Overview
Background
Associate Professor Matthew McGrail is the Head of Regional Training Hubs research at UQ’s Rural Clinical School. Joining UQ in Nov 2017, he is based at the Rockhampton Clinical Unit, and he is chair of the research and evaluation working group of UQ’s Regional Medical Pathway as well as chair of UQ RCS’s medical graduate cohort longitudinal tracking study (UQ MediCoS).
Matthew has worked in the university sector for over 20 years, working mostly as a researcher in rural health. He was originally trained as a statistician, expanding his skills across GIS and software development, completing his PhD in 2008. He has been lead biostatistician on 3 large NHMRC-funded RCTs that are published in the world-leading general medical journal, the Lancet. Matthew’s research is mostly underpinned by the overall objective of improved access to health care for rural populations, mainly focused in the medical sector. He has a unique blend of ‘generalist’ research skills and experience across the disciplines of statistics, geography, rural health, econometrics, public health and clinical research.
Matthew has a particular interest in the ongoing concerns with medical workforce distribution, connecting that through his research and evaluation to health policies, training pathways and healthcare systems. To date he has been a chief investigator on two separate Centres of Research Excellence, one on medical workforce dynamics and the other on rural and remote primary health care access. He has also co-researched with various GP training organisations, specialty colleges, rural workforce agencies, as well as state and commonwealth health departments
Availability
- Associate Professor Matthew McGrail is:
- Available for supervision
Fields of research
Qualifications
- Bachelor (Honours) of Science, University of Melbourne
- Graduate Diploma in Information Technology (Software Development), Swinburne University of Technology
- Doctor of Philosophy, Monash University
Research interests
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Rural medical workforce training
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Workforce distribution
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Access to health care
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Rural health workforce policy
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Health services research
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GIS methodologies in health
Research impacts
Matthew has over 130 peer reviewed journal publications. He is globally recognised for his research of medical workforce training and distributional outcomes, which directly impacts healthcare access for rural populations. He was a lead investigator on the completed Centre of Research Excellence in Rural and Remote Primary Health Care, under which he developed improved measures of healthcare access, notably producing the national Index of Access.
He was also a chief investigator of the NHMRC-funded Medicine in Australia: Balancing Employment and Life (MABEL) longitudinal study of doctors (data collected 2008-18), under which he led the rural supply and distribution research theme. These data are still used as key source of national evidence of the medical workforce. In 2018, the MABEL project was awarded the Best Impact Prize from the Health Services Research Association of Australia and New Zealand, primarily due to the body of work from the rural theme. A key outcome of MABEL was the Modified Monash Model (MMM) classification, which he co-developed with Emeritus Prof John Humphreys. From 2015, the MMM has been adopted to underpin most Commonwealth Department of Health policies in rural health.
Works
Search Professor Matthew McGrail’s works on UQ eSpace
2018
Journal Article
'Surfing the coastal wave' - a new way to consider workforce distribution
May, Jenny, McGrail, Matthew R. and Walker, Judi (2018). 'Surfing the coastal wave' - a new way to consider workforce distribution. Rural and Remote Health, 18 (3) 4753. doi: 10.22605/RRH4753
2018
Conference Publication
Applying a more sophisticated approach to planning GP training distribution relative to population need
McGrail, M., O’Sullivan, B., Russell, D., Reeve, C. and Gasser, L. (2018). Applying a more sophisticated approach to planning GP training distribution relative to population need. RMA18, Darwin, NT, Australia, 2018.
2018
Conference Publication
Achieving distributed training by understanding the rural GP supervisor workforce and their work context
O’Sullivan, B., Warrington, A., Wallace, G., Russell, D., Sampson, M., Bentley, M., Burns, J., Couch, D. and McGrail, M. (2018). Achieving distributed training by understanding the rural GP supervisor workforce and their work context. GPTEC2018: Switch On, Adelaide, Australia, 2018.
2018
Conference Publication
Longer duration and varied settings of rural immersion for medical students related to rural work outcomes in Victoria, Australia
O'Sullivan, B., McGrail, M., Russell, D., Walker, J., Chambers, H., Major, L. and Langham, R. (2018). Longer duration and varied settings of rural immersion for medical students related to rural work outcomes in Victoria, Australia. The Muster 2018, Mt Gambier, SA, Australia, 2018.
2018
Conference Publication
Setting the directions for future GP policy and research
O’Sullivan, B., Walters, L., Carson, D., McGrail, M., Russell, D., Kamien, M., Strasser, R. and Hays, R. (2018). Setting the directions for future GP policy and research. 6th Rural and Remote Health Scientific Symposium, Canberra, Australia, 2018.
2018
Conference Publication
Satisfaction of junior medical officers in rural Australia
Lennon, M., O'Sullivan, B., McGrail, M., Russell, D., Suttie, J. and Preddy, J. (2018). Satisfaction of junior medical officers in rural Australia. The Muster, Mt Gambier, SA Australia, 2018.
2018
Conference Publication
Achieving distributed training by understanding the rural GP supervisor workforce and their work context
O’Sullivan, B., Warrington, A., Wallace, G., Russell, D., Sampson, M., Bentley, M., Burns, J., Couch, D. and McGrail, M. (2018). Achieving distributed training by understanding the rural GP supervisor workforce and their work context. GP18, Gold Coast, Australia, 2018.
2017
Journal Article
Medications affecting healing: an evidence-based analysis
Khalil, Hanan, Cullen, Marianne, Chambers, Helen and McGrail, Matthew (2017). Medications affecting healing: an evidence-based analysis. International Wound Journal, 14 (6), 1340-1345. doi: 10.1111/iwj.12809
2017
Journal Article
Rural specialists: the nature of their work and professional satisfaction by geographical location of work
O'Sullivan, Belinda, McGrail, Matthew and Russell, Deborah (2017). Rural specialists: the nature of their work and professional satisfaction by geographical location of work. Australian Journal of Rural Health, 25 (6), 338-346. doi: 10.1111/ajr.12354
2017
Journal Article
Comparing rural and regional migration patterns of Australian medical general practitioners with other professions: implications for rural workforce strategies
Carson, Dean, Punshon, Katherine, McGrail, Matthew and Kippen, Rebecca (2017). Comparing rural and regional migration patterns of Australian medical general practitioners with other professions: implications for rural workforce strategies. Australian Population Studies, 1 (1), 55-68. doi: 10.37970/aps.v1i1.12
2017
Journal Article
Family effects on the rurality of GP's work location: a longitudinal panel study
McGrail, Matthew R., Russell, Deborah J. and O'Sullivan, Belinda G. (2017). Family effects on the rurality of GP's work location: a longitudinal panel study. Human Resources for Health, 15 (75) 75. doi: 10.1186/s12960-017-0250-z
2017
Journal Article
Australia's rural medical workforce: supply from its medical schools against career stage, gender and rural-origin
McGrail, Matthew R. and Russell, Deborah J. (2017). Australia's rural medical workforce: supply from its medical schools against career stage, gender and rural-origin. Australian Journal of Rural Health, 25 (5), 298-305. doi: 10.1111/ajr.12323
2017
Journal Article
Specialist outreach services in regional and remote Australia: key drivers and policy implications
O'Sullivan, Belinda G., Stoelwinder, Johannes U. and McGrail, Matthew R. (2017). Specialist outreach services in regional and remote Australia: key drivers and policy implications. Medical Journal of Australia, 207 (3), 96-98. doi: 10.5694/mja16.00949
2017
Journal Article
How does the workload and work activities of procedural GPs compare to non-procedural GPs?
Russell, Deborah J. and McGrail, Matthew R. (2017). How does the workload and work activities of procedural GPs compare to non-procedural GPs?. Australian Journal of Rural Health, 25 (4), 219-226. doi: 10.1111/ajr.12321
2017
Journal Article
Mobility of US rural primary care physicians during 2000-2014
McGrail, Matthew R., Wingrove, Peter M., Petterson, Stephen M. and Bazemore, Andrew W. (2017). Mobility of US rural primary care physicians during 2000-2014. Annals of Family Medicine, 15 (4), 322-328. doi: 10.1370/afm.2096
2017
Journal Article
Where to next for rural general practice policy and research in Australia?
Walters, Lucie K., McGrail, Matthew R., Carson, Dean B., O'Sullivan, Belinda G., Russell, Deborah J., Strasser, Roger P., Hays, Richard B. and Kamien, Max (2017). Where to next for rural general practice policy and research in Australia?. Medical Journal of Australia, 207 (2), 56-58.e1. doi: 10.5694/mja17.00216
2017
Journal Article
Peripherally InSerted CEntral catheter dressing and securement in patients with cancer: the PISCES trial. Protocol for a 2x2 factorial, superiority randomised controlled trial
Rickard, Claire M., Marsh, Nicole M., Webster, Joan, Gavin, Nicole C., Chan, Raymond J., McCarthy, Alexandra L., Mollee, Peter, Ullman, Amanda J., Kleidon, Tricia, Chopra, Vineet, Zhang, Li, McGrail, Matthew R., Larsen, Emily, Abu Choudhury, Md, Keogh, Samantha, Alexandrou, Evan, McMillan, David J., Mervin, Merehau Cindy, Paterson, David L., Cooke, Marie, Ray-Barruel, Gillian, Castillo, Maria Isabel, Hallahan, Andrew, Corley, Amanda and Playford, E. Geoffrey (2017). Peripherally InSerted CEntral catheter dressing and securement in patients with cancer: the PISCES trial. Protocol for a 2x2 factorial, superiority randomised controlled trial. BMJ Open, 7 (6) e015291, e015291. doi: 10.1136/bmjopen-2016-015291
2017
Journal Article
Measuring the attractiveness of rural communities in accounting for differences of rural primary care workforce supply
McGrail, Matthew R., Wingrove, Peter M., Petterson, Stephen M., Humphreys, John S., Russell, Deborah J. and Bazemore, Andrew W. (2017). Measuring the attractiveness of rural communities in accounting for differences of rural primary care workforce supply. Rural and Remote Health, 17 (2) 3925. doi: 10.22605/RRH3925
2017
Journal Article
Determinants of rural Australian primary health care worker retention: a synthesis of key evidence and implications for policymaking
Russell, Deborah J., McGrail, Matthew R. and Humphreys, John S. (2017). Determinants of rural Australian primary health care worker retention: a synthesis of key evidence and implications for policymaking. Australian Journal of Rural Health, 25 (1), 5-14. doi: 10.1111/ajr.12294
2017
Journal Article
Reasons why specialist doctors undertake rural outreach services: an Australian cross-sectional study
O'Sullivan, Belinda G., McGrail, Matthew R. and Stoelwinder, Johannes U. (2017). Reasons why specialist doctors undertake rural outreach services: an Australian cross-sectional study. Human Resources for Health, 15 (1) 3. doi: 10.1186/s12960-016-0174-z
Funding
Current funding
Past funding
Supervision
Availability
- Associate Professor Matthew McGrail is:
- Available for supervision
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Supervision history
Current supervision
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Doctor Philosophy
The Effectiveness of the Implementation of the Vision 2030 Healthcare Strategy in Improving Health Services in Rural Saudi Arabia
Principal Advisor
Other advisors: Professor Bruce Chater, Dr Bushra Nasir
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Doctor Philosophy
What factors influence the use and satisfaction with hospital services of residents in Queensland's regions?
Principal Advisor
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Doctor Philosophy
Growing the Rural Medical Workforce Pipeline
Principal Advisor
Other advisors: Professor Di Eley
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Doctor Philosophy
The association of major depressive disorders with chronic disease among Indigenous Australians
Associate Advisor
Other advisors: Associate Professor Srinivas Kondalsamy Chennakesavan, Dr Bushra Nasir
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Master Philosophy
Interprofessional collaboration in Radiography: Do we need to re-invent the wheel?
Associate Advisor
Other advisors: Dr Priya Martin
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Doctor Philosophy
Determinants of referral patterns of patients with CKD from GP practice to Specialist Nephrology clinics based on combined eGFR and albuminuria measurements and their progress over time
Associate Advisor
Other advisors: Associate Professor Srinivas Kondalsamy Chennakesavan
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Master Philosophy
Systemic analysis of the determinants that influence the oncologist-patient relationship; exploring the interplay between organisational, cultural and personal factors. Translating key findings into training and professional development interventions with mutual focus on patient and doctor outcomes.
Associate Advisor
Media
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