching Excellence in Health and 2024 STEMM Educator of the Year – has led the development and national accreditation of Flinders’ new medical science laboratory medicine degree, which features advanced digital learning technologies.
“The advent of teaching specialist roles, such as the position that Associate Professor Gaganis holds, has been a game changer for higher education, and reflects the fact that teaching has the same level of importance as research in the University priorities,” says Professor Lower.
Teaching excellence is also recognised within teams working together to provide improved outcomes. The team of Dr Dusan Matusica (BSc(Hons) ’03, PhD(Med) ’08), Associate Professor Christine Barry (GradCertHigherEd ’23), and Professor Helen Anscomb, received a 2024 Vice-Chancellor’s Award Commendation for Excellence in Teaching and a 2024 Universities Australia Citation for their work in providing new assessment strategies in a human anatomy dissection program for medical students.
Outside of the cities, Leigh Moore and Melba Ridd (GradCertClinEd ’20, GradDipClinEd ’22, MClinEd(Cwk) ’24), who are both part of Flinders’ Rural and Remote Health program, received 2024 CMPH Vice-President Executive Dean Teaching Awards for their work in creating a fresh educational innovation to support educators delivering remote health subjects.
Dr Lara Escane (BMedSc ’13, BSc(Hons) ’14, PhD(Med) ’21), who received a 2024 CMPH Outstanding Student-
Centred Teaching and Learning Award, is at the start of her teaching career, and is thriving as a placement education co-ordinator for laboratory medicine students, who undertake two semester-long placements in clinical laboratories during their fourth year of study. Her busy workload also includes being Year 1 Coordinator of the Medical Science programs, and she is part of the Human Molecular Genetics teaching team.
Associate Professor George (Savio) Barreto (PhD(Med) ’10) – a liver transplant surgeon, Deputy Director of the MD course at Bedford Park, and also coordinator of MD Advanced Studies stream – also received a 2024 CMPH Outstanding Student-Centred Teaching and Learning Award, recognising his tireless devotion to teaching and supporting medical students.
“Associate Professor Barreto already has such a busy schedule as a surgeon, so his commitment to teaching the next generation of clinicians is extraordinary,” says Professor Lower. “This is the level of commitment that our teachers provide.
“These achievements are all important recognition that Flinders can reach and support everyone who wants an education in medicine and public health – Whether that be a single mother wanting to learn to be doctor, a full-time clinician striving to become a skilled clinical educator, or someone living in rural South Australia who dreams of being a paramedic – we can deliver the teaching so they can achieve their goal.”