Sites: Adelaide Australia

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Location : Adelaide, Australia

Academic Affiliation: Flinders University, South Australia

Site Director : Professor Paddy A. Phillips Professor and Head of Medicine Flinders University Flinders Medical Centre Repatriation General Hospital

Background: Flinders University is a major top-ranking Australian university with a high research and clinical profile. The Flinders residents' program is led by Professor Paddy Phillips who was the May Reader in Medicine at Oxford and joined Flinders as the Head of Medicine in 1997. Professor Phillips is internationally recognized as an expert in evidence-based medicine and its implementation, and he is the Director of the Australian Center for Evidence-based Clinical Practice. Dr. Corey and Professor Phillips have had a longstanding friendship that prompted the Duke residents' program in Adelaide, which has flourished under Professor Phillips' guidance and vision since 1998. Prior to the residents' program, Flinders University maintained a clinical trials relationship with the Duke Clinical Research Institute. Over 7 Duke residents and fellows have had the opportunity to spend 3-6 months in Adelaide or the Darwin affiliate. Dr. Amy Abernethy (Asst Prof, Duke) stayed in Adelaide for an extended period and now holds an Adjunct faculty appointment at Flinders. Dr. Abernethy works with Professor Phillips to support and mentor residents while they are in Adelaide.

Clinical Opportunities: The 600-bed Flinders Medical Centre includes all of the components of a major tertiary care institution. Flinders and its medical affiliates are responsible for providing the majority of healthcare for all of southern Adelaide (population 350,000). Some residents also travel to the Darwin affiliate at the Northern Territory Clinical School to study tropical medicine and care for patients with a variety of infectious diseases. Clinical opportunities and assignments are based upon the interests of the resident and the appropriate medicolegal regulations.

Research: Each resident is assigned a research project. The project is developed in collaboration with Professor Phillips and clinical and/or research leaders in the relevant area. To date, projects have focused on clinical research in cardiology, infectious diseases, and palliative medicine, as well as some secondary research (systematic review and meta-analysis) in gastroenterology.