IBAS − Institute for Breathing and Sleep

What we do > Education

Education

IBAS aims to promote and provide education within respiratory and sleep health. 

General Practitioner (GP) and other Health Professional Education 
IBAS is involved in sleep and respiratory education for General Practitioners (GPs) and other health professionals.   

Respiratory and Sleep Health in Indigenous Australians
Professor Robert Pierce was the major driver of a report reviewing the burden of respiratory and sleep symptoms in Indigenous people and scoping the relevant health-care outcomes and interventions in order to make recommendations to substantially improve respiratory health of Indigenous Australians in the future.

The report, auspiced by the Thoracic Society of Australia and New Zealand, the Australasian Sleep Association and the Australian Lung Foundation, was published in early 2010. It makes for compelling reading about the current inequities and recommendations towards overcoming these.

The report is available from the Thoracic Society of Australia and New Zealand website.

Healthy Breathing and Heart
This project aimed to solve the common and serious problem of miscommunication between English speaking health professionals and non-English speaking Aboriginal patients. A team of bilingual bicultural Yolŋu (northeast Arnhemland Aboriginal) interpreters came together with Charles Darwin University researchers to plan and develop a digital multimedia resource for use in Aboriginal patient education and medical interpreting around hearts and lungs.

The Healthy Breathing and Heart Project originated with a workshop in late 2007 at Charles Darwin University when Prof Robert Pierce from the Institute for Breathing and Sleep met with a group of Yolnu interpreters.   A DVD explaining the workings of the heart and lungs in the Yolŋu langauge has been produced and distributed.  Further information is available from Charles Darwin University's Healthy Breathing and Heart website (scroll down after clicking 'more').

Prospective Students

Students are the future of research.  IBAS provides a stimulating and supportive environment for students of all levels, from honours to PhD.

Students from all major Melbourne based universities have undertaken projects at IBAS.  Currently students are enrolled at Melbourne University, Swinburne University, RMIT University, Victoria University and LaTrobe University.

The key contact person for students is Dr Maree Barnes, who can respond to your intitial enquiry and direct prospective students to an appropriate senior researcher.

IBAS has good infrastructure and support, with dedicated work areas, and regular meetings with supervisors. 

Please take the opportunity to browse the rest of the IBAS website for general information prior to contacting Dr Maree Barnes.