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Sunday, 13 April 2014 14:08

Dr Sue Outram

Academic Qualifications

Ph.D. University of Newcastle, School of Medicine & Public Health (2003)

Certificate of General Nursing, Prince Henry, Prince of Wales Teaching Group, Sydney. (1975)

Bachelor of Arts Degree (Psychology & Sociology), University of New South Wales (1972)

 Current Employment

Senior Lecturer, School of Medicine & Public Health, Faculty of Health, University of Newcastle.

(University of Newcastle: 1994-present)

Summary

Dr Sue Outram is the Head of the Discipline of Health Behaviour Sciences in the School of Medicine and Public Health, Faculty of Health, University of Newcastle.  She is responsible for managing a large cross disciplinary undergraduate and postgraduate teaching program, 8 academic staff and 16 conjoint academic staff.  Dr Outram’s academic contribution has largely been demonstrated in leadership in teaching and administration. 

 

Teaching

Dr Outram has initiated, developed and taught innovative curriculum in Departments of Nursing, Allied Health, Education and Medicine in both undergraduate and postgraduate programs in over 20 years in the tertiary sector.  This has included multidisciplinary teaching; experiential learning; skills based communication skills; a postgraduate suite of programs in women’s health, midwifery, distance education programs in health promotion, and public health for undergraduates.  She has a special interest in teaching about loss and grief, sexuality, culture and health, and health equity.

Currently she coordinates the Behavioural and Social Sciences input into the Joint Medical program, School of Medicine and Public Health.  A major part of this is a 5 year integrated course in clinical consultation skills. Other challenging and rewarding courses that she has initiated and taught are:  “Sensitive issues in the primary school curriculum” which aims to prepare student teachers to be able to teach issues such as loss & grief, mental health, sexuality; and a multidisciplinary core course in public health and health promotion for undergraduates in health professions.

Her expertise in teaching has been recognised in her role as Chair of the School’s Quality in Teaching Committee (2003-2008). In 2008 Dr Outram was awarded the Vice Chancellor’s Award for Teaching Excellence and Learning Support and the Faculty of Health Award for Teaching Excellence. In 2011, with two colleagues she received the Vice-Chancellor’s award for excellent contribution to teaching and learning in preparing prevocational teachers to manage and teach about sensitive issues in the classroom. In 2012 the team received a National Teaching Award for this work (OLT).

Teaching related scholarship

Over the past four years Dr Outram has led four Teaching and Learning grants at the University of Newcastle.  Two grants to enhance the capacity of University of Newcastle academic staff to teach about inequity and social disadvantage have resulted in a staff development package consisting of a website and workshops.  

Numerous peer reviewed publications and conference presentations highlight a range of scholarly activities to disseminate best practice teaching and learning.

Research

Dr Outram gained her PhD in 2003.  Her thesis, titled “An exploration of psychological distress in Australian midlife women.” is a multi-method study analysing a longitudinal cohort of 14,000 Australian women and a detailed substudy of 400 women. Since completion of her PhD, she has collaborated on a number of research projects within the Discipline of Health Behaviour (reduction of alcohol related harm in Aboriginal communities), across disciplines (Indigenous health, psychiatry, medical education) and across universities (Sydney and Queensland – Vietnam veterans, partners and children) in the mental health and behavioural science fields. 

A focus of her research has been the health and wellbeing of Australian Vietnam veterans, partners and families.  This includes working on an NHMRC funded epidemiological study of Australian Vietnam veterans with researchers from Sydney and Brisbane; 4 separate grants totalling $139,000 (2004-6) including 2 Rotary Mental Health grants for 2006-7 (with above team plus Partners of Veterans Association) for partners of Vietnam veterans and an investigation of the health and wellbeing of offspring of Vietnam Veterans (2011 NHMRC grant).

Dr Outram has undertaken collaborative research with vulnerable and disadvantaged groups in the community such as Indigenous peoples, women with mental ill-health, people with schizophrenia and their carers and partners of war veterans suffering from PTSD. 

The focus of her most recent research is in developing training and education to improve the communication skills of psychiatrists, psychiatric trainees and other mental health professionals.

Service

Discipline: Lead, Discipline of Health Behaviour Sciences, School of Medicine & Public Health (2003 - current)

Chair, Discipline of Health Behaviour Sciences Management Committee (2002 - current)

Member of the Executive, School of Medicine and Public Health (2003 - current)

Member of the Executive, Maddison Collaborative for Public Health (2008 - current)

Joint Medical Program (JMP), Teaching and Learning Committee (2014 - current)

Community

Dr Outram is a regular contributor to community based activities including many invited  presentations (eg sexuality; grief and bereavement); past member of an institutional ethics committee; conflict resolution and facilitation of a peer counselling network.  

* Regularly reviews papers for peer reviewed journals (Focus on Health Professional Education ANZPHE; Asia-Pacific J Public Health; Australian Psychologist, Drug and Alcohol, Journal of Medical Education). 

* External assessor for the teaching scholarship awards from Case Western Reserve University, USA (2007-12). 

* Assessor for the Distance learning Behavioural Medicine Unit, The Royal Australian and New Zealand College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists (RANZCOG); 

* Development of informational resources for patients and carers about schizophrenia (on-going).

Successful Grants

Dobson A, Bryson L, Byles J, Lee C, Brown W, Outram S, Schofield M. Australian Women’s Longitudinal Health Study.  Commonwealth of Australia, Dept Health & Ageing.  1996.  $3.1m.

Cockburn J, Wiggers J, Outram S, Bowman J, Campbell L, Perkins J, Newell S, Parkinson L, Girgis A.  Research Infrastructure Block Grant 1998 (Infrastructure Funding).  University of Newcastle – Research Infrastructure Block Grant.  1998 – $110,958 & 1999 – $110,958.  $221,916

Outram S.  Early results from the Australian Longitudinal Study on Women’s Health.  University of Newcastle – Travel grant.  1998.  $5000.

Outram S, Cockburn J, McDonnell G, Adams J.  The Health & Well-being of Partners of Vietnam Veterans: a focus group study.  University of Newcastle Research Committee. 2004. $15,000.

Outram S, O’Toole B, Catts S, McDonnell G.  The Health & Well-being of Partners of Vietnam Veterans.  HMRI (Hunter Medical Research Institute). 2005. $12,000.

O’Toole B, Outram S, Catts S.  The Health of Partners of Vietnam Veterans: a Vulnerable Population.  Rotary Mental Health Grant.  2005.  $57,000.

O’Toole B, Outram S, Catts S.  The Health of Partners of Vietnam Veterans: a Vulnerable Population (continuation of the above grant).  Rotary Mental Health Grant. 2006. $59,000.

Outram S, Gilligan C.  Enhancing Success of Medical Students from Culturally and Linguistically Diverse Backgrounds (CALD) in Sensitive Doctor-Patient Interactions.  University of Newcastle Equity Grant.  2009.  $5,000.

Outram S, Horton G, Smyth R.  Peer Review of Teaching in PBL the Joint Medical Program.  University of Newcastle, Teaching & Learning Grant.  2009.  $12,000.

Levett-Jones T, Bellchambers H, Gilligan C, Outram S, etc. An Interdisciplinary approach to teaching quality use of medicines.  Australian Learning & Teaching Committee.  2010.  $225,000.

Gilligan C, Outram S.  Gilligan C, Outram S.  Communication skills programs at the University of Newcastle. European Association for Communication in Healthcare. Verona.  University of Newcastle conference grant.  2010.  $1500

Outram S, Gilligan C, Levett-Jones T, O’Toole G, Butler K, Dundas K.  Enhancing the capacity of academic staff to teach about disadvantaged and minority groups.  University of Newcastle, Teaching & Learning Grant.  2011.  $10,000.

O’Toole B, Catts, S, with Outram S, Dadds M.  Intergenerational transmission of PTSD vulnerability: Does  PTSD in a parent increase the risk of mental health disorders in their offspring?  NHMRC.  2011.  $710,000.

Outram S, Dundas K, Butler K, Buchman A.  An e-learning video resource to assist academics to manage challenges which arise when teaching about social disadvantage.  University of Newcastle, Teaching & Learning Grant. 2012. $10.000.

Gilligan C, Outram S, Rasiah R, Smith T, Levett-Jones T, Stone T, Wicks L.  Development of an Interprofessional Education course.  FOH / SMPH – Early career academic.  2012.  $10,000.

Butler K, Outram S, Dundas K.  Peer Review of Indigenisation of UoN Curricula.  University of Newcastle, Teaching & Learning Grant.  2012. $10.000.

Southgate E, Brosnan C, Outram S, Kelly B, Macqueen S, Rubin M, Bennett  A, Douglas H, Lempp H, Wright S. Equity in Elite Degrees: social difference, institutional practice and processes of change. Faculty of Education and Arts Strategic Networks and Pilot Projects Scheme. 2014.$15,000

Publications

Peer reviewed papers

Holliday J, Lowe J, Outram S.  Women’s experiences of myocardial infarction.  International Journal of Nursing Practice. 2000; 6: 307-316.

Outram S, Schofield M, Mischra G.  Sociodemographic and health related factors associated with poor mental health in midlife Australian women.  Journal of Women and Health. 2004; 39 (4): 97-115.

Outram S, Murphy B, Cockburn J.  Sociodemographic factors and perceived barriers related to accessing professional help for psychological distress in a sample of midlife Australian women.  Journal of Mental Health. 2004; 13(2): 185-195.

Outram S, Murphy B, Cockburn J. Women’s use of general practitioners for help with psychological distress. Journal of Family Practice. 2004; 21 (3): 276-281.

Outram S, Murphy B, Cockburn J.  Prevalence of and factors associated with midlife women taking medicines for psychological distress. AeJAMH.  The Australian e-Journal for the Advancement of Mental Health.  2006; 5: 3. 

Sanson-Fisher R, Outram S, Williams N. Health Inequities: The need for action by schools of medicine.  Medical Teacher. 2008; 30 (4): 389-394

Outram S, Nair K. Peer Physical Examination: Time for a Rethink? Medical Journal of Australia. 2008; 189 (5): 274-276

Outram, S, Hansen V, McDonell G, Cockburn J, Adams J. "Still living in a war zone: perceived health and wellbeing of partners of Vietnam veterans attending partners’ support groups in NSW, Australia" Australian Psychologist. 2009; 44(2): 128-135.

O'Toole BI, Catts SV, Outram S, Pierse KR, Cockburn J. The Physical and Mental Health of Australian Vietnam Veterans 3 Decades After the War and Its Relation to Military Service, Combat, and Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder.; American Journal of Epidemiology. 2009; 170: 318-330. 

O'Toole BI, Catts SV, Outram S, Pierse KR,  Cockburn J. Factors Associated with Civilian Mortality in Australian Vietnam Veterans Three Decades After The War. Military Medicine. 2010; 175: 88-95.

O’Toole BI, Outram S, Catts SV, Pierse KR, Cockburn J. The mental health of wives and partners of Australian Vietnam veterans three decades after the war and its relation to veteran war service, combat and PTSD. J Nerv Ment Dis. 2010; 198 (11): 841-845.

Gilligan C, Outram S, Rasiah, R, Cooper J. Exploring the attitudes of Pharmacy students to clinical communications training. Focus on Health Professional Education. 2011; 13:25-36. 

Outram, S. Book Review ‘The new joy of sex’, Sex Education, 2011; 11: 1,113-115. 

Gilligan C, Outram S. Culturally and Linguistically Diverse students in health professional programs – an exploration of concerns and needs. Education for Health: Change in Learning and Practice. 2012; 25: 40-47. 

Outram, S, Dundas, K, Johnson J. The educated citizen: a case study and guide for teaching about

public health to undergraduates in Australian universities. Focus on Health Professional Education. 2014: 15: 3.

Outram S, Harris G, Kelly B, et al. Communicating a diagnosis of schizophrenia with patients and families: a qualitative study of mental health clinicians. Psychiatric Services. 2014; 65 (4): 551-554.

Loughland, C, Kelly B, Ditton-Phare P, Sandhu  H, Vamos M, Outram S,  Levin T. Improving clinician competency in communication about schizophrenia: A pilot educational program for psychiatry trainees. Academic Psychiatry. In Press.

Outram S, Harris G, Kelly B, Bylund CL, Cohen M, Landa Y, Levin T, Sandhu H, Vamos M, & Loughland C.  We didn’t have a clue. Family caregivers’ experiences of the communication of a diagnosis of schizophrenia. International Journal of Social Psychiatry. In Press

Gilligan C, Outram S, Levett-Jones T.  Recommendations from recent graduates in medicine, nursing and pharmacy on improving interprofessional education in university programs: a qualitative study BMC Medical Education. 2014; 14: 52. URL: http://www.biomedcentral.com/1472-6920/14/52 DOI: 10.1186/1472-6920-14-52

Book Chapters

Levett-Jones T, Gilligan C, Outram S, Horton G.  (2014) Key Attributes of Patient-Safe Communication. In T Levett-Jones (Ed)  Critical Conversations for Patient Safety: An Essential Guide for Health Professionals. Pearson, Australia.

Gilligan C, Outram S. (2014) Communicating with people from culturally and linguistically diverse backgrounds in T. Levett-Jones (Ed) Critical Conversations for Patient Safety: An Essential Guide for Health Professionals. Pearson, Australia.

Monograph

Brotherston R, Lee C, Smith N, Dobson A, Outram S.  Women and Mental Health in Australia: Selected findings of the Australian Longitudinal Study on Women’s Health.  Report prepared for the Mental Health Division of the Australian Commonwealth Department of Health and Ageing.  June 2003.

PhD Thesis

“An exploration of psychological distress in Australian midlife women.”  University of Newcastle, NSW Australia. Awarded 2002.

Conference Proceedings

Wright G, Outram S.  Sewing outcamps: Primary Health Care for Aboriginal women in an urban environment.  Proceedings of the Second National Urban Primary Health Care Conference, Sydney; 1993.

Outram S.  Non-insulin dependent diabetes mellitus in Tonga: barriers to prevention using a Primary Health Care approach.  Proceedings of the Second National Urban Primary Health Care Conference, Sydney; 1993.

Outram S.  Psychological distress among mid-aged Australian women living in rural areas.  Proceedings of the National Rural Health Conference.  Hobart; February 2003 

Conference Presentations

Wright G, Outram S.  Sewing outcamps: Primary Health Care for Aboriginal women in an urban environment.  Proceedings of the Second National Urban Primary Health Care Conference. Sydney, August 1993.

Outram S.  Non-insulin dependent diabetes mellitus in Tonga: barriers to prevention using a Primary Health Care approach.  Proceedings of the Second National Urban Primary Health Care Conference. Sydney, August 1993.

Outram S.  The Australian Longitudinal Study on Women’s Health: Early Results.  The Seventh Biennial Congress on Women’s Health Issues.  Khon Kaen, Thailand, November 1996.

Outram S.  The End of Multi-Professional Health-Focused Curriculum in the Undergraduate Courses at  Newcastle University: Death of a Vision. Public Health Association of Australia Annual Conference. Cairns, October 1996.

Outram S.  Women’s Attitudes to the use of Psychotropic Medications for Psychological Distress. Women’s Health Promotion Conference. Newcastle, November 1997.

Outram S.  Psychological Distress in Midlife Women in NSW.  Help Seeking and Barriers to Seeking Help.  Public Health Association of Australia and New Zealand Annual Conference. Melbourne, October 1998. 

Outram S.  Combining qualitative & quantitative methods in one study: complementarity Women’s experiences of seeking help for psychological distress.  Qualitative Research Conference. Newcastle University, 1998.

Outram S.  Postgraduate Education in Women’s Health.  What Way Forward?  Fourth Australian Women’s Health Conference. Adelaide, February 2001.

Cockburn J, Outram S, Dempsey S. et al.  Multidisciplinary Core Curriculum.  Network conference. Newcastle, 2003. 

Outram S.  Psychological distress among mid-aged Australian women living in rural areas.  Proceedings of the National Rural Health Conference. Hobart, February 2003.

Outram S, Garvey G.  Teaching medical students consultation skills with Aboriginal women: women’s business. The Australia and New Zealand Association of Medical (and Health Professional) Education (ANZAME). Auckland, July 2005. 

Outram S. Kable S.  The Integration of Communication Skills Training in a Clinical Setting. Setting the Standards for Medical Education.  The Australia and New Zealand Association of Medical (and Health Professional) Education. Newcastle, July 2006.

Outram S.  Should Medical Students be required to examine each other to learn clinical skills?  Medical Education Workshop: Curriculum, Assessment and Teaching.  University of Newcastle School of Medicine and Public Health, Tuesday 14 November 2006.

Outram S.  A web based clinical consultation skills program for medical students to ensure equity and quality learning at multiple sites. Harvard- Macy Scholars in Medical Education. Boston USA, June 2007.

O’Toole B, Catts S, Cockburn J, Outram S, Pierse K.  The Prevalence of PTSD in Australian Vietnam veterans 35 years after war’s end: Preliminary results of a cohort study.  Annual Conference of the Australian Society for Psychiatric Research. Sydney, December 6-8 2007

O’Toole B, Catts S, Cockburn J, Outram S, Pierse K.  They never forget: Recall of traumatic memories of Vietnam.  Conference of the Australian Society for Psychiatric Research. Sydney. December 6-8 2007.

Outram S, O’Toole B, Stojanovski E.  Being married to a veteran. How does the mental health and well being of partners of Vietnam veterans in Australia compare with other Australian midlife women? Women’s Mental Health Conference. Melbourne, March 2008.

Outram S, Stojanovski E.  Challenges in teaching skills for sexuality related medical consultations with year 3 medical students.  ANZAME Conference. Sydney, July 2008.

Outram S, Stojanovski E.  What is the impact on perceived knowledge, attitudes, and confidence of a unit of study in sexuality in Year 3 medicine and are there demographic differences?  ANZAME Conference. Sydney, July 2008.

Gilligan C, Outram S, Levett-Jones T.  Enhancing medication safety through the use of innovative multimedia, interprofessional communication and clinical reasoning. Better Health Conference. Manly, April, 2010.

Gilligan C, Outram S.  Communication skills programs at the University of Newcastle. European Association for Communication in Healthcare. Verona, September 2010.

Outram S, Gilligan C.  Enhancing success of medical students from culturally and linguistically diverse backgrounds (CALD) in sensitive doctor-patient interactions European Association for Communication in Healthcare. Verona, September 2010.

Outram S, Mesure J, McElduff P.  Academic Performance of International and CALD Medical Students. ANZAHPE 11. Alice Springs, July 2011.

Outram S, Dundas K.  An Invitation to Join the “This is Public Health Sticker Campaign”. ANZAHPE 11. Alice Springs, July 2011.

Kelly B, Outram S, Loughland CM, Harris G, Cohan M, Sandhu H, Vamos M, Levin L, Bylund C, Landa Y.  Communicating a diagnosis of schizophrenia: Experiences and perceptions of mental health clinicians.  Presented at 14 International Congress on Schizophrenia research (ICOSR).  JW Marriott Orlando, Florida USA April 2013

Outram S, Kelly B, Loughland CM, Harris G, Cohan M, Sandhu H, Vamos M, Levin L, Bylund C, Landa Y. Communicating a diagnosis of schizophrenia: Experiences and perceptions of carers.  Presented at 14th International Congress on Schizophrenia Research (ICOSR). JW Marriott Orlando, Florida USA, April 2013

Cohan M, Sandhu H, Vamos M, Ditton-Phare P, Kelly F, Loughland CM, Kelly B, Outram S, Harris G, Levin L, Bylund C, Landa Y.  Communication Skills Training in Psychiatry: An Australia experience.  Presented at 14th International Congress on Schizophrenia Research (ICOSR). JW Marriott Orlando, Florida USA, April 2013

Loughland CM, Kelly B, Outram S, Harris G, Cohan M, Sandhu H, Vamos M, Levin L, Bylund C, Landa Y.  Patients’ experiences and perceptions of a diagnosed of schizophrenia.  Presented at 14th International Congress on Schizophrenia Research (ICOSR). JW Marriott Orlando, Florida USA, April 2013

Cohan M, Sandhu H, Vamos M, Ditton-Phare P, Kelly F, Loughland CM, Kelly B, Outram S, Harris G, Levin L, Bylund C, Landa Y.  Communication Skills Training in Psychiatry: An Australia experience.  Presented at Communication ‘Bad’ diagnostic news in psychiatry Symposium.  Royal Australian and New Zealand College of Psychiatrists (RANZCP) Congress. Sydney, May 2013.

Outram S, Kelly B, Loughland CM, Harris G, Cohan M, Sandhu H, Vamos M, Levin L, Bylund C, Landa Y.  Communicating a diagnosis of schizophrenia: Experiences and perceptions of carers.  Presented at Communication ‘Bad’ diagnostic news in psychiatry Symposium.  Royal Australian and New Zealand College of Psychiatrists (RANZCP) Congress. Sydney, May 2013.

Kelly B, Outram S, Loughland CM, Harris G, Cohan M, Sandhu H, Vamos M, Levin L, Bylund C, Landa Y.  Communicating a diagnosis of schizophrenia: Experiences and perceptions of mental health clinicians. Presented at Communication ‘Bad’ diagnostic news in psychiatry Symposium.  Royal Australian and New Zealand College of Psychiatrists (RANZCP) Congress. Sydney, May 2013.

Loughland CM, Kelly B, Outram S, Harris G, Cohan M, Sandhu H, Vamos M, Levin L, Bylund C, Landa Y.  Patients’ experiences and perceptions of a diagnosed of schizophrenia.  Presented at Communication ‘Bad’ diagnostic news in psychiatry Symposium.  Royal Australian and New Zealand College of Psychiatrists (RANZCP) Congress. Sydney, May 2013.

Kelly B, Loughland C, Sandhu H, Vamos M, Outram S, Levin T.  ComPsych: An educational program to improve clinician competency in communication about schizophrenia.  16th Ottawa Conference / 12th Canadian Conference on Medical Education (CCME).  Canada, April 2014.

Outram S, Loughland C, Kelly B, Harris G, Cohen M, Bylund CL, Levin TT, Landa Y, Sandhu H, Vamos M.  What are the barriers to good practitioner-patient communication in psychiatry: A qualitative study.  16th Ottawa Conference / 12th Canadian Conference on Medical Education (CCME).  Canada, April 2014.

Loughland C, Outram S, Kelly B, Sandhu H, Vamos M, Levin T.  The communication of a diagnosis of schizophrenia: the perceptions and experiences of patients and caregivers.  16th Ottawa Conference / 12th Canadian Conference on Medical Education (CCME).  Canada, April 2014.

Post Graduate Student Supervision

Dr Outram has supervised postgraduate masters students on a variety of topics including: A Social History of Stockton Hospital; A Descriptive Study of Women with Anorexia Nervosa Under the NSW Guardianship Act; Women’s Experiences of Myocardial Infarction.  

Her most recent completed PhD student’s thesis: Catherine France, “Battling the Black Dog.  An Exploration of the Strategies Used by Young Australian Women Coping with Depressive Symptoms". 2008.

 

For more information or details please contact

Sue Outram:

Address:       Hunter Medical Research Building, New Lambton, NSW

Phone: (02) 4042 0560

Email:  This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. 

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