Paula Dabovich

School of Public Health

College of Health


Adjunct Senior LecturerSchool of Public HealthVisiting FellowCentre of Traumatic Stress StudiesFaculty of Health and Medical Sciences

Paula is currently an Adjunct Senior Lecturer and postdoctoral researcher with the School of Public Health and Visiting Fellow with the Centre for Traumatic Stress Studies at the University of Adelaide. She holds a strong interest in the historical relationships that exist between medicine, psychiatry, and the military, and the ways these relationships have informed major public health advances over the past 100 years. More specifically, Paula uses psychoanalytic theory to link physical, psychological, and social health phenomenon that cannot be accounted for in more reductionist fields. In addition she explores the relationship between this theory (and its clinical application) to the experience of (and recovery from) trauma and related issues such as moral injury, in the context of organisations such as the military, police, and emergency services. Her work is primarily developmental and highlights the strengths and limitations of dominant (i.e. cognitive behaviourist) and emerging (i.e. existentialist, strengths, and values based) approaches to care and cultural reform.

Date Position Institution name
2018 - ongoing Adjunct Senior Lecturer University of Adelaide
2018 - ongoing Visiting Fellow University of Adelaide
2011 - 2012 Aide de camp to the Governor of NSW Her Excellency Professor Dame Marie Bashir Department of Defence
2010 - ongoing Research Officer Department of Defence
2008 - 2010 General Service Project Officer - Part time Department of Defence
2004 - 2010 Registered Nurse The Sutherland Hospital and Community Health Service
1995 - 1999 General Service Officer - Royal Australian Electrical and Mechanical Engineers Department of Defence

Date Institution name Country Title
2013 - 2018 University of Adelaide, Adelaide Australia PhD (Medicine with Commendation)
2000 - 2004 University of South Australia Australia Bachelor of Nursing

Date Title Institution Country
2013 Studies in Counselling and Psychotherapy (including qualitative research) University of Adelaide Australia

Date Title Institution name Country
1995 Graduate General Service Officer; human resource management and training Royal Military College of Australia Australia

Year Citation
2025 Stannard, J., Finch, C., Dabovich, P., & Fortington, L. (2025). Musculoskeletal Injury in Australian Infantry Personnel: A Cross-sectional Study to Understand Prevention Priorities. Military Medicine, 190(3-4), e682-e689.
DOI Scopus1 Europe PMC1
2021 Rozek, D. C., Crawford, J. N., LoSavio, S. T., Myers, U. S., Dabovich, P., Warnecke, A., . . . Bryan, C. J. (2021). The protective role of reasons for living on suicidal cognitions for military affiliated individuals with a positive PTSD screen in primary care settings. Journal of Affective Disorders, 292, 424-429.
DOI Scopus7 Europe PMC4
2021 Dabovich, P. A., Eliott, J., & McFarlane, A. (2021). The meanings soldiers attach to health and their impacts on primary health-care utilization and avoidance in an Australian high-risk combat unit. Armed Forces & Society, 47(2), 1-21.
DOI Scopus7 WoS6
2019 Dabovich, P. A., Eliott, J. A., & McFarlane, A. C. (2019). Individuate and separate: values and identity re-development during rehabilitation and transition in the Australian Army. Social Science and Medicine, 222, 265-273.
DOI Scopus12 WoS10 Europe PMC4

Year Citation
2015 Dabovich, P., Elliot, J., Van Hooff, M., & McFarlane, A. (2015). From Well to Wounded and Back Again: High Risk/Highly Cohesive Soldiers Experience of Self During Rehabilitation in the Australian Army. In Journal of Military and Veteran'sHealth Vol. 23 (pp. 35). Hobart.

Date Role Committee Institution Country
2018 - ongoing Member PTSD Centre of Excellence Research Overview Committee Jamie Larcombe Centre The Road Home Australia
2016 - ongoing Member Veteran Advisory Council Government of South Australia Australia
2015 - 2016 Member PTSD Centre for Excellence Research Working Party Government of South Australia Australia
2015 - ongoing Member Veteran Health Advisory Committee Government of South Australia Australia

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