Dr Andrew Hirschhorn

• Qualifications
• Biography
• Research
• Selected Publications  
• Grants/Current Projects
• Awards/Honours
• Teaching Interests

Qualifications

BAppSc; PhD

Biography

Dr Hirschhorn completed his undergraduate physiotherapy degree at The University of Sydney in 1996. Since then, Dr Hirschhorn has worked as a physiotherapist within public and private hospital sectors, and most recently as Senior Associate Physiotherapist with Westmead Private Physiotherapy Services. Dr Hirschhorn's professional interests lie in the field of postsurgical rehabilitation, particularly following cardiothoracic surgery. Dr Hirschhorn was awarded his PhD in 2011 through the School of Physiotherapy and Exercise Science at Griffith University for his thesis entitled 'Coronary Artery Bypass Graft Surgery: Exercise Testing and Prescription in the Acute Perioperative Phase'. In 2010, Dr Hirschhorn was awarded a National Health and Medical Research Council (NHMRC) Translating Research Into Practice (TRIP) Fellowship, to conduct a project aimed at improving access to physiotherapy services for urinary incontinence amongst men undergoing radical prostatectomy. This Fellowship is being undertaken part-time under the mentorship of Professor Gregory Kolt at University of Western Sydney (UWS), in conjunction with Dr Hirschhorn's clinical responsibilities at Westmead Private Hospital.

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Research

Dr Hirschorn's research focuses on physiotherapy and exercise testing and prescription in Phase I cardiac rehabilitation physiotherapy including pelvic floor muscle retraining for urinary incontinence associated with radical prostatectomy.  He is also interested in Cardiorespiratory physiotherapy and research implementation.

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Selected Publications

Hirschhorn, A.D., Richards, D., Mungovan, S.F., Morris, N.R., & Adams, L. (2008). Supervised moderate intensity exercise improves distance walked at hospital discharge following coronary artery bypass graft surgery - a randomised, controlled trial. Heart Lung Circ;17:129-138.

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Grants/Current projects

2010: NHMRC Translating Research Into Practice Fellowship
2010-11: Physical activity measurement in the Phase I cardiac rehabilitation of patients undergoing cardiac surgery: An observational study

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Awards/Honours

2010: Cardiac Society of Australia and New Zealande (CSANZ) Affiliate Clinical Development Award
2010: NHMRC TRIP Fellowship
2007: Griffith University Graduate Research School Travel Grant Scholarship 

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