Mongolia and the Silk Road – Medical conference program
- Musculoskeletal Medicine
- Men’s Health
- Renal Medicine
- Sexual Health
- Practice management
Speakers and topics
Dr Simon Willcock
Simon is a general practitioner and the Clinical Director of Primary Care at the Macquarie University Hospital. His education and research interests include the health of doctors, generational change in the medical workforce, men’s health and musculoskeletal medicine. Simon trained as a rural procedural GP, and practiced in Inverell, NSW where his practice included obstetrics and anaesthetics. For the past twenty five years he has worked in academic and clinical practice in Sydney and has had a number of educational leadership roles. Simon is currently the Chair of the Avant Mutual Group and a board member of the Sydney North Health Network, the Banksia Project, and a member of the NSW AMA Council of General Practice. He is also the Director of Primary care and Wellbeing Services at MQ Health.
- Managing Low Back Pain – A perennial pain in the butt
- The Cervical Spine – A pain in the neck
- The Art of Wellness
- The search for the Holy Grail – eliminating error in medicine
- From Muscle Machine to Vintage Classic – engaging men in their health
- Hydrotherapy
Dr Julia Jones
Dr Julia Jones is a nephrology and general medicine consultant at Western Health, Melbourne. She graduated with MB,BS (Hons) from Monash University in 2007 and was admitted as a fellow of RACP, specialising in nephrology in 2016. She is currently completing a PhD investigating the use of an e- technology to improve the detection and management of chronic disease in primary care.
- Hypertension
- Chronic Kidney Disease – 1 – diagnosis/investigations
- Chronic Kidney Disease -2 – management/referral /drugs to watch out for
- Acute Renal Failure and nephrotic syndrome
Associate Professor Catherine O’Connor
Dr O’Connor is a sexual health and HIV physician and has been the Director of the Sexual Health Service since 1996. Dr O’Connor has a broad research interest in the field of sexual health medicine, with a focus on the epidemiology of HIV, Chlamydia and other sexually transmitted infections in sex workers and gay men. In addition, Dr O’Connor works as a HIV clinical teacher in the Southern Highlands of Papua New Guinea.
Dr O’Connor is on the board of the Australasian Society of HIV Medicine and is well known for her interest in general practitioner education.
Dr O’Connor has had twenty-five peer reviewed papers published in the last ten years in the area of HIV and sexual health medicine.
- Update on HIV Prevention –including rapid testing and PREP
- Travel & Sexual Health
- Genital Ulceration
- Screening for STIs
- Case studies in STIs
Unconventional Conventions is an Accredited Education Provider Each of our continuing professional development programs is individually designed to address topics of current interest and is relevant to our professionals and their practices. The Academic Advisory Committee, comprising of medical professionals from across Australia will work with recognised and respected specialists to prepare a selection of presentations, workshops, case studies and panels discussions which will be specially prepared for our conferences.
Unconventional Convention’ director for the past 25 years is a practicing doctor who takes pride in offering a comprehensive, stimulating and relevant academic program. We aim to ensure that the combination of lectures, workshops, and training activities make up more than 50% of daily activities during the main conference tour.
Many of our travel destinations provide an opportunity for local professional contribution and cultural exchange through workshops and structured visits to local clinics.
Our conference programs are prepared over a 12-month period and full details are available 3 months prior to the conference. Unconventional Conventions is an accredited education provider for RACGP. Application for ACRRM points is made for each conference. Dental programs are certifiable with Dental Board of Australia. Specialists may apply for CPD points at their own discretion.
Unconventional Volunteering: Introduces Australian doctors to the world of medical volunteering in developing countries. www.unconventionalvolunteering.com
Current Academic Advisory Committee members
Dr Diana Hart OAM
GP in Brookvale, NSW, with interests in travel medicine (ISTM international certificate – CTH 2008), sports medicine (M Sp Med (UNSW) 2001), shared antenatal care (currently on the Northern Area Committee), and Skin cancer (Healthcert skin cancer medicine and surgery certificates).
Dr Jayne Ingham
GP in North Lakes, Queensland, involved in education, teaching of GP registrars and medical students from the University of Queensland . She is Chair of GP partners which is a GP network in Metro North Brisbane. She arranges education sessions for GPs with local specialists and on relevant topics and writes the GP partners monthly bulletin.
A/Prof Ralph Audehm
GP in Carlton, Victoria, and is an Honorary Clinical Associate Professor at the Department of General Practice, University of Melbourne. He has had a long-standing interest in the management of chronic conditions in General Practice especially diabetes and heart disease. He teaches medical students, GP registrars and General Practitioners.
Dr Alan Giles
Senior Staff Specialist, Emergency Department, Sydney Adventist Hospital, Wahroonga, NSW. He is the Area Medical Educator in Emergency Medicine and Hospital Skills Program Director for South Western Sydney and Sydney Local Health District.
Dr Margot Cunich
GP in Bondi Junction, NSW, and co-director of Unconventional Conventions. She is the Chair of the Academic Advisory Committee and designs and administers all the conference programs. She teaches medical students and registrars.