CQUniversity and Mackay Health Service District have welcomed $375,000 in funding, enabling a joint academic role to become the first of its type in Australia in the field of medical imaging and sonography...

This Clinical Academic Fellowship success is the result of a collaboration between the Mackay Health Service District and the CQUniversity Medical Imaging/Medical Sonography programs.

The funding was awarded as part of a statewide competitive process from the Office of Health and Medical Research, Queensland Health.  

The successful applicant will be employed for five years, dividing  their time between the clinical and academic environment at both the hospital and campus, with a strong focus on research.

This new role will enable CQUniversity and Mackay Health Service District to collaborate on research which improves outcomes for patients using medical imaging and sonography services.

As well as the core funding from Queensland Health, CQUniversity and Mackay Health Service District will contribute resources towards this shared academic, helping to cement the relationship already initiated.

Danielle Hornsby, the Executive Director Allied Health, says "Mackay Health Service District is delighted to cement this research program with CQUniversity, and this boost will certainly help to attract world-class clinicians to Mackay".

CQUniversity's Head of Program for Medical Imaging and Sonography Caroline Falconi says "this initiative will strengthen ties between the University and our clinical affiliations, enabling us to move forward together in contributing to advances in our profession".

"I see this as a positive relationship and believe it will be valuable for consolidating our program's place in Central Queensland," Ms Falconi says.

CQUniversity Pro-Vice Chancellor and Executive Dean Professor Graham Pegg said the funding opens up exciting possibilities to develop first rate research that incorporates the critical clinical component.

"It is expected the new role will be filled during the first half of this year," Professor Pegg says.

CQUniversity is looking forward to the next (late February) intakes for its popular medical imaging and sonography programs, which were launched in 2011, along with the new $4 million Medical and Applied Sciences Laboratories at Mackay Campus.

These laboratories are so well equipped with state-of-the-art digital imaging equipment that they rival any clinical department and are expected to become a centre for excellence for simulation teaching and assessment techniques.

The University is addressing the need for qualified radiographers and sonographers in regional Queensland.