Meet the ETM Faculty
ETM Course Instructors
Our course instructors are responsible for the delivery of course content at each course. Instructors are selected based on criteria related to trauma and/or education experience as well as their ability to conduct themselves in a positive, proactive and professional manner whilst teaching on the course.
Instructors come from many medical specialties including Emergency Medicine, Pre-hospital and Retrieval, Intensive Care, Anaesthetics and Rural General Practice.
Interested in becoming an ETM Course Instructor? Find out what it takes to become an instructor here.
Andy Buck
MBBS BMedSc (Hons) GCCS FACEM
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Andy is the co-creator and current director of the ETM Course. Andy currently works as an Emergency Physician at the Royal Melbourne Hospital.
Andy developed his interest in trauma during his early emergency training at the Alfred Hospital, one of Australasia’s busiest major trauma centres. Andy is also the co-creator of the ED Procedures Courses.
“I love meeting and teaching the amazing clinicians who are on the front line of trauma care around Australasia. I love that Emergency Medicine as a specialty is taking ownership of trauma reception and resuscitation and I love that ETM is becoming recognised nationally and internationally as the most modern, up to date and relevant course for trauma practitioners!”
Keith Amarakone
MBChB, BSc, MSc (Trauma), MA, MMedEd, FACEM (PEM) AFRACMA
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Head of Unit, Paediatric Emergency Department – The Northern Hospital, Melbourne
Trauma Education Consultant, The Royal Children’s Hospital, Melbourne
Senior Medical Simulation Consultant, The Royal Children’s Hospital, Melbourne
Keith has a keen interest in Trauma and works as the Paediatric Trauma Education Consultant at the Royal Children’s Hospital, where he is responsible for developing the Trauma Team Training Program for hospital staff, as well as designing and delivering paediatric trauma education courses state-wide, and internationally. He is interested in education, human factors, simulation and ethics.
“Meeting like minded clinicians from all over Australia.”
Tim Leeuwenburg
FACRRM & other stuff
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All over!
After 20 years as rural doctor on Kangaroo Island, I now pick and close work that brings me challenges and is fun!
So that’s mostly rural anaesthetics and emergency, as well as a senior staff specialist position for aeromedical retrieval in the NT.
“Meeting like-minded folk and facilitating excellence in trauma care across this vast continent – critical illness does not respect geography and ⅓ of major trauma occurs in rural areas….”
Amanda Connors
RN, RM, GradCert HthSc (ED), GradCert TTL, GradDipACN (Crit Care), MN (CritCare), M.Ed. (Education), D.Ed. (Education)
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St Vincent’s Hospital, Melbourne
Amanda has over 25 years of clinical nursing practice specialising in Emergency Nursing and Critical Care Nursing.
Amanda has worked as a Clinical Nurse Specialist at major trauma centres in Australia and New Zealand. She also has experience of working in rural and remote hospitals and health care facilities in Australia.
“I love meeting and teaching clinicians who are passionate about improving their practice”
Gareth Richards
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Lifeflight Queensland
Auckland Helicopter Emergency Medical Service
Gareth is an Australian based pre-hospital and retrieval physician. He works with Australia’s rotary wing and jet air ambulance services in Queensland and beyond on their government, oil and gas industry, and insurance contracts. Regular monthly work with the Auckland Helicopter Emergency Medical Service in New Zealand is on hold due to COVID-19 pandemic mandated travel restrictions.
Gareth previously flew with, and coordinated for the Victorian State Paediatric Emergency Transport Service, now PIPER. Gareth also consults for First Assistance, an international medical assistance company, advising on managing a range of conditions from nasty sniffles to evacuating critically ill patients from remote third-world locations.
Gareth is an ETM course director and Education Committee member and a Clinical Senior Lecturer with the University of Otago Occupational and Aviation Medicine Unit.
Nicola Walsham
MB BS (Hons) FACEM DTMH PGCertMedTox
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Royal Melbourne Hospital
Nicola is an Emergency Physician, Trauma Lead and Deputy Director at the Royal Melbourne Hospital, one of Australasia’s busiest major trauma centres.
Nicola has special interests in infectious and tropical diseases and toxicology, but is really most interested in hiking in exotic locations.
“I am endlessly fascinated meeting people from such varying backgrounds, hearing their experiences and learning from each other. It’s incredibly rewarding to watch people grow in confidence and ability to team lead complex poly-trauma patients over the three-day course.”
Marc Schnekenburger
FACEM
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Emergency & Trauma Consultant – The Alfred, Melbourne
Retrieval Doctor – Dubbo NSW, Emergency and Flying Doctor Service
From paramedic to Emergency Specialist. A journey over 20 years from Munich in Germany to Melbourne! Marked started his career as a Paramedic and then a prehospital doctor. Mark later became an Emergency Physician with a passion for trauma and retrieval from.
“The basics & essentials in trauma are centred around systems and teams. The knowledge you can learn in “books” (online, podcasts, journals, EMST, etc). Yet the ETM course covers all of it with a strong focus on teams and communication. It gives you a clear structure and leaves space to fill with your own experience. The change in group dynamics over three days is always an amazing and very enjoyable development!”
Suzi Hamilton
MBChB, FACEM
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Christchurch Public Hospital, NZ
Suzi is an Emergency Fellow in Christchurch ED, when she’s not working on boats / ski fields / polar ice caps! Her clinical interests include simulation and teaching, whilst the human factors and personality management in a resus room continue to fascinate her.
“Apart from great venues, good food and meeting heaps of interesting people?! The stuff that other courses don’t teach: resus room management, communication, getting the bigger picture. Love seeing people go away with smiles and new skills.”
Andy Tagg
BSc, MBBS, MRCSEd, FACEM
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Western Health, Melbourne and Adult Retrieval Victoria
Having come to Australia the long way round as a ships doctor, Andy decided that the NHS was not for him. Settling in Melbourne’s western suburbs he enjoys looking after the wide variety of patients that Footscray has to offer.
During his tenure as a retrieval registrar, Andy got involved with the ETM course, acting in the very first scenario video and writing the textbook chapter on intra-hospital transfer. He has since gone on to be involved in creating the communication module for Trauma Victoria.
In his spare time (!) Andy writes for www.dontforgetthebubbles.com, a world renowned paediatric blog that he co-founded along with Tessa Davis, Henry Goldstein and Ben Lawton.
“The opportunity to improve communication skills, make rural clinicians more comfortable and keep up to date.”
John Roe
BSc MBChB MRCS DCH Cert Ret FACEM
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Darwin ED, Careflight NT.
John is a Pommie lost in the most amazing Australian adventure which started with his family in 2004. His heroes include Dr Peter Archer, Dr Simon Young and a certain young Dr AB; and anti-heroes are the MASH mob! John also covers the Hottest 7s Rugby Comp and V8s in Darwin to mix things up.
“Interacting with such an amazing faculty and learning from them and the candidates. ETM makes you bring your A-game.”
Alicia Tucker
FACEM, FAWM, MBBS (Hons), BMedSci
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Royal Hobart Hospital
Alicia is an ED Physician who has returned to her home town of Hobart. She has had an interest in Trauma since being a Surgical Trainee, before seeing the light and turning to the dark side (ED)!
Alicia has been Chair of the RHH Trauma Committee and has also been on the AUSTQIP Steering Committee.
Alicia is a Wilderness Medicine Fellow who has worked with the RFDS as a Ships Physician in Antarctica. She is now exploring one of the last frontiers, the challenges of human spaceflight. Alicia has two boys with her non-medical husband, Greg and loves living the Tassie life.
“I love the way the course is reflective of the way we run trauma reception and resuscitation in the ED. The principles that the candidates (and instructors!) learn on the course can easily be transferred to other resus patients. I love that there is lots of simulation, that it’s a fun faculty to work with and that Andy constantly reviews and evolves the course to keep it absolutely up to date and the best value experience.”
Trevor Burchall
MBBS FACRRM DRANZCOG
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RFDS Broken Hill Senior Medical Officer SA Ambulance Service (SAAS) Deputy Chief MO. Locum work in spare time!
Born in Victoria, Trevor spent 80% of his life in SA but still calls himself a Victorian..and Melbourne is still one of his favourite cities that he’s visited across the world. Trevor is a rural generalist, having spent 22 years in rural procedural (anaesthetics, obstetrics) general practice from solo to group practices and always maintains an interest in emergency medicine, especially trauma.
Trevor’s interests outside of work include collecting guitars (and playing them badly), attending concerts and listening to music. He has a certain amount of passion for AFL, especially his beloved Port Adelaide.
“Learning new things every time I come along to a course from both the candidates and other instructors.”
Cynthia Papendick
FACEM
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Royal Adelaide Hospital
Cynthia is originally from Philadelphia but is now a proud Australian citizen. She considers herself very lucky to be practicing emergency medicine in Australia. In addition to her interest in resus and trauma team management, Cynthia is interested in acute cardiac issues, sepsis and palliative care.
Cynthia lives in the Adelaide Hills with lots of animals including goats, cows, alpacas and some rambunctious rescue dogs.
“The people, the energy and the opportunities for sharing experience with a wide range of resuscitationists!”
David Camilleri
MD, FACEM
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Royal Melbourne Hospital, LifeFlight Medical Queensland
David is a Maltese doctor who moved to Australia for ‘a year’ in 2008. David has since gone on to do Emergency Training between Cairns and Melbourne and has settled into part-time trauma centre work and part-time retrieval work.
“Teaching on ETM gives me an opportunity to meet other front-line clinicians and sharing the ‘team sport’ approach and communication skills needed for trauma management. Not to mention the fun of networking with people from all over the country.”
Nicola Allison
MBCHB, FACEM
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Royal Darwin Hospital
Nicola is a “Yorkshire Lass” who came to Australia for a year in 2004 and never went home. She lives in Darwin with her paramedic husband and her two young sons who are true Territorians.
Nicola enjoys the challenge of working with the indigenous population. Her current interests include end of life care in the ED.
“I enjoy teaching on ETM Course and interacting with the candidates and other instructors while keeping up to date with trauma management.”
Fran Williamson
MBBS (hons), FACEM, Grad Dip Clin USS, CCPU
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Royal Brisbane and Women’s Hospital- Emergency Department & Trauma Services, Queensland Ambulance Service, Greenslopes Private Hospital
Fran is an Emergency Physician who splits her time between the prehospital environment, the emergency department and on the wards caring for trauma patients. She has a particular interest in trauma education and improving systems to streamline care.
“The ETM course teaches how modern trauma care is delivered. It’s a pleasure to see participants reflect on what they learn and how to use it into their own environment- whether that’s a trauma centre or rural environment, gaining skills to improve the care of all trauma patients!”
Vekram Sambasivam
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NSW Aeromedical Retrieval
Vekram has recently completed his emergency medicine training in Sydney and is now working with NSW Aeromedical Retrieval.
His special interests include trauma, public health and fact trolling health wellness bloggers.
“ETM is a fantastic course designed for the resus room. Your patients will enjoy their new found survival advantage.”
Mary Ibrahim
MBBS, DCH, FACEM (PEM)
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Nepean Hospital
Mary completed her medical degree at UWA in 2002 then completed a fellowship in emergency medicine and paediatric emergency medicine in 2015.
Mary has a keen interest in education which includes emergency fellowship and emergency and paediatric education and training. Mary also teaches on a number of courses including APLS and EMST.
“Keeping educated about trauma management and learning from colleagues and candidates.”
Donna O’Kane
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Groote Eylandt, Weipa, Normanton, Tonga and isolated single doctor locations.
Donna has been living and working in remote communities for the past 10 years, surviving cyclones, crocodiles, sharks, lock downs, and the wet season!
Donna is passionate about providing the best medical care to people living in remote communities, especially in disadvantaged and under-resourced regions.
Donna has twin boys and her hobbies include swimming, yoga and travelling.
“I love hearing trauma stories and sharing the challenges of being a solo doctor managing severe trauma. I also enjoy the team approach to trauma and the opportunity to learn something new from every course.”
Glyn Lackie
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Gold Coast University Hospital, Robina Hospital, Pindara Private Hospital
Glyn is an ED Physician who did most of his training in Gold Coast and Northern NSW, including a retrieval stint with Careflight.
Between work, 4 year old twins, a 3 year old, and a bit of footy and basketball, Glyn doesn’t have a great deal of free time!
“I enjoy teaching, plus I learn or improve something every time. I love hearing about the very varied systems/resources people work with, and of course a ETM has a great faculty, and it’s a lot of fun!”
Matthew Oliver
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Royal Prince Alfred Hospital
Originally from the UK, Mat spent a year at Los Angeles County Hospital working with the Trauma team before settling in Sydney, Australia.
Matt works at Royal Prince Alfred Hospital and has a keen interest in trauma, research and all things resuscitation, as well as surfing!
“ETM provides a great opportunity to meet new people from different backgrounds and experiences, while also giving me the chance to learn more along the way.”
Andy Potter
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Cairns Hospital
Originally from the UK, Andy found himself in the Tropical North of Australia and never looked back. His training in Anaesthesia across Northern Australia took in retrieval medicine based out of Darwin and Anaesthesia in the NT and Far North Queensland.
Andy’s main work interests are in education in the OT, regional anaesthesia & ultrasound, and of course Trauma. He is involved in the training of ANZCA trainees and is the Rotational Supervisor for the Northern Rotation of the QLD Anaesthetic Rotational Training Scheme.
His mid-life crisis lead to putting on the Lycra & taking up distance running. He is a Liverpool Football Club tragic and ever optimistic that this year glory will come to Anfield.
“Meeting the enthusiastic participants and the expert instructors and learning from both.”
Kevin Lai
MBBS FACEM
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Trauma Physician, Westmead, Auburn and Ryde Hospitals
Kevin is an Emergency Physician with special interest in Trauma and Simulation training. He also works as a Trauma Physician in an unique Tertiary Multi-disciplinary Trauma Department, caring for trauma patients from admission to discharge.
Kevin is also the past chair of the ACEM Trauma Sub-committee and runs a simulation based multi-disciplinary Trauma Team Training course.
Belinda Hibble
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University Hospital Geelong, St John of God (Geelong) Hospital, Deakin University
Belinda is an Emergency Physician hailing from the Bellarine Peninsula in Victoria, with an interest in Medical Education, Trauma and Women’s & Children’s Health.
Belinda has been involved in many aspects of postgraduate medical education through her work with ACEM’s curriculum and training program development projects and Regional Workplace Based Assessment Panels.
“Working in a regional trauma service, I love the opportunity to network with other trauma providers, refresh my own clinical and team work skills and share pearls with others that I’ve learnt along the way.”
Dave Tingey
B Hlth Sc (Paramedic), M.Adv.Clin.Pract., PG Cert Aeromedical Retrieval, Dip Proj Mgmt
Ben Stanton
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SAAS MedSTAR
Ben is a Nurse Practitioner who works as a Retrieval Practitioner at SAAS MedSTAR. When Ben is not packaging up a patient for transfer, he’s usually speaking at a conference around Australia. His interests include education and best patient care.
“I love meeting like minded individuals with a passion for best trauma care and patient management.”
Tim Cowan
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John Hunter Hospital, University of Newcastle
Originally from NZ, Tim moved to Australia after med school in search of warmer weather. Tim has worked in ED’s in Sydney, Melbourne and Newcastle, with a smattering of rural GP, retrieval, military medicine and neurosurgery experience. Tim is married to an obstetrician which is good for a reality check whenever he thinks working in a ED job is stressful l!
Tim loves the dynamic and the teamwork of the ED environment and his interests include education, sim and resus room management.
“It’s a great course. Bringing common sense trauma care together with human factor management really parallels what I think we should be doing in our resus bays (and beyond). I always learn something, and I highly recommend the course to anyone who will listen.”
Lyn Pugh
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Christchurch Hospital
Lyn transferred from Scotland to New Zealand 12 years ago to work in ED. Lyn currently works as a consultant in Christchurch Hospital ED and as a senior clinical lecturer for the University of Otago.
Lyn has a keen interest in medical education and instructs on a number of courses including CORE (ALS) and PROMPT (obstetric emergencies).
“I love meeting like minded, enthusiastic individuals with a shared interest in trauma …. and the food!”
Suneth Jayasekara
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Sunshine Coast Health Service
Suneth is an emergency physician with a special interest in healthcare simulation and pre-hospital and retrieval medicine.
“I enjoy interacting with the participants and watching them learn and improve their skills and knowledge over the course. I believe in the concept of experiential learning through simulation.”
Justin Yeung
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Albany Health Campus and WA Emergency Telehealth Service
Following medical school in Tasmania, Justin moved to Western Australian in the mid 90s. He spent nearly 10 years as a staff specialist at Royal Perth Hospital, before deciding on a sea change, moving to Albany on the south coast of WA in 2010.
Whilst still living in this gorgeous part of the country, Justin’s main focus now is as part of the team leading the way with amazing innovation in acute Telehealth and remote medical service delivery for country WA, based … back at RPH.
“I enjoy networking with colleagues from around the country.”
Merwe Hartslief
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Cairns Hospital
Merwe was born and qualified as a surgeon in South Africa and has a special interest in Trauma. He served as a trauma surgeon at a busy trauma centre at a university hospital before going into private practice for 6 years.
Merwe relocated to Australia in 2011 and started working as a general surgeon in a regional centre with a large catchment area. With the nearest sub-specialist support 400km away, Merwe became a true generalist managing most general surgical problems, including many trauma situations.
Merwe also serves as a military surgeon and a major in the Australian Army Reserves
“I like handing down the few pearls and tricks one picks up after years of working in Trauma. “To teach is to learn twice”
Hayley Frieslich
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Gold Coast Hospital and Health Service, Lifeflight Queensland
Hayley was born and studied in Johannesburg, South Africa and moved to Australia in 2006 for a ‘year’. She now lives on the Gold Coast with her partner and son. Life is never dull!
“ETM gives me the opportunity to meet other passionate clinicians who work in some of the most challenging situations. Seeing them grow on the course and knowing they take these skills to their teams and ultimately the patient bedside, translates to better outcomes for all.”
Andrew Hooper
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Royal Flying Doctor Service, Western Operations
Andy is the Head of Medical Services at RFDS Western Operations. He trained in Emergency Medicine in Perth, Western Australia, before discovering the wonders and challenges of remote and retrieval critical care.
Andy is passionate about trauma management outside of major centres, and allowing clinicians to deliver first-class care to patients regardless of location.
Andy is also an enthusiastic but frustrated cray fisherman.
“Meeting, teaching and learning from the incredible clinicians across the country.”
John Bonning
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Waikato Hospital ED
John is the immediate past President and current Board member of ACEM. He is also a practicing Emergency Physician at Waikato Hospital’s Emergency Department and the current Chair of the Council of Medical Colleges in New Zealand.
A doctor for 29 years, John is the immediate past Clinical Director of Waikato Hospital ED. He is currently a NZ Rugby Union Match Doctor and Police Medical Officer and is also very active in clinical practice.
John is an ETM, APLS and ACME course instructor and an expert advisor to the HDC and the Coroner. He is a passionate advocate for a strong public health system, equitable access to emergency care, and the rational use of health resources.
“Teaching a rational & safe approach to trauma patients and connecting with clinicians interested in learning.”
Kai Hsiao
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Originally from New Zealand, Kai completed his Emergency Medicine training in Sydney. He is now based part of the time overseas, but when in Australia, works as an Emergency Physician in regional NSW.
Kai has a special interest in global emergency care and in disaster response. Outside of work, he enjoys laid-back travel and good food!
“The highly hands-on and interactive approach of the course in teaching practical knowledge and skills for ED trauma management.”
Dave Lawless
B Med Sci, MBBS FACEM
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Gold Coast University Hospital
LifeFlight Retrieval medicine
Retrieval Services Queensland
Dave is an Emergency Doctor living and working in the beautiful Gold Coast.
“I love meeting our rural colleagues from around Australia, hearing amazing stories of resourcefulness under duress. I Instruct on ETM to see the amazing amount of growth in comfort and confidence that is instilled in our candidates over such a short 3 day period.”
Eve Purdy
FRCPC, FACEM
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Gold Coast University Hospital
Eve is a Canadian Emergency physician and anthropologist with a specific interest in how teams and organisations do work, together. She spends time in the resus room caring for patients but also thinking about how we communicate with our colleagues and how we can align goals, knowledge, and respect to get the best outcomes for our patients.
Eve has done a fellowship in simulation and is involved in using simulation to improve team performance and organisational culture.
“I love teaching on the ETM course because it is a time when we can shape the values and beliefs of the trauma care community. You will learn a lot about the medicine but even more important some practical ways to embody the core values that will make your resus teams excel!”
Tariq Nehvi
MBBS, MRCS(Edinburgh), FACEM
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Lyell McEwin Hospital, Adelaide SA
I was a surgeon in my previous life before training to be a FACEM in Australia. Since 2011, I’ve been working as a consultant emergency physician. I’m passionate about teaching and regularly teach trainees, RMOs, rural doctors and nurses and paramedics. I especially love reaching out to the rural and remote medical communities in SA and sharing their experiences with mine. I believe teaching and learning go together for the teachers as well as the taught!
I’m actively involved with ACEM CoE activities and in addition to being an ACEM examiner, I’m an active member of various exam committees.
I have a special interest in trauma, airways and especially critical procedures!
“First and foremost, I love the opportunity it gives me to update my own knowledge and understanding of the current trauma management principles, whether it is by reviewing instructor manuals, the latest guidelines or by talking to and interacting with other instructors and attendees from various backgrounds. The entire course content is excellent although my personal favourites are the interactive group discussions and of course, the simulations!”
Pat Gillespie
MBBS FACEM
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Toowoomba Emergency and Lifeflight Aeromedical Retrievals
I was inspired to do Emergency Medicine after training under some really impressive ED docs in far north QLD. I’m really lucky to currently split my work time between the hospital and helicopter retrievals. I split my home time wrangling a 4 month old and two dogs.
“The focus on human factors and communication is what drew me to ETM. I still learn so much from every course I teach. The faculty are an amazing bunch and their enthusiasm is infectious.”
Tim Stewart
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NSW Health – Maitland Hospital
Ramsay Health Care
HEAL Urgent Care
Tim has been working as an Emergency Physician since 2015, having spent 10 years training at St Vincent’s in Sydney. He has extensive experience in trauma, having worked in pre-hospital and retrieval medicine as an Emergency Physician for the Greater Sydney Area, Helicopter Emergency Medical Services (HEMS), Careflight, Critical Care Aeromedical Retrieval Service (Brisbane), and the Hunter Retrieval Service.
Dr Tim is passionate about teaching, with a specialist interest in Simulation having completed the world-renowned Simulation Instructor Training at the Centre for Medical Simulation, Harvard Boston. Dr Tim held the position of Simulation Lead in his most recent public position and actively participated in Health Network training in Simulation.
“The opportunity to learn through rapid fire, high pressure simulation, whilst maintaining a fun and friendly approach.”
Khanh Nguyen
Scott Flannagan
MBBS FACEM CCPU
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Maitland Hospital
With the looks of Doug Ross and the enthusiastic spirit of John Carter, Dr. Scott Flannagan became an ACEM fellowship-trained emergency physician in 2013.
Starting out in Jasper Indiana, a city of gold and wonderment, he went on to Indiana University to improve his social interacting skills. After graduation, he left the American shores for sun-kissed Australia, completing medical school at the University of Sydney and the majority of his emergency medical training within the Hunter New England Network of NSW, centered in Newcastle, NSW.
Scott is currently the Director of Emergency Services at Maitland Hospital, NSW. His clinical interests revolve around regional Trauma and critical care management in ED, workforce planning and Point of Care Ultrasound use.
“Constant learning and improvement through SIM and from participants alike.”
Elliot Long
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The Royal Children’s Hospital, Melbourne
Elliot works with children and acts like one occasionally. He is interested in applying the principles of adult trauma to children.
“I love the ETM focus on communication and resuscitation room management, these are specific skills that can be taught and learned.”
Kate Cush
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Nepean ED and Trauma Service
Kate has been interested in trauma since working as an ED registrar in an inner city ED. The philosophy of trauma management changes rapidly. She loves the general chaos of ED and the team mentality it fosters. Living in the Blue Mountains has meant she has taken up ultramarathons.
“Fostering enthusiasm for managing trauma better and hearing the stories from remote area staff about how they manage in small teams. I love the ETM focus on communication and resuscitation room management; these are specific skills that can be taught and learned.”
Adam Brand
FACEM, Mph, Bm, Bsc
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Gold Coast University Hospital Emergency Department
Adam’s career in medicine started in the UK with a keen interest in wilderness medicine, leading the medical team on a research expedition to the Peruvian Amazon.
After moving to Southeast Queensland, this interest was transferred to aeromedical retrievals. While working with Lifeflight Queensland, Adam completed his Masters in Public Health and aeromedical retrieval.
When he’s not mountain biking, Adam works as an Emergency Physician at Gold Coast University Hospital. Adam is also the Medical Director of Digital Services for Gold Coast Health.
“I love seeing the transformation of the participants during the course. Whether participants are rural generalists or emergency specialists, everyone leaves with a greater sense of confidence and efficiency in their trauma leadership.”
Laura Wilkie
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Women’s & Children’s Hospital, Adelaide
Laura is Scottish-born and trained, now also a proud Aussie who calls Adelaide home. Her three gorgeous and cheeky kids are the lights of her life.
Laura loves emergency medicine, trauma and education and trained in paediatrics, so she never has to grow up! She’s enthusiastic about optimising individual and departmental well-being and culture change.
“ETM is a really practical course, providing the opportunity to teach with inspiring and enthusiastic instructors from all over Australasia. It’s great to learn something new every course!”
Steph Schlueter
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Albany Health Campus & Emergency Telehealth Service, WA
Dr Steph (her last name is German and unpronounceable) is a rural Emergency Physician based in Albany, WA, and a clinician with the Emergency Telehealth Service. After graduating medical school in Berlin in 2007, she moved to WA, became a real Aussie and completed EM training. Her passion is interprofessional rural and remote critical care education, delivered to the most remote clinicians in person and via telehealth enabling them to “do the basics well and deliver crit care – out there”. When not in the hospital, Steph enjoys “helping” her husband on their cattle farm and trail running with her dogs.
“It is not just the educational experience but the networking opportunity to build, foster and grow our community of practice – I feel privileged to be part of the ETM family.”
Oli Welfare
MB BCh BAO BA FACEM
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Hawkes Bay Regional Hospital, NZ
Originally British, though trained in Dublin, New Zealand, the UK and Australia. Passionate about improving patient safety through communication and teamwork. Happiest either running in the hills or at home with my family.
“Meeting up with old friends, making new ones and getting to improve the care that I give by learning from others on the course, while also teaching those new to it.”
Kate Taliana
Bob Worswick
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Rural Generalist locum in QLD.
Started life in the Army as an infantry officer. Subsequently became an Army doctor and trained as a Rural Generalist. After leaving the Army I now do rural locum/casual ED work in QLD and ACT.
“I really like helping rural generalists and critical care doctors to extend their learning. We all know what to think in trauma – ETM takes this one step further, and teaches us how to think.”
Michelle Withers
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Public hospital Emergency Departments and Retrieval Services, mainly in the Northern Territory.
Zimbabwean-born, trained in the UK (NHS) and NSW, now based in the NT. Came to Alice Springs in 2008 and the red dust got into my blood! I have always been interested in Trauma and Prehospital Care, especially in resource-limited settings. I have dealt with trauma patients in large city hospitals (St Mary’s Paddington, Red Cross Children’s Hospital in Cape Town, Liverpool in Sydney) – but also at roadsides and on red sand dunes in the NT, and in a tiny hospital in rural Zimbabwe. The principles are the same – do simple things well, and what you do matters (thanks, Mel Herbert).
“ETM teaches not only the expertise, frameworks and procedures for managing trauma, but also the vital skills of communication, teamwork and resuscitation room management, which are so often omitted. It is an intense and fun three days, and I always learn something new from the candidates and my fellow instructors.”
Bethan Jervis
FACEM
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Currently shifting between Sydney and Brisbane. I finished my Ed training in St Vincent’s Hospital and was lucky to spend a year in the sky with Sydney HEMS/Careflight before settling into consultant life.
Originally from Wales but have called Australia home since 2015 (…sorry mum). I spent my training split between Townsville and Sydney and am imminently moving north of the border again to Brisbane.
“I am thrilled to have started teaching with ETM since 2022. I love hearing all the crazy stories and experiences that people bring to each course.”
Alistair Fergusson
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Al is an emergency physician with over 2 decades of experience working in South Australia’s Major Trauma center. He is an ETM course director and is passionate about medical education and training. Al is a Director of Emergency Medicine training, and has previously sat on the ACEM Council of Education as the South Australian Regional Censor. In recognition of his contribution to education and training in the field of emergency medicine Al has been awarded the ACEM distinguished service award.
Having spent a decade teaching with ETM, I have met a huge number of clinicians from all over Australia and New Zealand who have come to experience the course and learn. My favourite part of ETM is the two-way sharing of knowledge. I enjoy teaching the participants new skills and approaches to managing major trauma, but I also really enjoy learning from them, hearing about the environment they work in and the resources that they have (or don’t have) available to them, and then tailoring what I teach to make it relevant to them and their clinical setting.
Sandi Dawson
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Thursday Island Hospital
LifeFlight Retrieval Medicine
Sandi is a Rural Generalist GP Anaesthetist living and working on Thursday Island in the Torres Straits. She has special interests in remote critical care, retrieval medicine, tropical medicine and resource-limited trauma care. When she is not providing Anaesthesia out of a shipping container, she boats, fishes and works to keep her plants and child alive.
“I really enjoy meeting participants who care for trauma patients in extremely varied working locations (eg. from Navy ships to remote clinics to tertiary trauma centres). We all have something to learn from one another.”
Jana Alexander
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Royal Melbourne Hospital
I trained in the UK, and have family in Ireland. I moved to Australia in 2012 after a year in New Zealand. Since completing my training in 2018 I’ve worked at The Royal Women’s Hospital and The Royal Melbourne Hospital. My main interest is Medical Education and I enjoy teaching procedural skills, creating courses & models and novel ways of delivering education.
“I love the opportunity to work with and meet colleagues from across Australia & NZ. I also love that ETM isn’t dogmatic and we teach a real approach to trauma and discuss how it can be adapted to various work environments. Most importantly I learn from other instructors as well as from our course participants- I leave every course with a new pearl of knowledge.”
Peter Brendt
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Retrieval RFDS SE, Dubbo Base Hospital Anaesthetist
Peter is driven by an unwavering dedication to trauma and critical care medicine. His journey commenced as a paramedic evolving through diverse roles as an Anaesthetist, Retrievalist, and Intensivist in Germany. Beyond his clinical endeavours, Peter’s true passion lies in teaching, particularly through the dynamic realm of simulation.
He ventured to Australia to broaden his experience in Prehospital and Retrieval Medicine with the RFDS SE. What was meant to be a brief visit in Australia transformed into a decade-long adventure, driven by his enduring love for continuous learning and teaching in trauma, emergency, and critical care.
“It’s an exhilarating experience to witness doctors, each with diverse levels of expertise in trauma management, as they embark on their individual journeys towards mastering resuscitation. As an instructor, I find that I teach just as much as I learn in this dynamic exchange, making it an incredibly enjoyable and enriching process!”
Ina Schapiro
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Mount Barker DSM Hospital, Adelaide South Australia
Ina left the cold northern Denmark to enjoy the warmth of South Australia while brushing up on her acute care skills before proceeding with her anaesthetics/retrieval training. Her encounter with ED training made her jump ship and she decided to stay in Oz and train to become an emergency physician.
After working mainly in metro Adelaide and taking a year here and there in beautiful Alice Springs, she has now settled down workwise in the busy growing semi-rural area of Mount Barker. This is where anything and everything presents with no warning – multi-trauma included.
When not keeping busy with work or teaching she loves being on the trails running long and far, riding her roadie or dragging the kayak down to the beach.
“I learn so much every time I teach on the ETM Course from the candidates and my fellow faculty members.”
Ben O'Leary
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West Gippsland Hospital
Ben is a Rural Generalist and currently the director of anaesthetics at West Gippsland Hospital in Victoria.
Originally from New Zealand, he has also worked in Samoa and Antarctica, and consults for First Assistance, an international medical assistance company.
He is especially interested in trauma, altitude sickness and expedition medicine as well human factors and teaching.
“I love watching everyone enhance their leadership and communication skills, growing within themselves in the space of a few days! I always learn something new every course to take back to my workplace.”
Dani Williams
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Toowoomba Hospital
18 years of Emergency Nursing in rural and regional Qld.
With a move to a clinical education role in recent years, add to this an even more recent addition of a Nursing management role – it makes life interesting and/or challenging depending on the day.
Main aim in life is trying to attain that elusive work life balance that people talk about.
3 kids, 2 dogs and a cat that likes to yell at people – life is always busy.
“The diverse group of clinicians that I meet on every course! You never fail to learn something new either from the participants and/or the faculty on the ETM courses.”
Danielle Volling-Geoghegan
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Cairns Hospital,
Lifeflight Retrieval Medicine Cairns
Danni is a country girl at heart and grew up in the highest town in Queensland (fun fact!).
She is now an Anaesthetist and Pre-Hospital Retrieval Physician in Cairns. She has always had a keen interest in trauma management, but this was solidified during a year as the Trauma Anaesthesia Fellow at the PAH in Brisbane and then further as a Retrieval specialist in Cairns.
When she isn’t nerding out about massive transfusion protocols, rapid infusers and ROTEM interpretation, Danni loves spending time outdoors – camping, hiking and exploring Outback Australia are some of her highlights.
“Very few courses bring together different specialties in the way that ETM does, thus creating opportunities for very interesting breaktime conversations!”
Amanda McConnell
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Cairns Hospital
Originally hailing from New Zealand, Amanda honed her skills as an Emergency Physician through her training in Melbourne’s busiest trauma centres. She moved to Cairns in 2016 for a sea change with her young family in tow.
Amanda enjoys the challenge of managing a complex, injured trauma patient and gets especially excited when these patients are managed by a crash-hot team full of ETM graduates!
Amanda loves working in tropical Cairns, and while she misses Melbourne coffee, she is quite content to leave the traffic jams and 10-month winters behind.
Outside of work, her spare time is a medley of music festivals, palm trees and sunshine.
“ETM is such a great ‘nuts and bolts’ trauma course for all levels. It reinforces a systematic straightforward approach to the trauma patient as well as a clear communication style which can be used across multiple domains within medicine and nursing. ETM provides a unique opportunity to network with like-minded colleagues from across Australia and New Zealand. It is so much more progressive and relevant than any other trauma course I have done before. I use my ETM skills every time I manage a sick trauma patient. It is a must-do course for all trauma aficionados.”
Alana Harper
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Auckland City Hospital
Northern Rescue Helicopter NZ
Alana is an emergency medicine specialist at Auckland City Hospital which is a major trauma centre, and a Pre-Hospital Retrieval Medicine Doctor with the Northern Rescue Helicopter (NRHL). Her PHRM work involves mostly helicopter and road based primary missions including land and water based search and rescue, and some inter-hospital retrieval. Originally from Northern Ireland, she met a Kiwi whilst working in the Northern Territory who persuaded her New Zealand was the best place in the world! She is passionate about resus room management and leadership, promoting women in clinical leadership and excellence in clinical care.
“I love the confidence that clinicians develop over the 3 days of ETM. Seeing candidates develop their own personal style of leadership and resus room management with the tools ETM provides, and also using that toolbox for the unique environment they work in. I always come away having learned something too, from both candidates and the other instructors!”
Andrew Donohue
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Gold Coast University Hospital
LifeFlight QLD
Dr Andrew Donohue is an Anaesthetist & Trauma Service consultant at the Gold Coast University Hospital where he is the Clinical Lead for Trauma Anaesthesia and Clinical Lead for Mass Casualty & Disaster Response. He is also a Retrieval Consultant and Director of Education & Training at LifeFlight Retrieval Medicine QLD.
“ETM has a great faculty team, keen participants and really focusses on relevant modern trauma care.”
Lloyd Malone
FRACGP FARGP MBBS BA(Hons) BSc DRGA DCH GradCertAeromedRetr AvMO MOUM
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Atherton District Hospital FNQld and
Australian Army
Lloyd is a Rural Generalist with an extensive background in military medicine, fixed wing and rotary wing aeromedical retrieval, pre-hospital and hospital based trauma management. He absolutely energizes on the topics of critical pre-hospital care, emergency airway management, delivering critical care in high tempo and austere environments. Most days you will find Lloyd teaching and helping others become confident, competent and capable in delivering high quality, best-practice patient care. In the slivers of spare time Lloyd loves all things outdoors, music, motorcycles, competitive shooting sports and his beautiful family.
“Teaching ETM is the best opportunity to dive into the ‘how’ of managing trauma in whatever detail our participants want and need. Tailoring every course delivery specifically to the participant group makes it exciting and fresh every time. This course gives the best opportunity to combine current practice, knowledge, micro skills and leadership in trauma. The positive energy from a room full of trauma managers all wanting to grow professionally is exciting and I love being there!”
Dan Wornham
Samantha Luck
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Emergency Physician – Toowoomba Hospital
[Intermittent roles as ED Fellow, PICU registrar at Queensland Children’s Hospital]
Sam is a regional emergency physician who has been completing post-Fellowship paediatric emergency medicine training at Queensland Children’s Hospital whilst continuing to work part-time as a consultant in Toowoomba.
“I love meeting people from various clinical settings and discussing best trauma management for different settings – I always learn something!”
Yvette Bassin
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Bendigo Health, Victoria
The Royal Women’s Hospital, Melbourne.
Yvette is an Emergency and co-DEMT at Bendigo Health, which is a regional trauma centre servicing the Loddon Malley region of Victoria. She has an interest in training junior doctors to provide exceptional care in a regional setting. She is also passionate about women’s health improving delivery of emergency care in this space.
When not at work she is chief taxi driver to 2 young humans and is always trying to have an adventure somewhere new and fun.
“I have loved this course since being a participant on an early version of this course. This course focuses on the best way to provide trauma care in ED, is practical, thoughtful, and up to date. I love meeting participants from all over Australasia, especially those working rural and remote who always have great stories to share. I learn something every time.”
Emily Moody
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Senior Medical Officer, Boonah Health Service
Queensland Rural and Remote Clinical Network Co-Chair
National Clinical Educator, ACRRM Fellowship Education Program
Rural Generalist Training Advisor, Queensland Rural Generalist Pathway
Senior Lecturer, University of Queensland
Dr. Emily Moody is a Rural Generalist working as a Senior Medical Officer (SMO) at Boonah Hospital who enjoys rural advocacy, medical administration and rural medical education roles alongside her clinical work. Emily is a product of the Queensland Rural Generalist Pathway and a former Queensland Rural Health Scholarship Scheme (QHRSS) holder. Originally from Cairns, Emily is a JCU MBBS graduate who completed both FACRRM and FRACGP with advanced skills in Anaesthetics in Kingaroy in 2017, then continued working as both rural general practitioner and hospital Rural Generalist in Ayr. She subsequently worked at Laidley Hospital for three years before moving to Boonah Hospital, during which time she intermittently acted as Clinical Director of West Moreton Rural Health Services.
Emily has an interest in complex systems theory and completed a Healthcare Improvement Fellowship with Clinical Excellence Queensland, which has contributed to her role as Co-Chair of the Queensland Rural and Remote Clinical Network. After working as Lead Medical Educator for the ACRRM Independent Pathway for many years, Emily was appointed National Clinical Educator, ACRRM Fellowship Education Program in 2023, where she continues to find enormous value in assisting registrars towards achieving their fellowship.
Emily combines her professional roles with enjoying her young family, being a soccer mum, never skipping the gym, and reading far too many fiction novels.
“Being amongst a diverse group of clinicians who share an attitude of being life-long learners.”
Nick Dafters
Adam Holyoak
MBBS, BSc, BA, MPH (Aeromed), GradDipUS(Melb), DipRGA, FACEM, FCICM, FACRRM
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Townsville Hospital
Thursday Island Hospital
LifeFlight Retrieval Medicine
Interested in critical care medicine in all its forms, especially how the best possible care can be delivered to patients where-ever they are located. This can be from a remote roadside trauma, flying in a helicopter to a remote island for a resuscitation, to a hospital anaesthetic, or ECMO in a tertiary ICU. Special interests are venom, coagulopathy in trauma, and cardiac critical care.
But nothing compares to spending time with people and community in the Torres Straits where you get to understand what really matters to individuals and their health and how to work together to achieve goals.
“I enjoy learning from others experiences of managing trauma in their institutions and sharing tricks and tips for optimising patient care in major trauma.”
Oscar Wigginton
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Liverpool Hospital
Greater Sydney Area HEMS
I’m an ED doc originally from the UK but did most of my ED training on the Sunny Coast in QLD. I’ve also worked in PHRM since 2022 including a stint at London HEMS back in the UK. I currently work in Sydney as a FACEM and staff specialist at Sydney HEMS.
“Meeting up with like minded people and getting to learn from everyone else’s experiences.”
Ed Egan
BA, MB BCh (Oxon.) FACEM
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Murwillumbah District & Tweed Valley Hospitals,
Northern NSW
Clinical Lead Emergency Consultant at Murwillumbah District Hospital (possibly smallest consultant led ED in southern hemisphere).
Enjoyed 15 years of Retrieval Medicine with Westpac Helicopter Service based in Lismore plus Lifeflight Fixed & Rotary services on Gold Coast, Brisbane & Rockhampton but eventually got bored of with driving to & from bases. Started Registrar life as at Liverpool ED / Trauma Centre, SW Sydney.
Spend freetime doing niche sports with family.
“That ETM have offered me chance to teach on my first course. Thoroughly enjoyed doing ETM course myself with it’s practical, locally appropriate application of best practice/evidence.”
Matt Forbes
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Royal Hobart Hospital and Central Australian Retrieval service
A classic UK transplant, originally from Wales I moved to Australia with my wife for a year long “jolly”. It’s now over a decade later, speciality training completed and enjoying every moment.
If I’m not at work then I try my best to be enjoying the mountains in remote parts of the world, particularly with a focus on ski touring, hiking and 4wd/camping. I also love to be out trail running or walking with my dogs.
Aside from PHRM and trauma I am passionate about extreme, mountain and expedition medicine.
“I love that every candidate teaches me something. They all have their own unique flare and there is always something I can take onboard for my own growth and learning.”
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