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
2017
Conference Publication
Uptake of rural medicine after rural training at Monash: The Rural Medical Workforce Tracking Study
O'Sullivan, B., McGrail, M., Russell, D., Chambers, H. and Major, L. (2017). Uptake of rural medicine after rural training at Monash: The Rural Medical Workforce Tracking Study. Monash Medical Curriculum Conference, Melbourne, Australia, 2017.
2017
Conference Publication
Procedural GPs: Key providers of integrated critical care in rural and remote communities
Russell, D., McGrail, M. and O’Sullivan, B. (2017). Procedural GPs: Key providers of integrated critical care in rural and remote communities. Regional Critical Care Conference, Bendigo, Vic, Australia, 2017.
2016
Journal Article
It’s more than money: policy options to secure medical specialist workforce for regional centres
May, Jennifer, Walker, Judi, McGrail, Matthew and Rolley, Fran (2016). It’s more than money: policy options to secure medical specialist workforce for regional centres. Australian Health Review, 41 (6), 698-706. doi: 10.1071/AH16159
2016
Journal Article
Vocational training of general practitioners in rural locations is critical for the Australian rural medical workforce
McGrail, Matthew R., Russell, Deborah J. and Campbell, David G. (2016). Vocational training of general practitioners in rural locations is critical for the Australian rural medical workforce. Medical Journal of Australia, 205 (5), 217-221. doi: 10.5694/mja16.00063
2016
Journal Article
Cultural desire need not improve with cultural knowledge: a cross-sectional study of student nurses
Isaacs, Anton Neville, Raymond, Anita, Jacob, Elisabeth, Jones, Janet, McGrail, Matthew and Drysdale, Marlene (2016). Cultural desire need not improve with cultural knowledge: a cross-sectional study of student nurses. Nurse Education in Practice, 19, 91-96. doi: 10.1016/j.nepr.2016.05.009
2016
Journal Article
In situ diagnostic methods for catheter related bloodstream infection in burns patients: a pilot study
Evans, O., Gowardman, J., Rabbolini, D., McGrail, M. and Rickard, C. M. (2016). In situ diagnostic methods for catheter related bloodstream infection in burns patients: a pilot study. Burns, 42 (2), 434-440. doi: 10.1016/j.burns.2015.07.004
2016
Other Outputs
Understanding the decision to relocate rural amongst urban nursing and allied health students and recent graduates
Sutton, K., Waller, S., Fisher, K., Farthing, A., McAnnally, K., Russell, Deb, Smith, T., Maybery, D., McGrail, M., Brown, L. and Carey, T. (2016). Understanding the decision to relocate rural amongst urban nursing and allied health students and recent graduates.
2016
Journal Article
Service distribution and models of rural outreach by specialist doctors in Australia: a national cross-sectional study
O'Sullivan, Belinda G., McGrail, Matthew R., Joyce, Catherine M. and Stoelwinder, Johannes (2016). Service distribution and models of rural outreach by specialist doctors in Australia: a national cross-sectional study. Australian Health Review, 40 (3), 330-336. doi: 10.1071/AH15100
2016
Conference Publication
Supply of medical specialists in regional areas
O’Sullivan, B., Stoelwinder, J. and McGrail, M. (2016). Supply of medical specialists in regional areas. 5th Rural and Remote Health Scientific Symposium, Canberra, Australia, 2016.
2015
Journal Article
Spatial access disparities to primary health care in rural and remote Australia
McGrail, Matthew Richard and Humphreys, John Stirling (2015). Spatial access disparities to primary health care in rural and remote Australia. Geospatial Health, 10 (2) 358, 138-143. doi: 10.4081/gh.2015.358
2015
Journal Article
The stability of rural outreach services: a national longitudinal study of specialist doctors
O'Sullivan, Belinda G., Stoelwinder, Johannes U. and McGrail, Matthew R. (2015). The stability of rural outreach services: a national longitudinal study of specialist doctors. Medical Journal of Australia, 203 (7), 297.e1-297.e6. doi: 10.5694/mja15.00369
2015
Journal Article
Geographical mobility of general practitioners in rural Australia
McGrail, Matthew R. and Humphreys, John S. (2015). Geographical mobility of general practitioners in rural Australia. Medical Journal Australia, 203 (2), 92-96. doi: 10.5694/mja14.01375
2015
Journal Article
Urban washout: how strong is the rural-background effect?
Hogenbirk, John C., McGrail, Matthew R., Strasser, Roger, Lacarte, Sara A., Kevat, Ajay and Lewenberg, Michael (2015). Urban washout: how strong is the rural-background effect?. Australian Journal of Rural Health, 23 (3), 161-168. doi: 10.1111/ajr.12183
2015
Journal Article
Cancer patient and clinician acceptability and feasibility of a supportive care screening and referral process
Ristevski, Eli, Regan, Melanie, Jones, Rebecca, Breen, Sibilah, Batson, Angela and McGrail, Matthew R. (2015). Cancer patient and clinician acceptability and feasibility of a supportive care screening and referral process. Health Expectations, 18 (3), 406-418. doi: 10.1111/hex.12045
2015
Journal Article
Accessing doctors at times of need-measuring the distance tolerance of rural residents for health-related travel
McGrail, Matthew Richard, Humphreys, John Stirling and Ward, Bernadette (2015). Accessing doctors at times of need-measuring the distance tolerance of rural residents for health-related travel. BMC Health Services Research, 15 (1) 212. doi: 10.1186/s12913-015-0880-6
2015
Journal Article
Intravascular device administration sets: replacement after standard versus prolonged use in hospitalised patients—a study protocol for a randomised controlled trial (The RSVP Trial)
Rickard, Claire M., Marsh, Nicole M., Webster, Joan, Gavin, Nicole C., McGrail, Matthew R., Larsen, Emily, Corley, Amanda, Long, Debbie, Gowardman, John R., Murgo, Marghie, Fraser, John F., Chan, Raymond J., Wallis, Marianne C., Young, Jeanine, McMillan, David, Zhang, Li, Choudhury, Md Abu, Graves, Nicholas and Playford, E. Geoffrey (2015). Intravascular device administration sets: replacement after standard versus prolonged use in hospitalised patients—a study protocol for a randomised controlled trial (The RSVP Trial). BMJ Open, 5 (2) e007257, e007257.1-e007257.7. doi: 10.1136/bmjopen-2014-007257
2015
Journal Article
Which dimensions of access are most important when rural residents decide to visit a general practitioner for non-emergency care?
Ward, Bernadette, Humphreys, John, McGrail, Matthew, Wakerman, John and Chisholm, Marita (2015). Which dimensions of access are most important when rural residents decide to visit a general practitioner for non-emergency care?. Australian Health Review, 39 (2), 121-126. doi: 10.1071/AH14030
2015
Conference Publication
Planning integrated outreach: Service patterns from the metropolitan and rural hubs
O’Sullivan, B., Joyce, C., McGrail, M. and Stoelwinder, J. (2015). Planning integrated outreach: Service patterns from the metropolitan and rural hubs. 13th National Rural Health Conference, Darwin, NT, Australia, 2015.
2015
Journal Article
Securing all intravenous devices effectively in hospitalised patients—the SAVE trial: study protocol for a multicentre randomised controlled trial
Rickard, Claire M., Marsh, Nicole, Webster, Joan, Playford, Geoffrey, McGrail, Matthew R., Larsen, Emily, Keogh, Samantha, McMillan, David, Whitty, Jennifer A., Choudhury, Md Abu, Dunster, Kimble R., Reynolds, Heather, Marshall, Andrea, Crilly, Julia, Young, Jeanine, Thom, Ogilvie, Gowardman, John, Corley, Amanda and Fraser, John F. (2015). Securing all intravenous devices effectively in hospitalised patients—the SAVE trial: study protocol for a multicentre randomised controlled trial. BMJ Open, 5 (9) e008689, e008689 .1-e008689 .7. doi: 10.1136/bmjopen-2015-008689
2015
Journal Article
Procedural skills practice and training needs of doctors, nurses, midwives and paramedics in rural Victoria
Campbell, David, Shepherd, Irwyn, McGrail, Matthew, Kassell, Lisa, Connolly, Marnie, Williams, Brett and Nestel, Debra (2015). Procedural skills practice and training needs of doctors, nurses, midwives and paramedics in rural Victoria. Advances in Medical Education and Practice, 6, 183-194. doi: 10.2147/AMEP.S77779
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
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Doctor Philosophy
Referral patterns, disease progression and impact of the Kidney Failure Risk Equation (KFRE) in a Queensland chronic kidney disease Registry (CKD.QLD) cohort
Associate Advisor
Other advisors: Associate Professor Srinivas Kondalsamy Chennakesavan
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Doctor Philosophy
EPoC-CARE - Effectiveness of Point of Care CRP Assays in Rural Environments
Associate Advisor
Other advisors: Professor Bruce Chater, Associate Professor Srinivas Kondalsamy Chennakesavan, Dr Bushra Nasir
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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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