People
“I was inspired by a number of the founding members of the International Society of Craniofacial Surgery and founders of the speciality itself – craniofacial surgery offered approaches to problems that were previously not able to be dealt with. I also love working in the team and the practice of craniofacial and cleft surgery involves working in large teams and very much takes a holistic approach to patient care.” Dr. Andrew Greensmith
Helping people is why the Jigsaw Foundation exists. Inspirational doctors and staff are always striving to help children and their families. But an institution is only as good as the people within it and as such, much of the funding goes towards ensuring that we continue to have people who are able to help the cause.
The Government can and does fund the clinical needs of most of the basic staff, but additional research and academic funding and support positions are at the centre of what we as a foundation strive to support.
With the approval and help of the University of Melbourne, the Royal Children’s Hospital and the Murdoch Children’s Research Institute, Jigsaw Foundation strives to raise fund for a variety of positions, including:
Professor of Paediatric Plastic Surgery
To endow a full time Professorship in Paediatric Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery within the Department of Plastic and Maxillofacial Surgery at the Children’s Hospital is vital to the success and effectiveness of the Department and Foundation.
The position requires:
-
Being deemed suitable by the University of Melbourne,
-
Leading the overall academic and clinical research efforts for the Department.
-
Supervising research within the Unit.
-
A suitable candidate has been found and the setting up of this Professorship is a number one priority of the Foundation.
Professor/Director Chair
The role of Director of the Department of Plastic and Maxillofacial Surgery at the Royal Children’s Hospital is a particularly major job with dramatically increasing responsibilities in recent years.
The position requires:
-
Full time commitment,
-
Responsibility for all activities of the Department and to report to the hospital administration,
-
The ability to provide advice and inspiration in strategic planning for the Department and embrace the role of coordination of clinical, research and educational collaborations within our discipline.
Postgraduate Fellowships (both clinical and research)
For almost 20 years, the Foundation has been instrumental in supporting postgraduate training surgeons from within Australia and internationally.
The Fellowship program set up by Tony Holmes in the late 1980s, has trained more than 25 craniofacial surgeons from within Australia, the USA, China, Thailand, Canada, Iran, Indonesia, Singapore and the Philippines. The majority of these past Fellows are now heads of their own departments.
While training with us in the department, most Fellows are actively involved in clinical research and usually publish their work and present nationally and internationally.
A goal of the Jigsaw Foundation is to grow the Fellowship Program and help support the successful candidates.
PhD Research Candidates
Laboratory and specific topic research requires full time commitment for three years in order to complete a PhD. With increase in the academic output of the Unit and the endowment of a full Professorial appointment, PhD candidates will be required to enlarge the scope of our research. Some will be supported by grants and the Jigsaw Foundation aims to help fund extra personnel required.