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Research
Assistant
kConFab Psychosocial Study
Brandi Baylock
BA (Hons)
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Contact details:
Room: 343, Brennan MacCallum Building
Mailing address:
Medical Psychology Researcg Unit,
School of Psychology
Brennan MacCallum Bldg (A18)
University of Sydney NSW 2006
Ph: 61 2 9 9351 2157
Fax: 61 2 9036 5292
Email:
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I joined the MPRU in May 2007
as a research assistant for the kConFab Psychosocial Study, which
examines the role of psychosocial factors in the development of breast
cancer among women from high risk families. Prior to joining the
project, I worked in Student Administration at the Australian Catholic
University, and as a Regional Development Coordinator of the NSW
Lacrosse Association. I completed a Bachelor of Arts, Psychology,
degree from the College of Wooster, Ohio in 1998. My senior thesis
examined the effects of race, gender, high school results, and high
school racial composition on college student adjustment.
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Anna-Lena Lopez
B.Psych (Hons)
I joined the MPRU as a research
assistant in 2005 to further my interest in psycho-oncology. I am
currently involved in projects investigating the sexual functioning and
quality of life of women five years post-treatment after gynaecological
cancers; the effectiveness of communication skills training for
oncologists; and a randomised controlled trial of a decision aid for
women invited to participate in a breast cancer prevention trial
(IBIS-II). I am also currently enrolled in my Doctor of Clinical
Psychology at the University of Sydney.
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Room: 341, Brennan MacCallum
Building
Mailing address:
Medical Psychology Research Unit
Brennan MacCallum Bldg (A18)
University of Sydney NSW 2006
Ph: 61 2 9036 5275
Fax: 61 2 9036 5292
Email:
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Diana Grivas
BA (Hons), BSc (Hons)
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Room: 336, Brennan MacCallum
Building
Mailing address:
Medical Psychology Research Unit
Brennan MacCallum Bldg (A18)
University of Sydney NSW 2006
Ph: +61 2 9351 3916
Fax: +61 2 9036 5292
Email:
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I have been working as a
research assistant in the MPRU since mid 2004. Currently I am working
on two studies, one examining quality of life and psychological
predictors of outcome in women with ovarian cancer, and another looking
at bereavement and complicated grief in caregivers of women with
ovarian cancer.
In 2004 I completed my honours thesis on the benefits of providing
people with information about the psychosocial impact of cancer and
psychosocial support services. I am now in my second year of the
Doctorate of Clinical Psychology at the University of Sydney.
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Ben Smith
In 2005 I completed a Bachelor
of Science majoring in Psychology. I momentarily entertained the idea
of studying postgraduate medicine before concluding that such an
undertaking may not be sensible considering I couldn't even recall what
came after "The foot bone's connected to the ankle bone." I feel very
fortunate to have discovered the Medical Psychology Research Unit
considering that until recently I had no idea about the extensive
opportunities for conducting innovative research within the field of
health psychology due to a regrettable lack of coverage in the
undergraduate curriculum.
Fortunately, I was able to combine my interest in medicine and
fascination with the way people think and make decisions in the honours
project that I conducted in 2006. Supervised by Professor Phyllis Butow
I conducted research investigating the impact of patient testimonials
on treatment decisions. The influence of a) negative content and b)
similarity of the person providing the testimonials to the decision
maker was examined. Although the study did not yield any significant
results I believe that further research should be carried out to
elucidate the role played by anecdotal information such as patient
testimonials in medical decision making.
Having decided to take a year off before commencing postgraduate study
I am now working in the MPRU as a research assistant. I am currently
involved in three different projects:
- A randomised controlled trial of a
decision aid for women invited to participate in a breast cancer
prevention trial (IBIS-II)
- A study examining the impact of Qigong on
the Quality of Life of cancer patients
- A review of audio taped doctor-patient
consultations to identify discussion of emotional and psychosocial
issues
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Room: 345, Brennan MacCallum
Building
Mailing address:
Medical Psychology Research Unit
Brennan MacCallum Bldg (A18)
University of Sydney NSW 2006
Ph: +61 2 9036 7196
Fax: +61 2 9036 5292
Email:
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kConFab Psychosocial Study
Lan Tran
B Com / B Sc (Hons)
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Room:
345, Brennan MacCallum Building
Medical Psychology Research Unit
Brennan MacCallum Building (A18)
University of Sydney NSW 2006
Ph: 61 2 9036 5291
Fax: 61 2 9036 5292
Email:
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I
completed Honours in Psychology at the University of New South Wales
with a research project in investigating mechanisms underlying
conditioned aversions. I continued to work at the University of New
South Wales under the supervision of Scientia Professor Fred Westbrook
researching behavioural and neural mechanisms of elementary learning
processes. I worked briefly at The Alfred Hospital before joining the
kConFab Psychosocial Study in 2007 examining psychosocial predictors of
breast cancer in women from high risk families.
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Lynley Aldridge
B Psych (Hons)
I completed my psychology
honours in 2003, and commenced work as a research assistant with the
MPRU in early 2006.
Currently I am working on a study examining psychological distress,
social support, coping style, quality of life, and unmet needs in women
with ovarian cancer and their partners/ carers.
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Room: 339, Brennan MacCallum
Building
Mailing address:
Medical Psychology Research Unit
Brennan MacCallum Bldg (A18)
University of Sydney NSW 2006
Ph: +61 2 9351 6806
Fax: +61 2 9036 5292
Email:
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Naomi McGowan
BSc (Hons)
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Room: 413 North Badham (A16)
Mailing address:
Medical Psychology Research Unit
Brennan MacCallum Bldg (A18)
University of Sydney NSW 2006
Ph: +61 2 9036 7196
Fax: +61 2 9036 5292
Email:
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I have been working at the MPRU
since March 2006 and am involved in two Australia-wide studies with
women with ovarian cancer and their carers. In addition to the
larger quality of life study, we are investigating predictors of
physical and psychological outcomes of bereaved carers of women who
have died from ovarian cancer. This includes collecting quantitative
and qualitative questionnaire data, as well as exploring the concepts
of 'A Good Death' and 'A Good Bereavement' in qualitative telephone
interviews.
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Rhonda Devine
R.N. Onc Cert., Midwife
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I have been part of the MPRU
for the last 7 years and in that time I have worked on many projects
mainly related to shared decision making in Oncology and Palliative
Care. At present I am involved with recruitment of patients who seek a
second opinion with a Medical Oncologist. We have prepared a
questionnaire exploring a range of possible factors which may
contribute to patients seeking second opinions.
I am also involved with the evaluation of a question prompt list in
Phase 111 Cancer Clinical trials. This project aims to investigate the
effects of promoting question asking when cancer patients are asked to
consider entering a randomised clinical trial. This simple intervention
may help patients participate more fully in discussions about clinical
trial enrolment, and lower their psychological distress.
I have a daughter aged 23 who is completing her nursing and bachelor of
international studies degree, so following in her mother’s footsteps.
My main focus outside of the MPRU is in the kitchen learning the finer
arts of good food.
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Medical Psychology Research
Unit
Blackburn Building (D06)
The University of Sydney NSW 2006
Ph: +61 2 9036 5380
Fax: +61 2 9036 5420
Email:
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Research
Assistant
Research Associate (Medicine)
Tracey Feltham
BA Psychology,
MA Psychology,
MPsych Clinical Psychology
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Mailing
address:
Medical Psychology Research Unit
Brennan MacCallum Bldg (A18)
University of Sydney NSW 2006
Ph: +61 2 903 67280
Fax: +61 2 9036 5292
Email:
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I joined the MPRU in May 2006.
I am involved in a project under the supervision of Dr Josephine
Clayton looking at doctor patient communication in the discussion of
prognosis and end-of-life issues with palliative care patients and
their families. I am also working on the development of an evidence
based training program for Doctors communication skills in end of life
discussions and palliative care. My background is in clinical
psychology and I have worked with a wide range of populations including
adolescents, mental health, drug and alcohol and gynaecology-oncology.
I currently balance my research work at Sydney University with private
psychological practice.
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Research
Assistant
kConFab Psychosocial Study
Tracey Bullen
BSc (Hons)
I completed my honours degree
in psychology at the University of Sydney in 2004. My honours thesis
researched the repetition blindness effect of semantically related
pictures and words when presented in a sentence format.
Since April 2005, I have been working on the kConFab Psychosocial Study
which is examining psychosocial predictors of developing breast cancer
in women from high risk breast cancer families. In 2007, I also
commenced my Doctorate of Clinical Psychology studies here at the
University of Sydney.
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Mailing
address:
kConFab Psychosocial Study
Brennan MacCallum Building (A18)
University of Sydney NSW 2006
Ph: 61 2 9036 5291
Fax: 61 2 9036 5292
Email:
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