Allied Health Research & Translation – Jane Dow

Background

I am a physiotherapist, educator, and researcher with more than 15 years of experience across the Barwon Southwest region. I currently hold a joint appointment as Senior Clinician Education (Physiotherapy) – Workforce Innovation & Research Lead at Barwon Health and Victoria University, where I work to strengthen workforce capability, support physiotherapy education and bridge the gap between academic training and clinical practice.

Alongside my education and research leadership roles, I contribute to health service governance and strategic decision-making through board-level experience within the Victorian healthcare sector. I hold postgraduate qualifications in Burns and Trauma Rehabilitation and have further training in evidence-based practice, quality improvement and implementation. I’m passionate about developing high-value healthcare systems and fostering collaborative, evidence-informed approaches to education, research and clinical practice.

Research Focus

I am undertaking a PhD at Victoria University, with a research focus on strengthening the connection between academic preparation, workforce capability, and healthcare outcomes through innovative clinical education and workforce development models. My research interests include clinical educator support, work-integrated learning, implementation science, workforce innovation and strategies to improve the quality and sustainability of healthcare education.

About me...

Pets:	Beach loving labrador cross golden retriever
Footy team:	Collingwood (go pies!)
Signature dish:	I get sick of cooking so plumping for takeaway – King of Falafel at Dandenong Market (IYKYK)
Coffee order:	Time-of-day-dependant!

Awards & Achievements

• Dr Renee Sheedy Scholarship 2026

Feature Publications

• Edwards, E., Lyons, N., Edwards, L., Hitch, D., Kelly, M., Dow, J., Kavanagh, L., & King, O. (2024). Aligning Health Occupation Students for Valuable Interprofessional Learning: Evaluating Program Structure, Resources, and Student Experiences in a Regional Clinical Setting. International Journal of Practice-Based Learning in Health and Social Care, 12(2), 107–124. https://doi.org/10.18552/ijpblhsc.v12i2.1034
• Dow, J., Edwards, E., & Tang, C. (2025). Acceptability and feasibility of a clinical educator support program [Conference presentation]. Western Alliance Symposium 2025, Ballarat, VIC, Australia.
• Harding, P., Dow, J., Vick, K., Lindner, C., Gould, A., & Jones, D. (2025). Supporting physiotherapists delivering clinical education: Identifying key competencies as a foundation for physiotherapy clinical educator career progression within a healthcare environment [Conference presentation]. Southwest Healthcare Research Symposium, Warrnambool, VIC, Australia.
• Dow, J., & De Wit, R. (2024). Can a podcast increase a clinician’s understanding of the key components needed for working collaboratively in a mobile allied health workforce? Implementation and outcomes of a novel approach to capacity building a mobile allied health workforce [Conference presentation]. Rural Workforce Agency Victoria Conference 2024, Ballarat, VIC, Australia.

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