Not many professors can claim that they have actually established a medical school, but Professor Julie Quinlivan can. Julie became the youngest ever Dean of an Australian University Medical School when, in 2005, she was appointed as the Foundation Dean of Health and Head of the School of Medicine at Notre Dame University’s Sydney Campus, before eventually becoming Executive Dean of Medicine and Pro Vice Chancellor.
The success of Notre Dame Medical School and its standing in Australian healthcare after a very short time is testament to the foundations that Prof Quinlivan laid and the values she established. These include insisting that all medical students at Notre Dame graduate with a comprehensive understanding of anatomy and whole-body systems as the foundation of their future training and career development.
Julie currently undertakes the demanding role of Director of the Professional Services Review (PSR), an organisation committed to ensuring ethical standards and accountability in the claiming of Medicare rebates. Prof Quinlivan’s interest in research and writing has taken her to many areas of medicine and science, including palliative care for Rural Australians, strategies to combat family violence, vaccination, nutrition in pregnancy, nursing care, depression in Australian fathers and a wide range of pregnancy diseases, conditions and disorders. We present Prof Julie Quinlivan with the Bruce Shepherd Medal to acknowledge her achievements and outstanding service to independent medicine.