Profiles And Contributions To This Article
Transforming rural health systems through clinical academic leadership: lessons from South Africa
qualifications: MPhil
contribution: collected data, wrote the first draft
position: Senior lecturer
South Africa
Health systems and policy researcher
qualifications: MFamMed
contribution: original concept, designed the project, supervised data collection, contributed to drafts
position: Director
South Africa
Professor Ian Couper is Head of the Division of Rural Health (Ukwanda) and Professor of Rural Health at Stellenbosch University, South Africa. A trained family physician, he spent nine years practising in a remote rural hospital in northern KwaZuluNatal province, and then 16 years working in primary care and health service development in rural North West province. He held the first chair of rural health at the University of the Witwatersrand (Wits). He has chaired both the Rural Doctors Association of Southern Africa (RuDASA) and the Wonca Working Party on Rural Practice (WONCA Rural).
qualifications: DCH
contribution: original concept, contributed to drafts
position: Director
Australia
qualifications: PhD
contribution: original concept, contributed to drafts
position: Professor & Head
Australia
Professor Judi Walker holds the inaugural Chair of Rural Health at the University of Tasmania, recognising the significant contribution she has made to the development of academic rural health in Australia. Her background and achievements exemplify the interdisciplinary and multiprofessional nature of rural health. Judi has overall responsibility for the Faculty of Health Science's rural health portfolio. She is Chief Executive of the University's Rural Clinical School - a conjoint appointment with the Tasmanian Department of Health and Human Services. Judi has an international reputation for practice and research in rural medical/health professional education, interdisciplinary education,innovation in health service delivery and education and training for health workforce reform. She leads a research team looking at health care models and policy approaches for rural older people. Judi has a longstanding engagement with paramedic education and is a member of the national Ambulance Education Council. In 2005 she completed a significant consultancy for the Council of Ambulance Authorities and developed Australia's national accreditation system for university paramedic programs.
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