I was born in Edinburgh and have a Diploma in Education from Moray House CAE. After teaching in London for several years I came to Sydney with my Australian husband, had four children and then returned to tertiary study at UNSW where I obtained a BA in History and and PhD in the History and Philosophy of Medicine. I have compiled and taught courses in European history, the history of medicine and health care in Europe and Australia and the history of forensic medicine at UNSW and supervised honours and post-graduate students in these fields. I have also taught courses at the Universities of Sydney and Melbourne. Professional activities have included: positions on the committee of the NSW Society of the History of Medicine and the Council of the Australian Society of the History of Medicine, membership of the editorial board of Metascience and acting as an advisor on historical aspects of 19th century health for the ABC series 'Outback House'. I have also given lectures on Australian medical history at the Australian Museum in Sydney and at the Museum of Human Disease at UNSW. Currently I have an honorary lectureship in the School of Humanities and Languages.