AMA VICDOC Spring 2023 - Magazine - Page 44

I M PA I R M E N T A S S E S S M E N T
A/PROF
HEATHER G MACK
Clinical Associate Professor
of Ophthalmology,
University of Melbourne

MEDICINE
FROM A
DIFFERENT
PERSPECTIVE
AMA Victoria and the Personal
Injury Education Foundation
(PIEF) deliver impairment
assessment courses using the
American Medical Association
Guides to the Evaluation
of Permanent Impairment
4th Edition and other prescribed
methods, as applied to relevant
Victorian legislation. To learn
more about the courses, meet
one of our participants.
44
AMA VI C TO RIA
Firstly, can you give us a
brief overview of your
medical career?
I am a Victorian ophthalmologist.
I consult a broad range of patients,
but practise mainly in the field
of retinal diseases, with a special
interest in inherited retinal
diseases. I am a Clinical Associate
Professor of Ophthalmology at
the University of Melbourne. I
was chair of the Royal Australian
and New Zealand College of
Ophthalmologists’ Continuing
Professional Development
committee 2004–2011, and
President of the college 20182020. Since then, I have been
able to develop skills in clinical
trials and have been developing
my research relating to genetic
testing and patient understanding
of gene therapy for inherited
retinal diseases.
How long have you been an
impairment assessor, and
why did you get involved?
I did my core training in 2008,
visual stream training in 2010,
and have attended updates
periodically since then. Initially
I wanted to understand
impairment assessment
methodology, prompted by
patients who often want me to

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