Esther May

Prof Esther May

Professor

School of Allied Health and Human Performance

College of Health

Eligible to supervise Masters and PhD - email supervisor to discuss availability.

Professor May is the Dean of Clinical Education and Equity. The role has a strategic focus on the student experience and quality of the future healthcare workforce, clinical education, equity and excellence and partnerships.
Originally trained as an occupational therapist, Esther obtained a PhD in medical sciences from the University of Gothenburg (Sweden) in 1992 and has been an active educator and researcher with achievements that include 18 PhD and Master by Research student completions.  Esther has been the Australian delegate to the World Federation of Occupational Therapists and is an honorary and founding member of the Australian Hand Therapy Association.
Esther has a keen interest in health workforce matters and the role of education in producing the health workforce of the future.  Esther currently oversees government funded grants targeting better rural clinical training, simulated learning and clinical supervision.  Esther’s experience in management and leadership is extensive, including 7 years as Head of the School of Health Sciences and before that 7 years as Head of the School of Occupational Therapy. Esther is currently on the Executive of the Australian Council of Deans of Health Sciences (ACDHS).
Esther is highly passionate around Aboriginal health workforce matters, particularly in trying to encourage increased participation of Aboriginal people in health careers. This has translated into improving the Aboriginal study support for health students, better engagement with the indigenous community, and active participation in the UniSA Reconciliation Action Plan process.

Allied Health Workforce

Work Integrated Learning

Health Trends and Services

Allied Health Competencies

Interprofessional practice

Year Citation
2025 Yisma, E., Jones, M., Pauh, L. S., Walsh, S., Jones, S., May, E., & Gillam, M. (2025). Impact of rurality on health care utilization among Australian residents from 2009 to 2021. Journal of Rural Health, 41(2), e12884.
DOI Scopus1 WoS1 Europe PMC2
2023 Yisma, E., Versace, V. L., Jones, M., Walsh, S., Jones, S., May, E., . . . Gillam, M. (2023). The distribution of registered occupational therapists, physiotherapists, and podiatrists in Australia. PLoS ONE, 18(9 September), 1-14.
DOI Scopus9 WoS9 Europe PMC7
2023 Thompson, D. L., May, E. J., Leach, M. J., Smith, C. P., & Fereday, J. A. (2023). Applying learning principles within parent education: exploring nurses' practice and parents' experiences. Patient Preference and Adherence, 17, 2949-2970.
DOI Scopus1 WoS1 Europe PMC1
2023 Carey, L. M., Cahill, L. S., Blennerhassett, J. M., Nilsson, M., Lannin, N. A., Thijs, V., . . . Matyas, T. A. (2023). A Network of Sites and Upskilled Therapists to Deliver Best-Practice Stroke Rehabilitation of the Arm: Protocol for a Knowledge Translation Study. Healthcare Switzerland, 11(23), 16 pages.
DOI Scopus1 WoS1 Europe PMC1
2021 Gillam, M. H., Jones, M., & May, E. (2021). Beyond the black stump: rapid reviews of health research issues affecting regional, rural and remote Australia. Medical Journal of Australia, 213(11), 3-32.
DOI Scopus1 Europe PMC1
2021 Yisma, E., Gillam, M., Versace, V. L., Jones, S., Walsh, S., May, E., & Jones, M. (2021). Geographical distribution of 3 allied health professions in South Australia: A summary of access and disadvantage. Australian Journal of Rural Health, 29(5), 721-728.
DOI Scopus13 WoS13 Europe PMC9
2021 Thompson, D. L., May, E. J., Leach, M., Smith, C. P., & Fereday, J. (2021). The invisible nature of learning: patient education in nursing. Collegian, 28(3), 341-345.
DOI Scopus12 WoS10
2020 Gillam, M., Leach, M., Muller, J., Gonzalez-Chica, D., Jones, M., Muyambi, K., . . . May, E. (2020). Availability and quality of publicly available health workforce data sources in Australia: a scoping review protocol. BMJ Open, 10(1), e034400-1-e034400-5.
DOI Scopus5 WoS5 Europe PMC7
2020 Osborne, S. R., Alston, L. V., Bolton, K. A., Whelan, J., Reeve, E., Wong Shee, A., . . . Holliday, S. (2020). Beyond the black stump: rapid reviews of health research issues affecting regional, rural and remote Australia. Medical Journal of Australia, 213(S11), S3-S32.e1.
DOI Scopus22 WoS15 Europe PMC17
2020 Gillam, M. H., Leach, M. J., Gonzalez-Chica, D. A., Muyambi, K., Jones, M., Walsh, S., . . . May, E. (2020). Availability and characteristics of publicly available health workforce data sources in Australia. MEDICAL JOURNAL OF AUSTRALIA, 213(11), S23-+.
DOI WoS7
2020 Thompson, D., Leach, M., Smith, C., Fereday, J., & May, E. (2020). How nurses and other health professionals use learning principles in parent education practice: a scoping review of the literature. Heliyon, 6(3, article no. e03564), 1-24.
DOI Scopus21 WoS18 Europe PMC13
2020 Kumar, S., Tian, E. J., May, E., Crouch, R., & McCulloch, M. (2020). "you get exposed to a wider range of things and it can be challenging but very exciting at the same time": Enablers of and barriers to transition to rural practice by allied health professionals in Australia. BMC Health Services Research, 20(1), 14 pages.
DOI Scopus28 WoS24 Europe PMC14
2019 Corlis, M., Barnett, K., Loffler, H., May, E., Gilbert Hunt, S., & Van Emden, J. (2019). Partnering to provide interprofessional education in aged care. Journal of interprofessional education and Practice, 17(100277), 1-7.
DOI
2018 Leach, M. J., Jones, M., Gillam, M., & May, E. (2018). BMJ Open regional South Australia health (RESONATE) survey: study protocol. BMJ Open, 8(4, article no. e019784), 1-7.
DOI Scopus4 WoS4 Europe PMC2
2016 Nolan, R. C., Raynor, A. J., Berry, N. M., & May, E. J. (2016). Self-reported physical activity using the international physical activity questionnaire (IPAQ) in Australian adults with type 2 diabetes, with and without peripheral neuropathy. Canadian journal of diabetes, 40(6), 576-579.
DOI
2016 Rosso, E. G. F., McGrath, R., Immink, M. A., & May, E. (2016). Sport for development and peace (S4D) as 'core university business'? Modelling university participation in sport-based social development. Asia-Pacific journal of health, sport and physical education, 7(1), 77-90.
DOI
2015 Berndt, A. H., May, E., & Darzins, P. (2015). On-road driving assessment and route design for drivers with dementia. British journal of occupational therapy, 78(2), 121-130.
DOI
2014 Craig, P. L., Barnard, A., Glasgow, N., & May, E. (2014). Evaluating the health 'hubs and spokes' interprofessional placements in rural New South Wales, Australia. Journal of allied health, 43(3), 176-183.
2014 Pearce, K. L., Birbeck, D. J., & May, E. J. (2014). The use of animations and the 'teach-back' technique to facilitate an understanding of health literacy levels within the general community. Journal of the Education Research Group of Adelaide, 3(2), 39-45.
2013 Segal, L., Leach, M. J., May, E. J., & Turnbull, C. (2013). Regional primary care team to deliver best-practice diabetes care: a needs-driven health workforce model reflecting a biopsychosocial construct of health. Diabetes care, 36(7), 1898-1907.
DOI Scopus28 WoS25 Europe PMC20
2011 Broniecki, M., Esterman, A., May, E., & Grantham, H. (2011). Pre-employment risk factors for back, neck and shoulder musculoskeletal injuries and claims in ambulance officers. Journal of musculoskeletal research, 14(1, article no. 1150002), 1-10.
DOI Scopus4
2010 Broniecki, M., Esterman, A., May, E., & Grantham, H. (2010). Musculoskeletal disorder prevalence and risk factors in ambulance officers. Journal of back and musculoskeletal rehabilitation, 23(4), 165-174.
DOI Scopus30 WoS25 Europe PMC19
2010 Barras, S. L., Grimmer, K. A., & May, E. J. (2010). Consensus on 'core/essential' and 'ideal world' criteria of a pre-discharge occupational therapy home assessment. Journal of evaluation in clinical practice, 16(6), 1295-1300.
DOI
2010 May, E., Garrett, R., & Ballantyne, A. (2010). Being mobile : electric mobility-scooters and their use by older people. Ageing and society, 30(7), 1219-1237.
DOI
2010 Leach, M. J., Segal, L., & May, E. (2010). Lost opportunities with Australia's health workforce?. Medical journal of Australia, 193(3), 167-172.
DOI Scopus22 WoS22 Europe PMC12
2009 George, S., May, E., & Crotty, M. (2009). Exploration of the links between concepts of theoretical driving models and the international classification of functioning, disability, and health. Journal of allied health, 38(2), 113-120.
2009 Bruce, L., Farrow, D., Raynor, A., & May, E. (2009). Notation analysis of skill expertise differences in netball. International journal of performance analysis in sport, 9(2), 245-254.
DOI
2009 Russell, M. E., Williams, M. T., May, E. J., & Stewart, S. (2009). The conundrum of detecting stable angina pectoris in the community setting. Nature reviews cardiology, 7(2), 106-113.
DOI Scopus10 WoS5 Europe PMC6
2009 Turnbull, C., Grimmer-Somers, K., Kumar, S., May, E., Law, D., & Ashworth, E. (2009). Allied, scientific and complementary health professionals: a new model for Australian allied health. Australian Health Review, 33(1), 27-37.
DOI Scopus92 WoS85 Europe PMC67
2008 Berndt, A. H., Clark, M. S., & May, E. J. (2008). Dementia severity and on-road assessment : briefly revisited. Australasian Journal on Ageing, 27(3), 157-160.
DOI
2006 Wilding, C., Muir Cochrane, E., & May, E. J. (2006). Treading lightly: Sprituality issues in mental health nursing. International journal of mental health nursing, 15(2), 144-152.
DOI
2005 Boshoff, J., Alant, E., & May, E. J. (2005). Occupational therapy managers perception of challenges faced in early intervention service delivery in South Australia. Australian occupational therapy journal, 52(3), 232-242.
DOI
2005 Wilding, C., May, E. J., & Muir Cochrane, E. (2005). The experience of spirituality, mental illness and occupation: a life-sustaining phenomenon. Australian Occupational Therapy Journal, 52(1), 2-9.
DOI
2005 Kortman, B., & May, E. J. (2005). Enabling model for assessing overseas-trained occupational therapists seeking to work in Australia. Australian occupational therapy journal, 52(3), 251-256.
DOI
2004 Grimmer Somers, K. A., May, E. J., Dawson, A. P., & Peoples, C. A. (2004). Informing discharge plans. Assessments of elderly patients in Australian public hospitals : a field study. Internet journal of allied health sciences and practice.
2003 Brooks, A., May, E., & Boshoff, K. (2003). The Gazebo Café skills training program: a multi-perspective evaluation. Australian Journal of Rehabilitation Counselling, 9(1), 14-25.
DOI
2002 Broniecki, M. M., May, E. J., & Russell, M. E. (2002). Wrist strength measurement: a review of the reliability of manual muscle testing and hand-held dynamomentry. Critical Reviews in Physical and Rehabilitation Medicine.
2002 Dawkins, H., & May, E. J. (2002). The lived experience of doing a higher degree in occupational therapy from the perspective of five graduates : a phenomenological study. Australian Occupational Therapy Journal, 49(3), 128-137.
DOI
2001 Grimmer, K. A., & May, E. J. (2001). Cost drivers of public hospital occupational therapy outpatient care. Australian occupational therapy journal, 48(4), 150-156.
DOI
2001 Priest, N., & May, E. J. (2001). Laptop computers and children with disabilities: factors influencing success. Australian Occupational Therapy Journal.

  • Telehealth Services Review and Environmental Scan, Australian Commission on Safety and Quality in Health Care, 25/06/2020 - 01/08/2020

  • Building effective transition support for nursing, midwifery and allied health practice in rural south australia: A multi-methods partnership approach, Rural Doctors Workforce Agency, 01/07/2016 - 30/09/2017

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