Emeritus Professor
Overview
Emerita Professor Foster retried from the role of Mayne Professor and Director of the Academy for Medical Education on 30th AprilApril 2023. She was the Academic Lead of the major curriculum change to the UQ MD Program,MD Design. Kirsty has a national and international reputation in medical education leadership and in global health (especially in the area of maternal and child health and primary care). After graduating in Medicine from Edinburgh University she undertook specialist training in General Practice and gained membership of the Royal College of General Practitioners UK by examination. She has a strong clinical background with twenty years’ experience in the Scottish National Health Service as a principal in general practice and partner in a large academic group practice in one of Edinburgh’s most socially deprived areas. Since coming to Australia in 1998 she has focussed on health professional education and research firstly as a postgraduate medical educator with Central Sydney Area Health Service and then as an academic at the University of Sydney. Kirsty has led many educational initiatives in diverse settings such as the Balkans, Timor Leste, China, Ghana, Indonesia, India, Myanmar, the Philippines and Vietnam. She is recognised as an expert on education in the tertiary and continuing professional education sectors with particular strength and experience in integrated curriculum design and development, interactive teaching methods and faculty development. She worked in global health for more than a decade and held academic leadership roles at the University of Sydney including as Sub Dean Education at Northern Clinical School from 2008 - 2019, Associate Dean International and Head of the Office for Global Health for 5 years 2014-2018. She was appointed to the position of Professor in the School of Medicine at the University of Sydney in August 2018. Kirsty was awarded the Medal of the Order of Australia in 2019 for Services to medical education and community health. She first joined UQ in March 2019 as Director of the Office of Medical Education and MD Program Convener. Kirsty is an Honorary Professor at Hanoi Medical University, Vietnam. She continues to provide mentorshp in medical education leadership and remains active in medical education research and research supervision.
Qualifications
- Royal College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists, Royal College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists
- Royal College of General Practitioners, Royal College of General Practitioners
- Royal Australian College of General Practitioners, Royal Australian College of General Practitioners
- Doctor of Philosophy, University of Sydney
- Masters (Coursework) of Education, University of Technology Sydney
- Bachelor of Medicine and Surgery and Medical Science, University of Edinburgh
- Bachelor of Science in Medical Science, University of Edinburgh
Publications
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Journal Article: Involving stakeholders in re-imagining a medical curriculum
Foster, Kirsty (2023). Involving stakeholders in re-imagining a medical curriculum. Asia Pacific Scholar, 8 (1), 43-46. doi: 10.29060/TAPS.2023-8-1/SC2807
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Journal Article: Pattern and perceived changes in quality of life of Vietnamese medical and nursing students during the COVID-19 pandemic
Minh, Le Dai, Phan, Hoang Huy, Le Mai, Duong Ngoc, Dat, Nguyen Tien, Tri, Ngo Minh, Ha, Nguyen Viet, Tu, Nguyen Huu, Foster, Kirsty, Giang, Kim Bao and Pham, Tung Thanh (2022). Pattern and perceived changes in quality of life of Vietnamese medical and nursing students during the COVID-19 pandemic. PLoS One, 17 (12) e0279446, 1-19. doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0279446
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Nguyen, Dat Tien, Ngo, Tri Minh, Nguyen, Huong Lan Thi, Le, Minh Dai, Duong, Mai Le Ngoc, Hoang, Phan Huy, Nguyen, Ha Viet, Foster, Kirsty, Van Duong, Tuyen, Kim, Giang Bao and Pham, Tung Thanh (2022). The prevalence of self-reported anxiety, depression, and associated factors among Hanoi Medical University’s students during the first wave of COVID-19 pandemic. PLoS One, 17 (8 August) e0269740, 1-19. doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0269740
Supervision
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Failing to Fail phenomenon: The perspectives of interns (PGY1 doctors) and their supervisors on the mid term assessment in Central Queensland , Australia
Doctor Philosophy
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Postgraduate medical students' early professional identity
Master Philosophy
Available Projects
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Stakeholder engagement during major curricular change
This project offers the right candidate a unique opportunity to conduct medical education research during the major MD Program redesign currently underway at UQ.
MD Programs provide students with the education needed to obtain a primary medical qualification and to be provisionally registered as a doctor. They are large and complex with many hundreds of stakeholders including students.
This project examines stakeholder engagement during major curriculum change. Potential research areas are: the effective engagement processes; the factors influencing content, pedagogical approach, high level design and degree of innovation of the new program; and the effectiveness of student involvement in curricular redesign. There is opportunity to prospectively collect data on enablers and inhibitors to implementation of the program into academic and clinical settings including opportunity to compare experiences and outcomes between Rural Queensland and metro Brisbane.
This is primarily a qualitative study suitable for students interested in contributing to promoting high quality medical education.
Publications
Book Chapter
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Being a university teacher: Teaching in professions
Gerzina, Tania and Foster, Kirsty (2013). Being a university teacher: Teaching in professions. Educating Health Professionals: Becoming a University Teacher. (pp. 23-32) Rotterdam, The Netherlands: Sense Publishers. doi: 10.1007/978-94-6209-353-9_3
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Becoming a Professional Doctor
Foster, Kirsty (2011). Becoming a Professional Doctor. "Becoming" a Professional. (pp. 171-193) Dordrecht, Netherlands: Springer. doi: 10.1007/978-94-007-1378-9_9
Journal Article
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Involving stakeholders in re-imagining a medical curriculum
Foster, Kirsty (2023). Involving stakeholders in re-imagining a medical curriculum. Asia Pacific Scholar, 8 (1), 43-46. doi: 10.29060/TAPS.2023-8-1/SC2807
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Minh, Le Dai, Phan, Hoang Huy, Le Mai, Duong Ngoc, Dat, Nguyen Tien, Tri, Ngo Minh, Ha, Nguyen Viet, Tu, Nguyen Huu, Foster, Kirsty, Giang, Kim Bao and Pham, Tung Thanh (2022). Pattern and perceived changes in quality of life of Vietnamese medical and nursing students during the COVID-19 pandemic. PLoS One, 17 (12) e0279446, 1-19. doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0279446
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Nguyen, Dat Tien, Ngo, Tri Minh, Nguyen, Huong Lan Thi, Le, Minh Dai, Duong, Mai Le Ngoc, Hoang, Phan Huy, Nguyen, Ha Viet, Foster, Kirsty, Van Duong, Tuyen, Kim, Giang Bao and Pham, Tung Thanh (2022). The prevalence of self-reported anxiety, depression, and associated factors among Hanoi Medical University’s students during the first wave of COVID-19 pandemic. PLoS One, 17 (8 August) e0269740, 1-19. doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0269740
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Todd, Angela L., Roberts, Lynette and Foster, Kirsty (2022). Feasibility of video recording interpersonal interactions between patients and hospital staff during usual care. Pilot and Feasibility Studies, 8 (1) 96, 1-9. doi: 10.1186/s40814-022-01052-w
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Rural clinical school dental graduates views on rural and metropolitan employment
Johnson, George, Foster, Kirsty, Blinkhorn, Anthony and Clive Wright, Fredrick A. (2020). Rural clinical school dental graduates views on rural and metropolitan employment. European Journal of Dental Education, 24 (4) eje.12564, 741-752. doi: 10.1111/eje.12564
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Johnson, George, Blinkhorn, Anthony, Byun, Roy, Foster, Kirsty and Wright, Fredrick A. Clive (2020). The workforce outcomes of dental graduates from a metropolitan school ‘Rural Clinical Placement Program’ versus a ‘Rural Clinical School’. International Dental Journal, 70 (3) idj.12541, 214-226. doi: 10.1111/idj.12541
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McKinn, Shannon, Linh, Duong Thuy, Foster, Kirsty and McCaffery, Kirsten (2019). A qualitative analysis of factors that influence Vietnamese ethnic minority women to seek maternal health care. BMC Pregnancy and Childbirth, 19 (1) 243, 1-12. doi: 10.1186/s12884-019-2375-7
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Johnson, George, Foster, Kirsty, Blinkhorn, Anthony and Wright, Fredrick Clive (2019). Exploration of the factors that influence new Australian dental graduates to work rurally and their perspectives of rural versus metropolitan employment. European Journal of Dental Education, 23 (4) eje.12450, 437-447. doi: 10.1111/eje.12450
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Johnson, G., Byun, R., Foster, K., Wright, F. A.C. and Blinkhorn, A. (2019). A longitudinal workforce analysis of a Rural Clinical Placement Program for final year dental students. Australian Dental Journal, 64 (2) adj.12691, 181-192. doi: 10.1111/adj.12691
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Lander, Jo, Seeho, Sean and Foster, Kirsty (2019). Learning Practical Research Skills Using An Academic Paper Framework – An Innovative, Integrated Approach. Health Professions Education, 5 (2), 136-145. doi: 10.1016/j.hpe.2018.06.002
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Johnson, George, Wright, Fredrick A. C. and Foster, Kirsty (2019). A longitudinal evaluation of the Rural Clinical Placement Program at the University of Sydney Dental School. European Journal of Dental Education, 23 (1), e59-e70. doi: 10.1111/eje.12401
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Distributed health literacy in the maternal health context in Vietnam
McKinn, Shannon, Linh, Duong Thuy, Foster, Kirsty and McCaffery, Kirsten (2019). Distributed health literacy in the maternal health context in Vietnam. Health Literacy Research and Practice, 3 (1), e31-e42. doi: 10.3928/24748307-20190102-01
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The prevalence of job stressors among nurses in private in vitro fertilization (IVF) centres
Khoa, Le Dang, Quang, Tran Nhat, Vinh, Dang Quang, Anh, Nguyen Thi Ngoc, Tuong, Ho Manh and Foster, Kirsty (2019). The prevalence of job stressors among nurses in private in vitro fertilization (IVF) centres. Nursing Open, 6 (1), 39-49. doi: 10.1002/nop2.187
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Johnson, George E., Wright, Fredrick Clive and Foster, Kirsty (2018). The impact of rural outreach programs on medical students' future rural intentions and working locations: A systematic review. BMC Medical Education, 18 (1) 196. doi: 10.1186/s12909-018-1287-y
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Johnson, G., Wright, F. C., Foster, K. and Blinkhorn, A. (2018). Rural placement experiences in dental education and the impact on professional intentions and employment outcomes—A systematic review. European Journal of Dental Education, 22 (3), e364-e378. doi: 10.1111/eje.12305
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Factors associated with breastfeeding intent among mothers of newborn babies in Da Nang, Viet Nam
Nguyen, Phuong Thi Kim, Tran, Hoang Thi, Thai, Thuy Thi Thanh, Foster, Kirsty, Roberts, Christine L. and Marais, Ben J. (2018). Factors associated with breastfeeding intent among mothers of newborn babies in Da Nang, Viet Nam. International Breastfeeding Journal, 13 (1) 2, 2. doi: 10.1186/s13006-017-0144-7
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Morgan, Graeme W., Foster, Kirsty, Huynh, Vu, Opie, Craig and Healy, Brendan (2018). Improving health and cancer services in low-resource countries to attain the sustainable development goals target 3.4 for noncommunicable diseases. Journal of Global Oncology, 2018 (4) 00185, 1-11. doi: 10.1200/JGO.18.00185
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Exploring pneumonia risk factors in Vietnamese infants: A survey of new mothers
Phuong, Nguyen TK, Hoang, Tran T, Foster, Kirsty, Roberts, Christine L and Marais, Ben J (2017). Exploring pneumonia risk factors in Vietnamese infants: A survey of new mothers. BMJ Paediatrics Open, 1 (1) Y, e000155. doi: 10.1136/bmjpo-2017-000155
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McKinn, Shannon, Duong, Thuy Linh, Foster, Kirsty and McCaffery, Kirsten (2017). 'I do want to ask, but I can't speak': a qualitative study of ethnic minority women's experiences of communicating with primary health care professionals in remote, rural Vietnam. International Journal for Equity in Health, 16 (1) 190, 190. doi: 10.1186/s12939-017-0687-7
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Communication between health workers and ethnic minorities in Vietnam
McKinn, Shannon, Linh, Duong Thuy, Foster, Kirsty and McCaffery, Kirsten (2017). Communication between health workers and ethnic minorities in Vietnam. Health Literacy Research and Practice, 1 (4), e163-e172. doi: 10.3928/24748307-20170629-01
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Foster, Kirsty and Roberts, Chris (2016). The Heroic and the Villainous: a qualitative study characterising the role models that shaped senior doctors' professional identity. BMC Medical Education, 16 (1) 206, 206. doi: 10.1186/s12909-016-0731-0
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The challenge of authenticity for medical students
Roper, Lucinda, Foster, Kirsty, Garlan, Karen and Jorm, Christine (2016). The challenge of authenticity for medical students. The Clinical Teacher, 13 (2), 130-133. doi: 10.1111/tct.12440
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The Balint group experience for medical students: a pilot project
O’Neill, Sheila, Foster, Kirsty and Gilbert-Obrart, Alexa (2016). The Balint group experience for medical students: a pilot project. Psychoanalytic Psychotherapy, 30 (1), 96-108. doi: 10.1080/02668734.2015.1107124
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Walton, Merrilyn, Harrison, Reema, Burgess, Annette and Foster, Kirsty (2015). Workplace training for senior trainees: a systematic review and narrative synthesis of current approaches to promote patient safety. Postgraduate Medical Journal, 91 (1080), 579-587. doi: 10.1136/postgradmedj-2014-133130
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Foster, Kirsty and Laurent, Rodger (2013). How we make good doctors into good teachers: a short course to support busy clinicians to improve their teaching skills. Medical Teacher, 35 (1), 4-7. doi: 10.3109/0142159X.2012.731098
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Broadfoot, Anthea, Ogle, Susan J, Foster, Kirsty, Thanh, Ho Kim and Hilmer, Sarah N (2010). Teaching geriatric medicine in Vietnam: Introduction of an interactive learning module for medical students. Australasian Journal on Ageing, 29 (3), 135-136. doi: 10.1111/j.1741-6612.2010.00462.x
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Learning about medical professionalism - Don't forget emotion!
Foster, Kirsty (2009). Learning about medical professionalism - Don't forget emotion!. Clinical Teacher, 6 (1), 9-12. doi: 10.1111/j.1743-498X.2008.00258.x
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Application of evidence-based teaching in maternal and child health in remote Vietnam
Hirst, Jane E., Jeffery, Heather E., Morris, Jonathan, Foster, Kirsty and Elliott, Elizabeth J. (2009). Application of evidence-based teaching in maternal and child health in remote Vietnam. International Journal of Gynecology and Obstetrics, 104 (2), 152-155. doi: 10.1016/j.ijgo.2008.10.008
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Delivery in the 'grey zone': Collaborative approach to extremely preterm birth
Keogh, John, Sinn, John, Hollebone, Keith, Bajuk, Barbara, Fischer, Wendy, Lui, Kei, Henderson-Smart, David, Ackling, Samatha, Arnolda, Gaston, Bajuk, Barbara, Casey, Anne, Dyer, Kate, Garvey, Paul, Foster, Kirsty, Hollebone, Keith, Kent, Alison, Keogh, John, Spence, Kaye and Fischer, Wendy (2007). Delivery in the 'grey zone': Collaborative approach to extremely preterm birth. Australian and New Zealand Journal of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, 47 (4), 273-278. doi: 10.1111/j.1479-828X.2007.00737.x
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Lui, Kei, Bajuk, Barbara, Foster, Kirsty, Gaston, Arnolda, Kent, Alison, Sinn, John, Spence, Kaye, Fischer, Wendy and Henderson-Smart, David (2006). Perinatal care at the borderlines of viability: A consensus statement based on a NSW and ACT consensus workshop. Medical Journal of Australia, 185 (9), 495-500.
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Foster, Kirsty, Craven, Paul and Reid, Shelley (2006). Neonatal resuscitation educational experience of staff in New South Wales and Australian Capital Territory hospitals. Journal of Paediatrics and Child Health, 42 (1-2), 16-19. doi: 10.1111/j.1440-1754.2006.00783.x
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The impact of evidence-based education on a perinatal capacity-building initiative in Macedonia
Jeffery, Heather E., Kocova, Mirjana, Tozija, Fimka, Gjorgiev, Dragan, Pop-Lazarova, Marina, Foster, Kirsty, Polverino, Jan and Hill, David A. (2004). The impact of evidence-based education on a perinatal capacity-building initiative in Macedonia. Medical Education, 38 (4), 435-447. doi: 10.1046/j.1365-2923.2004.01785.x
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Heterosexual spread of human immunodeficiency virus in Edinburgh
France, A. J., Skidmore, C. A., Robertson, J. R., Brettle, R. P., Roberts, J. J.K., Burns, S. M., Foster, C. A., Inglis, J. M., Galloway, W. B.F. and Davidson, S. J. (1988). Heterosexual spread of human immunodeficiency virus in Edinburgh. British Medical Journal (Clinical research ed.), 296 (6621), 526-529. doi: 10.1136/bmj.296.6621.526
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Medical facilities used by heroin users
Bucknall, Aidan B.V., Robertson, J Roy and Foster, Kirsty (1986). Medical facilities used by heroin users. British Medical Journal (Clinical research ed.), 293 (6556), 1215-1216. doi: 10.1136/bmj.293.6556.1215
Conference Publication
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Eyles, J. P., Bowden, J. L., Redman, S., Redman, A., Dawson, G., Newell, S., Williams, M., Ferreira, M., Foster, K., Wang, X., Melo, L., Dorio, M. and Hunter, D. J. (2020). Barriers and enablers to the implementation of the Australian osteoarthritis chronic care program (OACCP). OARSI World Congress on Osteoarthritis - Promoting Clinical and Basic Research in Osteoarthritis, Vienna, Austria, 30 April - 3 May 2020. London, United Kingdom: Elsevier.
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Dorio, M., Hunter, D. J., Bowden, J., Redman, S., Redman, A., Dawson, G., Newell, S., Williams, M., Foster, K., Wang, X., Melo, L. and Eyles, J. (2020). Training needs and approaches to performance improvement of musculoskeletal physiotherapists coordinating the osteoarthritis chronic care program. OARSI World Congress on Osteoarthritis - Promoting Clinical and Basic Research in Osteoarthritis, Vienna, Austria, 30 April - 3 May 2020. London, United Kingdom: Elsevier.
PhD and MPhil Supervision
Current Supervision
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Failing to Fail phenomenon: The perspectives of interns (PGY1 doctors) and their supervisors on the mid term assessment in Central Queensland , Australia
Doctor Philosophy — Principal Advisor
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Postgraduate medical students' early professional identity
Master Philosophy — Associate Advisor
Other advisors:
Possible Research Projects
Note for students: The possible research projects listed on this page may not be comprehensive or up to date. Always feel free to contact the staff for more information, and also with your own research ideas.
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Stakeholder engagement during major curricular change
This project offers the right candidate a unique opportunity to conduct medical education research during the major MD Program redesign currently underway at UQ.
MD Programs provide students with the education needed to obtain a primary medical qualification and to be provisionally registered as a doctor. They are large and complex with many hundreds of stakeholders including students.
This project examines stakeholder engagement during major curriculum change. Potential research areas are: the effective engagement processes; the factors influencing content, pedagogical approach, high level design and degree of innovation of the new program; and the effectiveness of student involvement in curricular redesign. There is opportunity to prospectively collect data on enablers and inhibitors to implementation of the program into academic and clinical settings including opportunity to compare experiences and outcomes between Rural Queensland and metro Brisbane.
This is primarily a qualitative study suitable for students interested in contributing to promoting high quality medical education.
