ACvA Emerging Leaders Committee (ELC) member Dr Catherine Stephen is an original problem-solver whose career has been shaped by a strong belief in team-based care and a constant drive to improve the patient journey.

Early in her nursing career in primary care, she developed a strong interest in chronic disease management and has since built a career spanning nursing, primary care, and academia. Her work across research, teaching, and real-world implementation brings a practical focus to translating evidence into everyday practice.

Alongside her role on the ACvA ELC, Dr Stephen is a Senior Lecturer in the School of Nursing at the University of Wollongong and a Postdoctoral Research Fellow with the National Multidisciplinary Primary Care Research, Policy and Advocacy Consortium.

Dr Stephen completed her PhD on nurse-led management of high blood pressure in general practice, with a focus on early intervention to improve blood pressure control in the community.

“Team-based care that enables nurses to work to the top of their scope in general practice, alongside allied health professionals and ensures the patient voice is not lost, can help people achieve the best treatments and health outcomes,” she says.

 Since completing her PhD, she has expanded her work to explore how health professionals can better support community-based care and reduce the risk of premature morbidity associated with cardiovascular disease.

 During the final stages of her PhD, Dr Stephen presented at an ACvA workshop, an experience which was incredibly valuable. “That support as a junior researcher led to opportunities, and I wanted a chance to advocate and connect with more Early Mid Career Researchers (EMCRs),” she recalls. That led to more involvement with ACvA and her decision to apply for the ELC.

There are so many synergies, and we all share the same goal. That’s what I think is the magic, the ‘secret sauce’ of the committee.

Dr Stephen loves the parallels between the ELC and her research area saying, “The essence of what the committee is trying to achieve is a mirror to my team-based care research. The ELC is a diverse group including cardiology, public health, nursing, dietetics and allied health so we've got unique perspectives from detection and prevention all the way through to treatment and management.”

She describes the ELC as a respectful and supportive space to share ideas, collaborate across disciplines, and break down silos. “I’m learning a lot, and I hope we can continue to grow EMCR membership and encourage other early career researchers to seek out that support and network, a place to share ideas and find connection and synergy.”

 For Dr Stephen, collaboration is key. “When you bring together a team where everyone is working to their strengths and at the top of their scope, what you can achieve for patients is phenomenal.”

You can find more information about getting involved with ACvA HERE.

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