Monash Health is incredibly fortunate to have a talented and diverse workforce, with women making up 76% of employees and undertaking a wide array of roles across the health service.
Since 2011, we have made significant progress to close the gender gap in our organisation.
Within our medical workforce, the female-to-male ratio has shifted from 38:62 in 2011 to 56:44 by 2024. This extends to leadership positions, where 47% of medical leaders appointed in 2023 were female.
On International Women’s Day, celebrated this year on 8 March, we take the opportunity to recognise and honour all women for their achievements.
This year, we are delighted to share the work of three remarkable women researchers and clinicians whose work is lifting the standard of care for women and the broader community.
Dr Ralley Prentice: pioneering advances in women’s health
Dr Ralley Prentice (far right) is a Monash Health gastroenterologist and PhD candidate at Monash University, specialising in the management of inflammatory bowel disease in pregnancy. Her passion for both obstetrics and gastroenterology led her to this unique field, where she has made significant strides in improving women’s health outcomes.
Dr Prentice’s work has influenced international guidelines, setting new standards for the treatment of inflammatory bowel disease in pregnancy. Collaboration has been a cornerstone of her success, working closely with the paediatric immunology lab, the Nold laboratory, and the obstetrics team.
She was awarded 2024’s prestigious Gastroenterological Society of Australia (GESA) Basic Science Young Investigator Award. She is recognised for her work examining the impact of maternal inflammatory bowel disease and its therapies on the neonatal immune system.
The GESA Young Investigator Award is the most celebrated national research award in gastroenterology. Dr Charlotte Keung won it in 2022, showing that Monash Gastroenterology is establishing an influential presence in Australian Gastroenterology research.
Dr Prentice is completing her PhD evaluating IBD and pregnancy. She is supervised by A/Prof Sally Bell, A/Prof Emily Wright, and Dr Rimma Goldberg, who supervised this immunology work in collaboration with Nold laboratory. The thesis has been recommended for nomination for the Molly Holam Award for thesis excellence at Monash University.
Dr Prentice says being able to do the work to improve health outcomes for women is a great privilege.
‘It justifies all the hard work, compromises, and sacrifices I’ve made in other parts of my life for my job and research.’
Jessica O’Bryan: championing infectious diseases research
Jessica O’Bryan (centre) is the Research Nurse Manager for the Monash Infectious Diseases Clinical Research Unit. With over 14 years of experience, Jessica has been instrumental in advancing clinical trials for various infectious diseases, including HIV and bloodstream infections.
One of her proudest achievements is supporting the BRAVVO Research Funding Program, which aims to improve reporting for pregnant HIV-positive women to the Antiretroviral Pregnancy Registry. Despite facing significant hurdles, Jessica’s dedication has tripled the reporting rate at Monash Health, ensuring safer and more suitable treatments for both mothers and their babies.
‘I have been a research coordinator since 2010 when I took a job with the plan of only working there for a year before going back to the wards. Needless to say, I fell in love with the role and the diversity of what we get to do, and 14 years later, I’m still working in the same area,’ said O’Bryan.
‘I love interacting with all the researchers in our unit, from assisting our new research investigators and JMS with writing and submitting their research proposals to recruiting and coordinating the larger commercially sponsored studies. It’s an exciting space to work in, and I’m really lucky to work with an incredible team within a very supportive and collaborative wider unit.’
Dr Anna Rosamilia: leading the way in Urogynaecology
Dr Anna Rosamilia is Clinical Adjunct Professor and Head of the Pelvic Floor Unit at Monash Health. Our unit’s expertise in urogynaecology, which is a subspecialty of obstetrics and gynaecology, has led to significant improvements in the treatment of pelvic organ prolapse, stress urinary incontinence, and other pelvic floor disorders in our patients.
Dr Rosamilia’s collaborative approach, working with medical colleagues, nurses, allied health professionals especially physiotherapists, and GPs, has been pivotal in enhancing patient care. Collaboration with scientists at the Hudson Institute is leading to exciting tissue engineering research in the treatment and prevention of pelvic organ prolapse. Her leadership extends beyond Monash Health as she currently serves as the President of the International Urogynecology Association.
‘I have a default collaborative setting but on the other hand, advocating for yourself as a clinician, your team, your (sub)specialty and your patients means being persuasive and visible. You can’t do it alone, so finding allies is important.’
Dr Prentice, O’Bryan, and Dr Rosamilia’s work are three wonderful examples of dedication, innovation, skill, and collaboration.
As this year’s theme for International Women’s Day is #AccelerateAction, we are inspired by their efforts in making a profound impact on health, paving the way for a brighter and healthier future.
We also recognise that many Monash Health employees are achieving great things individually and as a team, and we look forward to giving them the spotlight they deserve.
Happy International Women’s Day!
