Ian Symonds

Ian Symonds

Adelaide Medical School

Faculty of Health and Medical Sciences

Professor Symonds is the former Dean of Medicine at the Adelaide Medical School and former President of Medical Deans of Australian and New Zealand. He has had extensive experience in the development of educational programmes in inter-professional learning, primary care based learning, distance learning and overseas study. He was closely involved in the setting up of a new Graduate Entry Medical course in Nottingham and the Joint Medical Program in NSW. He has co-authored several papers on medical education as well as a number of undergraduate textbooks and has a master’s degree in clinical education.

Research Experience

Professor Symonds has extensive experience in the design and funding of research project protocols including ethical committee approval, Health and Safety regulations, animal experiment regulations and regulations for the use of radioactive substances. 

As a Research Fellow funded by the Cancer Research Campaign in the Department of Obstetrics & Gynaecology at Nottingham University he developed an anti-mucin monoclonal antibody for use in the management of gynaecological cancer and set up a phase I clinical imaging study in patients with ovarian cancer. Results of this work were submitted for the degree of Doctor of Medicine.

He has laboratory experience in immunohistochemistry, flow cytometry and infrared spectroscopy. He is also certified to give ionising radiation to patients for treatment/investigation and has been an animal experiment licence holder from 1989-1992.

He was principle investigator at Derby on projects on the detection of intrapartum fetal hypoxia by fetal ECG-ST analysis, treatment of dysfunctional uterine bleeding, genetics of pre-eclampsia, infrared spectroscopic analysis of cervical smears and detection of ovarian cancer using Tc-99 labelled monoclonal antibody and the selection of medical students for GEM.

As Head of Discipline in Newcastle he has been an active member of several research groups but is based mainly in the Mothers and Babies research centre. This group, under the direction of Professor Roger Smith, has an international reputation for research into pre-term labour and the role of CRH and prostaglandins in labour.

In Newcastle he was CI on research projects in innate immunity to Chlamydia, the psychosocial aspects of maternal age, genetics of endometrial cancer, growth restriction and preterm labour, attachment disorders, and cervical screening, smoking cessation in pregnancy  and adverse obstetric outcomes in patients with metal illness with grant income in excess of $1.4 million

Current Research Projects
  • Maternal alcohol consumption in pregnancy
  • Student selection for medicine
  • Induction of labour
  • Fetal ECG-ST analysis

  • Appointments
    Date Position Institution name
    2021 - ongoing Dean of Medicine The International Medical University
    2016 - 2020 Dean of Medicine The University of Adelaide
    2015 - 2021 Visiting Medical Specialist Womens and Childrens Hospital
    2015 - 2021 Head of School of Medicine University of Adelaide
    2011 - 2015 Head of School of Medicine and Public Health University of New South Wales
    2011 - 2015 Dean Joint Medical Program, NSW
    2010 - 2015 Course Co-ordinator Women’s, Adolescent’s and Children’s Health
    2009 - 2010 Deputy Dean Joint Medical Program, NSW
    2009 - 2010 Deputy Head of School of Medicine and Public Health University of Newcastle Australia
    2008 - 2010 Clinical Dean Hunter Clinical School
    2004 - 2015 Head of Discipline of Reproductive Medicine / Obstetrics and Gynaecology University of Newcastle Australia
    2004 - 2009 Course co-ordinator for Reproductive Medicine University of Newcastle Australia
    2002 - 2004 Faculty Board Member Nottingham Medical School

  • Education
    Date Institution name Country Title
    2004 University of Nottingham United Kingdom Master of Medical Sciences
    1995 University of Nottingham United Kingdom Doctor of Medicine
    1983 University of Nottingham United Kingdom Bachelor of Medicine, Bachelor of Surgery
    1981 University of Nottingham United Kingdom Bachelor of Medical Sciences, Class II, Division 1 (Hons)

  • Postgraduate Training
    Date Title Institution Country
    2009 Fellowship of the Royal College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists Royal College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists Australia
    2004 Fellowship of the Royal Australian and New Zealand College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists Royal Australian and New Zealand College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists Australia
    2001 Membership of the Institute for Learning and Teaching in Higher Education Institute for Learning and Teaching in Higher Education Australia
    1995 Membership of the Royal College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists Royal College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists Australia
Research Grants

1991 - 1992       

Symonds I.M., Price M., Perkins A., Baldwin R. £28,000 Tumour localisation and biodistribution of monoclonal antibody NCRC-48 in ovarian neoplasia.

Cancer Research Campaign

 £28 000
1999 - 2002

Chesters, M.A., Symonds, I.M., Tobin, M.J., Griffin, N.R., Fisher, S.E. Synchrotron Infrared microspectroscopy applied to single cell analysis.

Engineering & Physical Sciences Research Council

 £581 797
1999 for 6 months

Arulkumaran, S., Symonds, I.M., Baker P.N., Downe, S. Labour assister to reduce the rate of operative delivery in women with epidural analgesia

Novatrix, Inc, Ltd, USA  

 £81 988
1999 - 2000

Arulkumaran S., Symonds, I.M. Lactate on fetal scalp and umbilical cord blood as a measure of metabolic acidosis.

Southern Derbyshire Acute Hospital O&G Trust account grant.

 £ 27 000
2000 - 2002

Arulkumaran S., Symonds I.M. Fetal ECG waveform analysis in cases with suspicious and abnormal CTG in labour.

European Economic Community research grant.

 £ 90 000
2000 - 2003

Symonds, I.M.,  Perkins, A.C. Tumour localisation and biodistribution of NCRC48-Tc99m in ovarian neoplasia. Southern Derbyshire Acute Hospital R&D grant.

 £ 3 000
2000

Garner C., Chakraboti P., and Symonds I. Fourier Transform Infrared analysis of Human Ovarian Cancer Cells: Correlation between drug resistance and infrared analysis

Southern Derbyshire Acute Hospital R&D grant 

 £ 875
2000 - 2002

Arulkumaran S., Symonds I., Genetics of pre-eclampsia collaborative study (GOPEC)

British Heart Foundation

 £60 000
2001 - 2002 Mukopahdya S., Arulkumaran S., Symonds I. A randomized comparison of levonorgestrol IUS versus thermal balloon ablation in the management of dysfunctional uterine bleeding. Platon UK, O&G trust fund, Scherring £13 100
2006 - 2011

Beagley K, Boyle M, Symonds IM.  Innate immunity and Chlamydia infection:  Bacterial: epithelial cell cross-talk at the mucosal surface

National Health and Medical Research Council of Australia

 $420,625
2006 - 2008

Symonds, IM.  The psychosocial consequences of advance maternal age: a longitudinal study

University of Newcastle

 $10,000
2008 - 2009 Newman L, Dunlop A, Symonds I, Walsh P. An attachment based group parenting intervention for substance dependent mothers and infants  NSW Health Drug and Alcohol Research Grants Program $54,000
2008 - 2009 Rathnayaka K, Newman L, Dunlop A, Symonds I, Walsh P. Improving parenting risk assessment in a "high risk" drug and alcohol abusing antenatal population NSW Health Drug and Alcohol Research Grants Program $9,060
2008 - 2009

Hirst JJ, Palliser HK, Symonds IM: Does fetal growth restriction increase uterine activity and up regulate labour associated genes preterm?

John Hunter Hospital Research Committee Charitable Trust Grant

 $15,208
2009 Blackwell, CC, Symonds IM, Carlin A. The role of Infection and Inflammation in Stillbirths. Stillbirth Foundation of Australia $25,000
2010

Sanson-Fisher, R, Bonevski, B, Symonds I. Randomised controlled trial of a personal financial incentive (PFI) intervention to reduce antenatal smoking in women receiving public antenatal care.

 Heart Foundation

 $120,000
2012

Symonds IM

Ramacotti foundation

 $75,000
2012

Marita Lynagh, Brian Kelly, Graeme Horton, David Powis,Miles Bore, Don Munro, Ian Symonds, Nicky HudsonThe validity of UMAT and other selection toolsfor predicting student academic and non-academic

performance in a medical program UMAT reasearch subcommittee

 $10,000
2014 - 2015

Wang E, Lumbers E, Symonds I. Novel mechanisms whereby fetal sex and the maternal decidua regulate labour

John Hunter Hospital Research Committee Charitable Trust Grant

 $43,178
2015 - 2018 John Wiggers, Elizabeth Elliott, Adrian Dunlop, Ian Symonds,John Attia,Luke Wolfenden, Chris Rissel. A practice change intervention to increase the provision of antenatal care addressing maternal alcohol consumption during pregnancy: a stepped-wedge trial. NHMRC Partnership Grant $766,349

              

Non-research related funding
2010 Development of new clinical Skills and Assessment laboratories Hunter Clinical School Department of Health and Ageing Increased Clinical Training Capacity Program $1,084,417
2010 Health Workforce Australia Clinical Training Funding Program $5,500,964

                               

I was a member of the joint planning team responsible for setting up the Graduate Medical Program in Derby and was the lead academic for admissions to this program. In this role I co-led the setting up the first joint graduate admissions process with another medical school (SGHMS) in the UK, chairing the interview panels and organising open days for prospective candidates. 

As course co-coordinator for undergraduate teaching in Obstetrics and Gynaecology in Newcastle I introduced OSCE examinations, competency based assessment, student portfolios and student selected components of teaching.Along with a colleague in paediatrics, I designed and implemented a new combined course in women’s and children’s health.

As chair of assessment for the Bachelor of Medicine Program in Newcastle I led a major review of assessment processes in the School of Medicine in 2008 . I initiated a new approach to assessing professional behaviour and fitness to practice in medical students and the trial of e-portfolios.

As chair of the curriculum implementation group and later as Deputy Dean I played a leading role in setting up the first joint medical program run as a partnership between two Universities and two health authorities in Australia. From conception to the first intake of students this was accomplished in less than 18 months and the program has now graduated more than 400 doctors.

As Dean of the JMP I had overall responsibility for more than 1000 medical students at two Universities. During my tenure as  Dean of the Joint Medical Program the Faculty of Health and Medicine obtained grant funding of more than $6 million for the development of a new clinical skills training facility at the John Hunter Hospital and a new clinical School at Maitland and $20 million in funding for new teaching facilities at Tamworth and Armidale. As well as completing the implementation of the JMP with the University of New England I oversaw  the introduction of new medical student selection process and the development of a Masters programs in leadership and management for clinicians and Trauma. I led a major curriculum review process to introduce a new MD program. Despite the pressure of increased student numbers there was an increase in overall student satisfaction scores on feedback in the medical program during my time as Dean,.

As a member and then chair of the Education and Assessment Committee of Australian and New Zealand College of Obstetrics and Gynaecology I introduced standard setting for written examination and negotiated the adoption of the college’s diploma course for the training of career medical officers in New South Wales and am currently charing working groups developing a national undergraduate curriculum for O&G and a pre-vocational certificate

Undergraduate

As co-ordinator of the clinical O&G attachment at Nottingham I had direct responsibility for the development of the curriculum and assessment for this module over a 5 years period. This included the setting of the summative assessments, design of the student log books and ensuring equality of teaching provision and clinical experience for students placed at different sites. I also set up a course management group to oversee the running of the module.

In collaboration with Child Health in Nottingham I helped to set up in 2002 an exchange scheme, supported by ERASMUS, to allow 2 students from Nottingham each year to undertake their O&G training in Oslo. This was extended to include Newcastle NSW when I moved to Australia.

In collaboration with the divisions of midwifery in Nottingham and Newcastle, I developed  inter-professional education programs for midwives and doctors. The results of this work have been published in peer review medical education journals and presented at international and national meetings. I have been the medical representative on the curriculum committees for Midwifery programs at both Universities and am currently involved in the development of a new BMid degree in Newcastle.

As Head of Discipline of Obstetrics and Gynaecology at Newcastle University for more than 10 years I was  also the course-coordinator for the 4th year module in Women’s and Children’s Health.

As Dean of Medicine at the JMP I oversaw  the successful implementation of a range of new courses in the medical program, a 70% increase in clinical placements and initiated a curriculum review that will see the most significant change to the medical course since its inception in 1978.

Postgraduate

In addition to my undergraduate teaching I have also lectured on taught masters courses in oncology and assisted reproduction. I contribute to the formal and informal teaching of other groups of health care workers.

I devised a graduate research methods training program for students undertaking research based higher degrees in Nottingham. This was subsequently combined with a similar program from another school to form the basis of the current faculty-wide graduate training program.

I devised and supervise a Teaching fellowship programs for junior doctors in obstetrics and gynaecology based at Derby City Hospital and at the John Hunter Hospital in NSW.

I have been an Education Supervisor for the both the UK Royal College and the Australian and New Zealand Colleges of Obstetricians and Gynaecologist's structured training programs and took part in hospital accreditation for teaching in the UK. Between 1997 and 2002 I helped to develop and co-ordinate the postgraduate teaching program for registrars in the mid-Trent region. 

I was a member of the RCOG part I examination committee from 2001-2004 and have been and examiner for the Diploma of Obstetrics and Gynaecology. I have also had several years experience setting OSCE questions for and examining on the Part II MRCOG courses at Nottingham and Sheffield.

I was appointed as an examiner for the Australian College of O&G in 2006, ran the written examination from 2005-2008 and the oral examination from 2008-2010. I am currently chair of the RANZCOG Education and Assessment committee and a member of the working group reviewing the curriculum and have helped to develop an on line research training program. I was appointed as the inaugural college censor in 2012 and was elected to the Board this year. I have been responsible for the college diploma program for GPs and am currently chairing the working group to develop a prevocational qualification in Obstetrics and Gynaecology.

I was a board member of the Hunter Postgraduate Medical Institute in NSW and ran the shared obstetric education program for General Practitioners in Newcastle from 2008 until 2011.

I was a member from 2005-2011 of the clinical panel that sets examination questions in my discipline for the Australian Medical Council entry examination for oversees trained doctors.  I was  part of the leadership group responsible for the first project to implement Worked place Based Assessment pathway for international Medical Graduates in Australia.

  • Board Memberships
    Date Role Board name Institution name Country
    2015 - ongoing Member Faculty Board, Faculty of Health Sciences University of Adelaide Australia
    2014 - ongoing Board Member RANZCOG Royal Australian College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists -
    2007 - 2015 Member Faculty Board, Faculty of Health University of Newcastle -
    2006 - ongoing Member Royal Australian College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists (RANZCOG) board of examiners - -
    2002 - 2004 Board Member Faculty Board, Nottingham Medical School, UK - -

  • Committee Memberships
    Date Role Committee Institution Country
    2016 - ongoing Chair SA MET Education Sub-Committee SA Health Australia
    2015 - ongoing Member Faculty of Health Sciences, Executive Team University of Adelaide Australia
    2015 - ongoing Chair Executive committee, School of Medicine University of Adelaide Australia
    2015 - ongoing Member Executive committee of MDANZ Medical Deans Australia & New Zealand Australia
    2015 - ongoing Member SA Health Intern Working Party SA Health Australia
    2014 - ongoing Member Inherent Requirement Working Party of MDANZ Medical Deans Australia & New Zealand Australia
    2013 - ongoing Member Council of Medical Deans of Australia and New Zealand (MDANZ) Medical Deans Australia & New Zealand Australia
    2013 - ongoing Member Education and Social Accountability Committees of MDANZ Medical Deans Australia & New Zealand Australia
    2012 - ongoing Member Education Strategy Committee RANZCOG The Royal Australian and New Zealand College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists Australia
    2012 - 2014 Chair Executive committee of the RANZCOG CCDOG The Royal Australian and New Zealand College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists Australia
    2012 - 2014 Member College Censor RANZCOG The Royal Australian and New Zealand College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists Australia
    2011 - 2015 Chair Joint Medical Program Committee - -
    2011 - 2015 Member Faculty of Health and Medicine Senior Executive Group - -
    2011 - 2013 Member Hunter Medical Research Institute Management Committee Hunter Medical Research Institute -
    2010 - 2015 Member IMG Workplace Based Assessment Committee - -
    2010 - 2015 Member Strategic Policy Group HNEALH - -
    2010 - ongoing Member Training Program Review Working Party RANZCOG The Royal Australian and New Zealand College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists Australia
    2010 - ongoing Member Recognition of Prior Learning subcommittee of the Training and Accreditation Committee - -
    2010 - ongoing Member Executive Committee of the RANZCOG CCDOG The Royal Australian and New Zealand College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists Australia
    2010 - ongoing Chair Education and Assessment subcommittee of the Combined Conjoint Diploma in Obstetrics and Gynaecology (CCDOG) RANZCOG The Royal Australian and New Zealand College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists Australia
    2010 - ongoing Chair Education and Assessment Committee RANZCOG The Royal Australian and New Zealand College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists Australia
    2009 - 2015 Member John Hunter Charitable Trust Committee - -
    2009 - 2014 Member NSW Maternal and Perinatal Committee - -
    2009 - 2010 Co-Chair RANZCOG Education and Assessment Committee The Royal Australian and New Zealand College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists Australia
    2009 - 2010 Chair Oral Examination MRANZCOG - -
    2008 - ongoing Representative Australian Medical Schools Assessment Collaboration - -
    2008 - 2015 Member Executive group of the division of Maternity and Gynaecology, John Hunter Hospital - -
    2008 - 2015 Member Program committee Hunter Postgraduate Medical Institute (HMPI) - -
    2008 - 2015 Member NSW state committee of the RANZCOG Royal Australian College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists -
    2008 - 2014 Representative RANZCOG representative Board of HPMI Royal Australian College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists -
    2008 - 2014 Council NSW RANZCOG The Royal Australian and New Zealand College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists Australia
    2008 - 2012 Member Bachelor of Midwifery External Advisory Committee - -
    2008 - 2011 Chair Shared obstetric care program Hunter Postgraduate Medical Institute - -
    2008 - 2011 Chair Continuing Medical Education Working Party RANZCOG The Royal Australian and New Zealand College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists Australia
    2008 - 2010 Member Trainees committee RANZCOG Royal Australian College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists -
    2008 - ongoing Member Training and Accreditation Committee RANZCOG Royal Australian College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists -
    2007 - 2009 Chair SAQ Examination MRANZCOG - -
    2007 - ongoing Member Assessment subcommittees on written assessment and e-portfolio - -
    2007 - 2011 Chair Assessment Committee of Joint Medical Program (JMP) - -
    2007 - 2010 Chair Assessment of Professional Behavior working group - -
    2007 - ongoing Member JMP - Monitoring and evaluation - -
    2007 - ongoing Member JMP - Admissions - -
    2007 - ongoing Member JMP - Fitness to practice and student welfare - -
    2007 - ongoing Member JMP - Medical Education Research - -
    2007 - ongoing Member JMP - Clinical Deans - -
    2007 - ongoing Member JMP - Medical Education Technology - -
    2006 - 2011 Member MRANZCOG research assessment committee - -
    2006 - 2010 Co-Chair Curriculum Implementation Committee for Joint Medical Program - -
    2005 - 2015 Member ITP supervisor for RANZCOG John Hunter Hospital Royal Australian College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists -
    2005 - 2011 Chair Executive committee, School of Medicine and Public Health - -
    2005 - 2007 Chair Assessment Working Group, School of Medicine and Public Health - -
    2004 - 2015 Member Committee for Continuing Medical Education John Hunter Hospital - -
    2004 - 2007 Member Bachelor of Medicine Program Committee Newcastle, NSW - -
    2003 - 2004 Member Nottingham University Widening Access Group - -
    2003 - 2004 Member Member of the Nottingham Faculty Advisory Group on Interprofessional Education - -
    2002 - 2004 Member Admissions committee for Medicine, Nottingham, UK - -
    2002 - 2004 Member Royal College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists Part I MRCOG committee Royal Australian College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists -
    2002 - ongoing Member External examiner for Semester 9 University of Oslo Faculty of Medicine University of Oslo -
    2002 - 2004 Member External examiner for University of Newcastle, UK University of Newcastle United Kingdom
    2002 - ongoing Member External examiner for Part 1 MS Sri Lankan College of Obstetrics and Gynaecology 2002 - -
    2002 - 2004 Member Gegree Doctor of Medicine - -
    2001 - 2004 Member Curriculum Policy Group of Faculty of Health Sciences ,Nottingham - -
    2001 - 2004 Member Hospital Research and Development Committee, SDAH Trust, UK - -
    2001 - 2003 Member Derby Research Strategy Group - -
    2000 - 2004 Chair O&G research governance group, Derby, UK - -
    2000 - 2004 Member Examiner for the RCOG Diploma of Obstetrics and Gynaecology - -
    2000 - 2004 Board Member Postgraduate Diploma and Master of Science in midwifery,Nottingham - -
    1999 - 2004 Representative BMA Conference of Medical academic representatives - -
    1999 - 2004 Chair O&G gynaecology development committee Derby City Hospital -
    1999 - 2004 Member Lead clinician for out-patient hysteroscopy service at Derby City General Hospital - -
    1998 - 2004 Member RCOG Education supervisor at Derby City Hospital - -
    1998 - 2004 Member RCOG Association of Professors of Obstetrics and Gynaecology - -
    1998 - 2002 Member Mid-Trent postgraduate training education committee, UK - -
    1997 - 2004 Member Teaching sub-committee of the School of Human Development,Nottingham - -

  • Memberships
    Date Role Membership Country
    1997 - ongoing Member British Society for Colposcopy and Cervical Pathology Australia

  • Consulting/Advisories
    Date Institution Department Organisation Type Country
    2014 - ongoing University Putra Malaysia - - Malaysia
    2014 - ongoing Australasia on the Academic Council IMU - - Australia
    2013 - ongoing International Medical University (IMU). - - -
    2008 - ongoing University of New England - - -
    2007 - ongoing University of Otago Department of Women’s and Children’s health Health services and related New Zealand
    2005 - 2011 AMC overseas trained doctors’ examination - - -

  • Editorial Boards
    Date Role Editorial Board Name Institution Country
    2014 - ongoing Editor-In-chief Journal of Obstetrics and Gynaecology - -
    2005 - ongoing Member Editorial Board of Best Practice and Research: Clinical Obstetrics and Gynaecology - -
    2004 - 2014 Member Editorial Board The Obstetrician and Gynaecologist - -
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