Researcher

Dr Michael John Murphy

Fields of Research (FoR)

Psychiatry (incl. Psychotherapy), Decision Making

Biography

Dr Michael John Murphy.

I am a (Consultation Liaison, CL) Psychiatrist working in public health (NSW Health). I work in two locations, in the urban hospital of the Prince of Wales hospital (POWH) and rurally at Orange Health Service. As a CL psychiatrist, I work in the general hospital wards (medical, surgical, ICU etc) with patients who have a comorbid mental health difficulty (such as depression, psychosis, delirium etc). I provide expert...view more

Dr Michael John Murphy.

I am a (Consultation Liaison, CL) Psychiatrist working in public health (NSW Health). I work in two locations, in the urban hospital of the Prince of Wales hospital (POWH) and rurally at Orange Health Service. As a CL psychiatrist, I work in the general hospital wards (medical, surgical, ICU etc) with patients who have a comorbid mental health difficulty (such as depression, psychosis, delirium etc). I provide expert assessment and advise to the patient, their loved ones and the health care staff involved.

I am also a clinican researcher, whereby I undertake research, in both my role within NSW health, and within a Mindgardens funded research project. Mindgardens funded a collaboration project between the Blackdog Institute, South East Sydney Local Health District (CL within POWH) and the School of Psychiatry at UNSW. This 2 year project ran from August 2020 - Sept 2022 and looked to improve how we manage the 'mind-body' connection for patients who have a major physical health problem. It is called the SHAPE trial (Screening and Support for Health and General Anxiety at the Prince of Wales Hospital - An Exploratory Study). It will be analyzed in the end of 2022 and into 2023. 

I previously worked, and then held an honorary appointment, at the Clinical Research Unit for Anxiety and Depression (CRUfAD), which is a joint venture of St. Vincent's hospital, Sydney and the School of Psychiatry at UNSW. 

My PhD via the School of Psychiatry, UNSW, looked into the role of internet-delivered cognitive behavioural therapy (iCBT) in the treatment of depression and/or anxiety in cancer patients. In 2016/7, a randomised controlled trial (RCT) looking to evaluate iCBT in early-stage cancer and cancer survivors was undertaken. The following year, a pre-post trial looking at iCBT in advanced stage cancer occurred.  I held a NSW Institute of Psychiatry Research Fellowship over the course of 2016.

Apart from the projects listed above, I was involved in smaller projects, such as looking at how we care for patients with eating disorders, examining how we deal with blood-borne viral illnesses in mental health patients, and how to teach doctors about assessing a patients' decision making abilities, or their capacity. I was the project principal for a HETI Medical Education Support Fund (MESF) grant in 2015, which was repeated for 2016/17.

In addition to being a Fellow of the Royal Australian and New Zealand College of Psychiatry (FRANZCP), I am also a Member of the Royal College of Psychiatry UK (MRCPsych). Before psychiatry training I competed an undergraduate science and then post-graduate medical degree in Ireland. After completing my internship, I completed basic physician training program (MRCPI) and worked as a Medical Oncology Registrar prior to entering Psychiatry training. 

I previously supervised UNSW ILP students in 2016/17, a University of Notre Dame honours student in 2018, and will have an ILP student in 2022. 


My Grants

NSW Institute of Psychiatry Research Fellow (2016 - 2017)


My Qualifications

BSc (Hons)

MBBS (Hons)

MRCPI

MRCPsych

HDip Med Ed

FRANZCP

Post Cert Cons Liaison

PhD


My Awards

ADAPT PhD Top-up Scholarhship (2016 - 2019)

HETI Medical Education Support Fund 2015

HETI Medical Education Support Fund 2016


My Research Activities

Health anxiety (Illness anxiety and somatic symptom disorder) 

Interplay of mental and physical health

iCBT in depression and anxiety in people affected by cancer (iCanADAPT.org.au).

Doctor's assessment of a patients' decision-making abilities.

Care of eating disorder patients in the general hospital

 


My Research Supervision


Supervision keywords


Areas of supervision

ILP students - 2016, 2017, 2021.

I will not be taking ILP/ Honours students in 2024. 

 


Currently supervising

 

 


My Engagement

Cancer Council Survivorship Webinar - "Stuff men don't say" - November 2019

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Location

Blackdog Institute, Randwick
Prince of Wales hospital, Randwick
Orange health service, Orange

Contact

+61-2-9382 4530