Professional development
Events include workshops, seminars and webinars that provide learning opportunities to support continuous professional development and learning practices.
Please note these are all previous events, held during 2022. For upcoming events check the JCU Events calendar.
Events that related to activities that contributed to JCU's pursuit of the UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) feature icons for the relevant SDGs.
Professional Development Workshop for Teachers
Dates: 24 to 25 November 2022
JCU welcomes you to a professional development teacher workshop to support high school educators in the classroom. The workshop seminars are designed in alignment with the high school curriculum and to assist in supporting teachers in the delivery of specific areas.
The one-day program features consecutive sessions throughout the day focusing on a variety of subject learning areas across the middle and senior school curriculum including Science, Mathematics and Humanities.
SDGs: 
Locations: Cairns, Townsville
Vestibular Rehabilitation - An Introductory 2 Day Course
Dates: 12 to 13 November 2022
This course is a two-day event aiming to introduce physiotherapists to common vestibular disorders.
Course outline
- Vestibular anatomy and physiology
- Introduction to common peripheral vestibular system disorders
- Bedside vestibular assessment and audiology interpretation
- Oculomotor and VOR examination
- Unilateral vestibular pathologies
- Vestibular and balance rehabilitation
- BPPV: assessment and management
- Introduction to Central Vestibular Disorders
This course is being presented by Leia Barnes (Consultant Vestibular Physiotherapist, Logan Hospital and APA Neurological Physiotherapist) and Natalie Rando-Orr (Assistant Professor in Physiotherapy, Bond University and APA Neurological Physiotherapist) from Vestibular Courses.
Pre-readings will be supplied via Dropbox prior to the course. Lecture and practical notes will be supplied in a manual on the day.
Catering is not included, please bring your own lunch. Please note there are no facilities to purchase lunch at the venue.
Please note that Eventbrite ticketing fees and tax are included in the ticket price.
Due to the practical component of this course, numbers are limited.
Refund policy
James Cook University reserves the right to cancel if minimum participant numbers are not met. In the event the course does not take place, a full refund will be made. James Cook University is not liable for any personal costs associated with flights/accommodation if a course needs to be cancelled. Payments will be non-refundable for self-cancellations after registration closing date unless you are unwell with COVID-19 – in this case a full refund will be applied. James Cook University and Vestibular Courses will be implementing COVID event guidelines throughout the course.
Refund and cancellation closing date: 12 October 2022
SDGs: 
Location: Townsville
JCU Dentistry and Dental Protection Clinical Day
Date: 22 October 2022
This event is an informative and interactive educational session for dental practitioners and dental students to discuss contemporary innovations in clinical dentistry, participate in clinical demonstrations and meet with industry partners to view the very latest in dental science and technology.
Clinical Day 2022 will feature keynote and invited lectures from Dr Annalene Weston- Dentolegal Consultant of Dental Protection, Professor Laurie Walsh AO- Emeritus Professor of University of Queensland and Mr Matt Race- Director of Race Dental laboratory.
Research presentations, covering a wide range of oral health care topics, will be delivered by current Year 4 Bachelor of Dental Surgery students at JCU. The program is designed for dental practitioners and all other interested health care professionals.
Clinical Day Admission: $82.50 (incl. GST)
Networking Cocktail Hour: $27.50 (incl. GST)
Mode: Face to face
Registered attendees will receive 6 CPD points.
SDGs: 
Location: Cairns
Anatomy and Imaging Refresher for Physiotherapists - Knee
Date: 24 October 2022
This hands-on interactive CPD workshop will provide participants with the opportunity to review the detailed anatomy of the knee in JCU’s wet labs and diagnostic principles using a case study approach, facilitated by expert anatomy, medical imaging and physiotherapy academics.
This workshop is designed for Physiotherapists.
Please ensure you wear fully enclosed shoes as this is a requirement for entry into the anatomy labs. In accordance with Queensland Health guidelines, participants will be required to be fully vaccinated for covid-19.
Cost: $50 per person
SDGs:
Location: Cairns
Surgical Anatomy Upskilling - Abdomen Workshop
Date: 17 September 2022
The day will consist of 4 cadaver laboratory sessions interspersed with clinically relevant anatomical lectures. Lecture topics will include:
- Anterior abdominal wall
- Inguinal and femoral regions
- Embryology of the gut and mesenteries
- Peritoneal attachments and retroperitoneum
Learning Outcomes
Participants will engage in directed learning activities that will:
- Allow the application of advanced anatomical knowledge to the structures of the abdomen and gastrointestinal system.
- Enable consolidation and synthesis of structural and functional anatomical knowledge of the abdomen.
Continuing Medical Education
An application for recognition as an approved continuing medical education (CME) activity by RACS (Royal Australasian College of Surgeons) is being prepared that will ensure the content of this workshop is relevant to the learning needs of clinicians.
Cost
Early bird ticket price: $1,000 (closes 20 June 2022); Full price $1,200.
Package price: Purchase both the Abdomen (Saturday 17 September 2022) and Pelvis (Saturday 20 August 2022) workshops for the total price of $1,800. If you wish to have a package deal, please proceed with purchasing a full price ticket to one of the workshops, and you will receive an email with a discount code to use when purchasing a ticket for the second workshop.
Location: Townsville
Anatomy and Imaging Refresher for Physiotherapists - Hand
Date: 6 September 2022
James Cook University is hosting an interactive CPD workshop that will provide participants with the opportunity to review the detailed anatomy of the hand in JCU’s wet labs and diagnostic principles using a case study approach, facilitated by expert anatomy, medical imaging and physiotherapy academics.
This workshop is designed for Physiotherapists and Physiotherapy students.
Mode: Face to face
SDGs:
Location: Townsville
Surgical Anatomy Upskilling - Pelvis Workshop
Date: 20 August 2022
This event is a full-day advanced and clinically focused human anatomy workshop covering the pelvis and perineum.
The day will consist of lectures and tutorials conducted in the lab using specimens, with an emphasis on hands-on clinically-focused learning. It will involve 4 cadaver laboratory sessions interspersed with clinically relevant anatomical lectures. Lecture topics will include:
- Pelvic inlet, pelvic floor, and perineum
- Female reproductive gross anatomy
- Male reproductive and urogenital gross anatomy
- Neurovascular supply of the pelvic viscera
Learning Outcomes
Participants will engage in directed learning activities that will:
- Allow the application of advanced anatomical knowledge to the structural identification and anatomical relationships of pelvis and perineum regions
- Enable consolidation and synthesis of functional and regional anatomical knowledge of the male and female reproductive systems, the male urogenital system, and pelvic viscera (topographical anatomy).
Continuing Medical Education
An application for recognition as an approved continuing medical education (CME) activity by RACS (Royal Australasian College of Surgeons) is being prepared that will ensure the content of this workshop is relevant to the learning needs of clinicians.
Cost
Early bird ticket price: $1,000 (closes 20 July 2022); Full price $1,200.
Package price: Purchase both the Abdomen (Saturday 17 September 2022) and Pelvis (Saturday 20 August 2022) workshops for the total price of $1,800. If you wish to have a package deal, please proceed with purchasing a full price ticket to one of the workshops, and you will receive an email with a discount code to use when purchasing a ticket for the second workshop.
Location: Townsville
Aged Care Symposium
Date: 6 August 2022
James Cook University (JCU) and the Northern Queensland Primary Health Network (NQPHN) are hosting a full day interactive aged care symposium. Join us for a day of multidisciplinary consolidation of knowledge and upskilling for health practitioners providing care for older people living at home, receiving in-patient care or living in residential aged care facilities.
Topics
- Royal Commission into Aged Care findings and recommendations (Presented by Dr Edward Strivens)
- Overview of assessment of older people
- Minding the Mind: Ageing, Cognitive Functioning, and Social and Emotional Wellbeing
- Mobility, frailty and exercise prescription for older adults
- Understanding high risks medications in advanced age
You will be able to choose two of three workshops to attend.
Workshop 1: Minding the Mind: Ageing, Cognitive Functioning, and Social and Emotional Wellbeing.
This workshop takes a culturally responsive approach in exploring normal and atypical ageing processes within the context of mental health. Content will cover normal cognitive decline in older persons, as contrasted to impairment in cognitive abilities (e.g., mild cognitive impairment, dementia, & delirium). An overview of assessment, and diagnosis for older persons with impaired cognitive function, and/or with psychological difficulties (e.g., depression, anxiety, loneliness, grief, loss & bereavement) will be provided. The workshop then focuses on evidence based approaches that support mentally healthy ageing, including psychological interventions (e.g., CBT, ACT, & Life Review therapies), as well as a range of prevention strategies that reduce the risk, or delay the onset, of cognitive and psychological problems in older age.
On completion of this workshop, participants will be able to:
- Understand typical and atypical ageing processes, including mild cognitive impairment and dementia
- Apply a biopsychosocial framework to assessment and diagnostic processes
- Understand psychosocial interventions and prevention strategies to enhance mentally healthy ageing
Workshop 2: Mobility, frailty and exercise prescription for older adults
This workshop will allow you to develop your skills in conducting and interpreting assessments of frailty and mobility in older adults. Through case study analysis you will then work to explore best practice exercise prescription for improving strength, balance and mobility, and the utilisation of appropriate strategies to enhance safe and effective participation in exercise. Finally, referral pathways and community resources will be discussed.
On completion of this workshop, participants will be able to:
- Apply frailty and mobility assessments to older adults
- Implement evidence-based exercise prescription for frailty and mobility interventions for older adults
- Apply strategies to facilitate safe mobility and exercise participation
- Utilise resources and referral pathways available to older adults
Workshop 3: Understanding high risk medications in advanced age
Many common use adult medications become high risk medications as the age of patients advance. This practical workshop will introduce the concept of Potentially Inappropriate Medicines (PIMs) to allied health clinicians. The workshop will explore physiological changes that occur with advancing age, discuss the highest risk and highest use medicine classes practitioners may be alert for in practice and consider the potential responses to the use of high-risk medicines in patients with advanced age.
On completion of this workshop, participants will be able to:
- Understand the concept of Potentially Inappropriate Medications (PIMs) and the major risk of the use of these medicines in advanced age
- Relate the age-related changes to the potential need for changes to medication profiles
- Identify common use high-risk drugs in advanced age patients related to sedation and falls risk
- Source drug information on PIMs and understand strategies to reduce patient risk.
SDGs: 
Location: Townsville
Anatomy and Imaging Refresher for Physiotherapists - Hip
Date: 26 July 2022
Review your hip anatomy, medical imaging and orthopaedic awareness at James Cook University’s interactive Anatomy and Imaging Refresher Workshop for physiotherapists. The focus of this workshop is on younger, mobile hips with potential femoroacetabular impingement and labral injuries.
Access to JCU’s wet labs allows you to review the hip anatomy in detail, facilitated by an expert anatomist. This is followed by an expert radiologist discussing appropriate imaging and interpretation and Dr Andrew Stillwell, Orthopaedic Surgeon, presenting the orthopaedic approach to these conditions.
Mode: Face to face
Cost: $50 per person
Who can attend: Physiotherapists and Physiotherapy students
SDGs:
Location: Townsville
Musculoskeletal Medicine (MSK) for Doctors Workshop
Date: 11 June 2022
James Cook University (JCU) and the Northern Queensland Primary Health Network (NQPHN) are hosting a practical full-day workshop which will review helpful techniques in diagnosis and therapy of common musculoskeletal conditions.
The workshop aims to cover many aspects of musculoskeletal medicine from basic anatomy in the anatomy laboratory, to radiological interpretation, pain management, soft tissue injection training, and rehabilitation.
Participants will have the benefit of reviewing through cadaveric prosection the muscles and joints of the shoulder, knee, hip and spine. Training in radiological assessment, strapping and soft tissue injection will be provided by expert faculty. Finally, rehabilitation and long-term management options will be reviewed and evaluated.
Relevance to clinical practice
Musculoskeletal injuries are a common presentation to general practice and emergency departments, with the majority of patients being managed by general practitioners in the general practice setting. This programme offers the opportunity for clinicians to up-skill and gain confidence in the management of musculoskeletal injuries.
Learning outcomes
- Apply an in-depth knowledge of the MSS (specifically joint anatomy) to clinical practice.
- Evaluate diagnostic imaging modalities of the MSS and apply to clinical practice.
- Formulate (and evaluate) clinical approaches to the management of common musculoskeletal injuries.
Mode: Face to face
Who can attend: General Practitioners and ED doctors.
SDGs:
Location: Townsville
Anatomy and Imaging Refresher for Physiotherapists - Knee
Date: 31 May 2022
James Cook University is hosting an interactive CPD workshop that will provide participants with the opportunity to review the detailed anatomy of the knee in JCU's wet labs and diagnostic principles using a case study approach, facilitated by expert anatomy, medical imaging and physiotherapy academics.
This workshop is designed for Physiotherapists and Physiotherapy students.
Mode: Face to face
SDGs:
Location: Townsville
Management of Insomnia in Community Pharmacy Practice
Dates: 3 to 11 May 2022
“All I want is a good night’s sleep”: an evidence based approach to management of insomnia in community pharmacy practice.
Join JCU and the Pharmaceutical Society of Australia for a free interactive continuing professional development workshop in Cairns, Mackay and Townsville.
Why is this important?
Many people complain about insomnia from time to time, which is often caused by various factors such as stressful events, medical conditions, medications and changes in the environment. It is one of the most common symptoms which medical advice is sought and many people visit their pharmacies looking for remedies for a good night’s sleep. Insomnia can be described as having trouble getting to sleep initially or staying asleep for the desired duration. Lack of sleep may also have significant impacts on quality of life, negatively impact health and wellbeing and contribute to reduced productivity. It has been associated with depression, cardiovascular disease and even mortality.
What is your role as a Pharmacist?
Pharmacists on the frontline are often presented with individuals presenting with symptoms of poor sleep and insomnia. These include difficulties in initiating or maintain sleep, waking up too early, poor quality sleep or daytime dysfunction. Common treatment options include the provision of advice on strategies to improve the sleep environment and the use of prescription and over-the-counter medicines to complement good sleep hygiene practices. Pharmacists can provide appropriate non-drug advice and understand the benefits and limitations of the different pharmacological agents available that complement strategies to combat insomnia. Pharmacists also must also understand when referral is most appropriate.
What's in it for you?
This workshop will help pharmacists expand their knowledge on insomnia through facilitated case-based discussions. James Cook University in collaboration with the Pharmaceutical Society of Australia, will host this session which will cover sleep physiology, impact of insomnia on both mental and physical health, impact of co-morbidities and lifestyle on sleep, and indications for a sleep study, as well as explore non-pharmacological and pharmacological management options for insomnia.
Learning Objectives
- During this workshop, participants will:
- Describe the types of insomnia
- Explain the impacts of co-morbidities, lifestyle and medications on sleep
- Apply current evidence-based guidelines to discuss non-pharmacological and pharmacological management of insomnia
Cost
This interactive workshop is free for Pharmacy Students, Pharmacist Interns and Pharmacists.
Hosts
- Mackay: Courtney Priarollo and Dr Stephen Lambert
- Townsville: Dr Robi Islam and Dr Peta-Ann Teague
- Cairns: Nicola Franks and Dr Steve Salleras
- Mount Isa: Selina Taylor and Dr Peta-Ann Teague
SDGs:
Locations: Townsville, Cairns, Mackay, Mount Isa
Not so inert or inactive: impact of excipients on medicine safety
Date: 27 April 2022
James Cook University and the Pharmaceutical Society of Australia warmly invite you to attend the interactive workshop on impact of excipients on medicine safety, an accredited education session. This workshop will help pharmacists expand their knowledge of excipients and assess their contribution to adverse events.
Workshop presenters:
- Professor Beverley Glass, James Cook University
- Adam Laidlaw, Fourth-year pharmacy student, James Cook University
- Joshua Turkilsen, Fourth-year pharmacy student, James Cook University
This event is free for PSA members, Pharmacy Students, Intern Pharmacists and Pharmacists.
Why is this important?
Use of medications is the most common intervention in healthcare, which means that problems with medicine use are also common. Excipients are essential components of medication formulations to ensure the stability, solubility, and bioavailability of the dosage form. Excipients have previously been considered to be safe and inert, however, there have been increasing concerns around the safety of excipients, particularly in highly susceptible patient populations. The PSA Medicine Safety: Take Care report highlights, within the community as many as 1.2 million Australians experience an adverse medicine event. Pharmacist must consider the impact of excipients on medicine safety and how they contribute to adverse events, such as allergic reactions.
What is your role as a pharmacist?
Pharmacists have significant potential to reduce the number of adverse events in Australia. By understanding why excipients are included in formulations and their impact on safety, efficacy and stability of medicines, pharmacists may be better able to assist in identifying and supporting people living with adverse medication events. This may lead to opportunities for pharmacist interventions to minimise medication-related harms, particularly when a person first starts a new medicine or returns for a repeat prescription for a recently started medicine.
What’s in it for you?
This workshop will help pharmacists expand their knowledge of excipients and assess their contribution to adverse events. Led by the James Cook University pharmacy team, the body of research on this topic will be presented, as well as the opportunity for participants to contribute to important research on excipients that will influence pharmacy practice, while gaining CPD. The session will cover the role of excipients, their impact on safety, efficacy and stability of drug formulations, and considerations for pharmacists when assessing their involvement in adverse reactions.
Location: Townsville