General Practice & Rural Medicine

Eric Kalo

Lecturer Medical Education
eric.kalo@jcu.edu.au

Sharron Long

Lecturer, Medical Education
sharron.long1@jcu.edu.au

Haleagrahara Nagaraja

Head, Foundation Studies
haleagrahara.nagaraja@jcu.edu.au

Emma Anderson

Lecturer, Medical Education
emma.anderson1@jcu.edu.au

Andrew Battle

Senior Lecturer, Medical Education
andrew.battle@jcu.edu.au

Julie Mudd

Academic Lead, Foundation Medical Studies
julie.mudd@jcu.edu.au

Sophie Couzos

Associate Professor
sophia.couzos@jcu.edu.au

Clare Beaton

Senior Lecturer - Clinical Skills
clare.jukka@my.jcu.edu.au

Susan Smith

Senior Lecturer in General Practice
susan.smith5@jcu.edu.au

Ageing in place in rural Australia - An Embedded Collective Case Study (Old ID 24777)

Emma Anderson

01 Jan 2018 - 31 Dec 2018

This study aims to explore the perceptions of rural Australians and members of their social networks with regards to their expectations and strategies for preparing for healthy ageing in rural Australia. Previous studies on this topic in rural Canada have shown the importance of community feedback and the need for alignment with Government policies Herron and Skinner 2013). Relationships between family, friends and neighbours will be explored in this study as the importance of these informal networks in healthy ageing and their protective health effect are well documented. These relationships are the building blocks of the government's expectations of informal care, which it has used to inform its new policy "healthy life better ageing agreement" (currently informal care by elders is calculated to equivalent to 8 billion dollars) (ARC Centre of Excellence in population ageing research).

Uncovering Marine and Plant Natural Products Against Inflammation: An Australia-PNG Initiative

Haleagrahara Nagaraja

31 Jan 2026 - 26 Feb 2027

This project aims to explore and analyse natural products, systematically screening them using advanced bioassays that target inflammatory pathways relevant to rheumatoid arthritis. Inflammatory diseases are a major health concern in both Australia and PNG, contributing significantly to chronic illness and healthcare costs. Arthritis, in particular, is highly prevalent and impactful. The project aims to explore the bioactivity of crude extracts, and potentially isolate compounds with anti-inflammatory activity. This one year program is likely to provide new directions for studies aimed at characterisation of novel bioactive molecules. The project will also strengthen PNG’s research capacity through training, technology transfer, and the establishment of an enduring analytical infrastructure.

Study of Immersive Virtual Reality (VR) Activities for Years 1-3 Medical Students at a Regional Australian University

Haleagrahara Nagaraja

A multi-investigator study exploring the feasibility, sustainability and educational impact of integrating immersive virtual-reality activities into the MBBS Years 1-3 curriculum

The Utilisation of Artificial Intelligence (AI)/Gen AI for Learning and Assessment Amongst Australian Medical Students: A Single Tertiary Institution Study

Haleagrahara Nagaraja

18 Nov 2024 - 30 Dec 2025

A study of generative-AI use for learning and assessment among Australian medical students — the first study of its kind at an Australian university — supervising senior medical students; manuscript in preparation

Qualitative and quantitative assessment of undergraduate medical student perceptions, preferences, and knowledge acquisition in a regional medical school

Haleagrahara Nagaraja

02 Mar 2026 - 30 Apr 2027

A mixed-methods study evaluating undergraduate medical students' perceptions, preferences and knowledge acquisition following the integration of immersive virtual-reality (VR) activities into the curriculum at a regional medical school. Combining qualitative and quantitative measures, it examines how VR-based learning shapes student engagement, learning preferences and knowledge gain, generating evidence to guide the sustainable adoption of immersive technologies in medical education.

The anti-inflammatory effects of Australian box jellyfish (Chironex fleckeri) venom peptides on the complete Freund's adjuvant-induced arthritis

Haleagrahara Nagaraja

- 30 Nov 2023

The novel project aims to investigate the anti-inflammatory and therapeutic potential of proteins extracted from Chironex fleckeri (box jellyfish) venom in experimental arthritis using DBA/J1 mice. Collagen Type II-induced arthritis will be established in DBA/J1 mice, and after three weeks, the mice will be treated with 20 µg of venom proteins. The anti-arthritis effects will be evaluated through knee joint histology, arthritis clinical scoring, and inflammatory cytokine assays.

Extracorporeal Shockwave Therapy for Prevention of Diabetic Foot Ulcer Recurrence: A Pilot Study

Haleagrahara Nagaraja

01 Jun 2022 - 01 Dec 2023

The study's main objective was to compare the healing parameters of diabetic foot ulcers (DFU) between patients undergoing the standard of care (SOC) alone and Extracorporeal shockwave therapy (ESWT) with SOC

Extended extracorporeal shockwave and electromagnetic stimulation therapies for effective treatment and prevention of diabeteic foot ulcers

Haleagrahara Nagaraja

01 Jun 2021 - 30 Jun 2023

This project aimed to develop extended extracorporeal shockwave therapy (ESWT) and electromagnetic stimulation therapy (EMST) for the management of diabetic foot ulcers (DFU). It also seeks to evaluate the effectiveness of combining EMST and ESWT in treating DFUs and to determine the potential of these therapies in preventing the recurrence of DFUs after complete healing.

Matching the mismatch - Evaluation of Learning Styles and Teaching Strategies

Haleagrahara Nagaraja

01 Jul 2017 - 30 Jun 2018

Evaluating the impact of mobile integrated learning resources on medical student learning outcomes

Haleagrahara Nagaraja

01 Jul 2017 - 30 Jun 2018