General Practice Research

General Practice Research at UWS

The General Practice team at UWS are involved in an extensive range of research activities with collaborators at UWS and beyond across the following domains. 

• Clinical Research
• Community/Public Health
• Health Services Research
• Education Research

More detail about each project can be accessed here, and more information about members of the General Practice team, including contact details. 

• Professor Jenny Reath
• Associate Professor Wendy Hu
• Dr Penny Abbott
• Dr Sara Rosenkranz

Our research application can also be accessed here. 

Research Values and Strategic Directions

A. Community Engaged
1. Our research is driven by the needs and hopes of the communities where it is based, as defined by those communities.

B. Collaborative
1. Our research participants are partners, not subjects, in our projects. We seek to build a research capacity within primary health care sector and also amongst communities.
2. We collaborate with other researchers to further develop our mutual strengths and promote synergies and economy of efforts.

C. Health Inequities (Social Justice)
1. Our research focuses on areas of need. We work particularly with underserved communities.

D. Outcome focussed
1. Our research informs best practice and thereby improves health and educational outcomes.
2.  We continue to build the capacity of the Department of General Practice to engage effectively in research.

Research Application

If you are interested in collaboration with the UWS Department of General Practice on a research project, please complete our research application. 

Projects marked with an asterix (*) involve opportunities for research by MBBS or PhD students.

Clinical Research

Current/Funded Projects

A randomised controlled trial of a polypill-based strategy versus usual care among Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people at high risk of a cardiovascular event

*Coming of age study

*Commonly performed interventions in childbearing women and related short and long term complications. An eight year data linkage study

iHope Ear Study

Lifestyle influences on autoimmune and inflammatory disease

Projects in Development

Acceptability and effectiveness of pneumatic otoscopy and tympanograms in the GP assessment of otitis media in children under 5 years

*PAIP - Physical Activity in Pregnancy

Community/Public Health

Current/Funded Projects

Macarthur Division of General Practice "Eat it, Work it, Move it" evaluation

Promoting the timeliness of childhood immunisation in an Aboriginal community through a personalised immunisation calendar

Understanding physical activity in the Hunter Community study

Projects in Development

Understanding and Promoting Health Literacy

*Functional Bowel Conditions- Community Study

Health Services Research

Current/Funded Projects

Evaluation of Blacktown Australian Better Health Initiative Integration Project

Interprofessional collaboration between pharmacists and other healthcare providers

Investigating the links between resilience burn out and intention to quit among Australian General Practitioners

Education Research

Current/Funded Projects

*Interprofessional Assessment of Clinical Skills: Comparing Expert Judgements from Medicine, Nursing, Physiotherapy and Occupational Therapy

*Medical student Research Motivations and Aspirations

*Medical Students Undertaking Primary Care Placements Within Justice Health-What Are Their Experiences?

NSW STI Programs - GP and STI Evaluation Research Grant

Western Sydney Primary Care Teaching Network project- The impact of interdisciplinary clinical placements on knowledge and attitudes of medical, nursing, physiotherapy and dentistry students.

Projects in Development

Assessment of cultural competence by GP educators

Enhancing the role of GPs in hearing health by developing, piloting and evaluating a web-based continuing professional development (CPD) program for GPs

*Staff Impact of Providing Student Support

*Student and Supervisor Understanding of Research Ethics

Systematic Review on Supervisor and Student Factors Affecting First Clinical Placements

*A Multi-Disciplinary Communication and Language Feedback Methodology for Health Professional Students in Practice Settings

Western Sydney Primary Care Integrated Teaching Network-Development and Evaluation of a Vertical and Horizontal Integrated Teaching Network in Western Sydney