One shouldn't take the art of writing for granted. It is a powerful tool, which can influence social and scientific fabrics.   That is why I am very proud to be a mentor for the fabulous organisation, Author Aid. Supporting developing country researchers in developing their work. Supporting researchers from culturally and linguistically diverse backgrounds to get published in academic journals that make an impact is essential if we really want to create a diverse knowledge po...

Recent conversations I've had around cultural sensitivity and clinical practice have inspired me to revisit this fabulous piece of literature first published in 1997. The story of Lia Lee, a Hmong child diagnosed with severe epilepsy in the United States, is a tragic account of how cultural misunderstandings can be so very detrimental to a patient's well being. Both Lia's family and her treating Western doctors wanted only the best for Lia. However, their different perspective...

We're experiencing a heat wave in Melbourne! How does training in hot weather affect your heart? On a hot day, blood flow is rerouted so more of it goes to your skin surface to help your body let off your internal heat (and you break a sweat). The redirection of blood flow to the skin makes less oxygen available to your muscles and hence your heart beats faster and pumps harder to compensate for the loss of oxygen going to your muscles. This results in a higher heart rate for your usual...

If you are not familiar with the local athletics circuit, you will no doubt be gobsmacked to hear that, in this day and age, women don't get to run the same distances as men in cross-country running races sanctioned by the sport's governing bodies, here in Australia and overseas. This is an issue very close to my heart ... Read more here in an article I wrote for Athletics Exclusive, It's Time Males and Females Run the Same Distances   ...

OET, The English language test for healthcare professionals  @ The InterContinental Melbourne, The Rialto There were some thought provoking presentations today on language assessment for health professional contexts by distinguished keynote from the UK, Dr Jonathon Silverman and others. The sessions today really put test material writing, development and assessment under the microscope. It was a privilege to hear Prof Lesleyanne Hawthorne's very latest breakdown of healthcare...