Central Team
Dr Vinod Pushpalingam | Director of Rural Generalist Training
Dr Vinod Pushpalingam, who goes by Vin or Vinnie, was born in Malaysia and moved to Australia in 1980. Following his schooling, he pursued medicine and graduated from the University of Western Australia in 1997. After completing his internship and early years at Royal Perth Hospital, Vin spent four years at the now Perth Children’s Hospital before having a change of heart while completing a rural placement at an Aboriginal Medical Service in Kalgoorlie as a part of his general practice training. Vin went on to complete his advanced skill in Anaesthetics at Joondalup Health Campus in 2007 before continuing his rural generalist career in Broome, Derby, Kununurra and Karratha. After working across the state’s north, Vin moved to the South West region and settled in Busselton in 2009 where he worked across primary care, aged and palliative care, emergency medicine and anaesthetics. Vin passionately believes in the benefits of rural generalist medicine, not only for the community, but also for personal job satisfaction. Vin will continue to work clinically in the Busselton Health Campus Emergency Department alongside his role as Director of Rural Generalist Training for the Rural Generalist Pathway WA.
Erin Furness | Senior Project Officer
Erin Furness obtained a Bachelor of Science (Exercise and Health Science) through The University of Western Australia then spent several years working in the Pilbara region of Western Australia, primarily in the civil and mining industry. She joined Fiona Stanley Hospital during its commissioning and worked across both Fiona Stanley and Fremantle hospitals as a Medical Education Officer. Erin has extensive experience in program development and evaluation, event management, systems testing, accreditation and stakeholder engagement. Her additional qualifications include a Graduate Certificate in Business, a Certificate IV in Training and Assessment and a Diploma of Occupational Health and Safety. The Senior Project Officer role for the Rural Generalist Pathway WA Coordination Unit, which she commenced in September 2021, combines her knowledge of medical education and accreditation with her experience of working in remote Western Australia. Erin is also a representative on the Postgraduate Medical Council of Western Australia's Accreditation and Standards Committee and is a Support Surveyor. Outside of work she enjoys running, watching AFL (she is a long-suffering Fremantle Dockers member), travelling and adding to her wine collection.
Bronwyn Smith | Medical Education Officer
Bronwyn Smith is a Musculoskeletal and Sports Physiotherapist who relocated to the Great Southern from Perth. She is currently the Medical Education Officer for both Central and the Great Southern regions. In addition to her private practice clinical work, she has had extensive experience in the tertiary sector working as a Clinical Professional Lecturer of Physiotherapy, as well as other discipline specific leadership roles at Curtin University. Bronwyn hopes to bring her knowledge of primary healthcare, her background in teaching/mentoring and her project management skills to aid rural generalists on their training journey. In her spare time, Bronwyn enjoys being involved in local community sport, hiking, and exploring the Great Southern region.
Colleen Bong | Medical Education Support Officer
Colleen Bong earned a Commerce degree from Curtin University and then spent several years at a non-profit organisation. In her most recent role, she worked overseas in the education industry as a Foreign Language Educator. As a Medical Education Support Officer, she combines her passion for education with her technical skills in communications and marketing to support those on the Rural Generalist Pathway. Outside of work, she can often be found at Pilates classes, searching for the next best coffee spot, or travelling.