Our involvement in research

MQ Health General Practice is a growing unit that embodies the Heal. Learn. Discover. ethos of MQ Health.

Apart from providing a clinical general practice service, the unit is involved in the academic activities of the Faculty of Medicine, Health and Human Sciences (FMHHS), contributing to both teaching and research at Macquarie University. Some of our general practitioners (GPs) have formal academic roles in the MD program of the FMHHS (see profiles below) and are also involved in research exploring various aspects of primary care. The clinic itself is involved in providing supervision and training for medical students, junior doctors and registrars. All the GPs and practice nurses contribute to this dynamic learning environment.

Academic GPs

MBBS, PhD, FRACGP, GAICD

Simon is a general practitioner and Program Director for Primary Care and Wellbeing at MQ Health. His education and research interests include the health of doctors, generational change in the medical workforce, men’s health, musculoskeletal medicine, and communication in medical practice. Simon trained as a rural procedural GP, and practiced in Inverell, NSW. Since 1990 he has worked in academic and clinical practice in Sydney and has had a number of educational leadership roles including Head of Discipline of General practice at the Sydney Medical Program and Chairman of GPET (General Practice Education and training). He has supervised GP registrars since 1986 and has supervised several PhD candidates to completion. In addition to his Macquarie University role Simon is Deputy Chair of the Sydney North Health Network, the immediate past Chair of the Avant Mutual Group, and a member of the NSW AMA Council of General Practice.  Simon has a research background in medical student and doctors’ health and wellbeing, musculoskeletal medicine: https://www.researchgate.net/profile/Simon-Willcock

Simon Willcock

MBBS (Hons), MPH, PhD, FRACGP

Sanjyot is a GP and Clinic Director of MQ Health General Practice. She is an academic with the Faculty of Medicine, Health and Human Sciences at Macquarie University, leads the primary care academic team, and is convener of the Primary Care and Cancer block in Year 2 of the MD program. She has been involved in teaching and research in general practice for over two decades. Previously, she worked with the medical faculties at USyd and UNSW, has supervised GP registrars in practice since 2003, and has been an examiner for the RACGP Fellowship exams and AMC exams. Sanjyot’s research interests include cardiovascular risk assessment, prevention and management of chronic disease, patient experiences of healthcare, and models of clinical care in general practice.

https://researchers.mq.edu.au/en/persons/sanjyot-vagholkar

Sanjyot Vagholkar

BSc (Adv Hons I) MBBS FRACGP DCH

Janani is an academic GP and Senior Lecturer at Macquarie University and is involved in the Macquarie MD Program teaching Stage 1 Clinical Practice. She is a practicing GP at MQ Health General Practice and her clinical areas of interest include mental health, chronic disease management and paediatrics. She is actively involved in primary care research and has a keen interest in medical education, including Clinical Teaching Visits for GP Registrars through GP Synergy.

Janani Mahadeva

Tim obtained his medical degree from the University of New South Wales and is a Fellow of the Royal Australian College of General Practitioners (RACGP).  His postgraduate qualifications include completing the Sydney Child Health Program and Masters of Medicine (Clinical Epidemiology) from the University of Sydney.  He has worked around Sydney and Wagga Wagga as a GP.  Tim completed an Academic Registrar Post at the University of Sydney and his research interests include data linkage, shared decision making and quality improvement in primary care.  He is currently involved in the delivery of the Stage 2 Primary and Community Care Term of the Macquarie University MD Program.

Tim Tse

Bosco is an academic GP and Associate Lecturer at Macquarie University.  He is currently the co-convener of the Primary and Community Care Term for Year 3 MD Programme.  He obtained his medical degree from the Australian National University.  His academic registrar project focused on the lived experiences of pre-vocational and vocational junior doctors on patient care and empathy.  Bosco’s interests include medical education, preventative health, oncology, and men’s health.

Bosco Wu

Darran graduated from the University of New South Wales (UNSW) and completed his general practice training on the beautiful South Coast of NSW. He is a Fellow of the Royal Australian College of General Practitioners (FRACGP) and sees patients across the entire continuum of general practice. He is a strong advocate for patient-centred care and takes a holistic approach to the management of all patients under his care. Outside of his clinical work, Darran is actively involved in implementing an integrated care program here at MQ Health and also has interests in primary care research and medical education. His research interests include how we can build more patient-centred integrated health systems that are complemented by digital health technologies. Darran also teaches within Macquarie’s Global MD program and is involved in training general practice registrars.

Darran Foo

Current research

  • 2021 Castelino, R., Krass, I., Sud, K., Johnson, D., Vagholkar, S., McMorrow, R., Kairaitis, L., Mullan, J., Tran, A., Van, C., Tesfaye, W. & Gisev, N. Pharmacy-based screening and quality use of medicines in kidney disease. MRFF Grant.
  • 2020 Vagholkar S, Mahadeva J, Xiang Y, Kang M. A GP-Practice nurse team-based model providing sexual and reproductive health care for Mandarin-speaking university students. RACGP Foundation/BOQ Specialist Research Grant.
  • RACGP Foundation Grant – HCF - Transition from acute to primary health care for early colorectal cancer survivors: using mixed methods to establish primary care providers’ opinions and current practices for managing symptoms and functions in the community.
  • AIHI Collaboration – Learning Health Systems
  • Avant Foundation Grant - Telehealth in General Practice
  • GP Synergy Medical Student Scholarship – Pattern of Mental Health Consultations in a University General Practice during Covid-19