Staff Profiles > Doctors
Dr Bruce Steley
Dr Bruce Steley established the Abbotsford Family Medical Practice in 1986 and is Director of the Practice.
After graduating from the University of NSW in 1980, he worked at Sydney Hospital and Tamworth Base Hospital in the areas of general medicine and surgery, emergency medicine, and obstetrics and gynaecology.
He then travelled to the United Kingdom where he trained in adult medicine for two years at the Royal Berkshire Hospital.
On his return to Australia he gained experience in child health at Sydney Children's Hospital and the Royal Hospital for Women.This included a 6 month term as paediatric registrar at Port Moresby Hospital in PNG.
He is a supervisor for the RACGP Training Program and, as a Clinical Associate of Sydney University, has been involved in the education of medical students for more than 10 years.
He is interested in all aspects of general practice and family medicine, with a particular focus on health promotion and disease prevention.
Dr Lesley Cotterell
Dr Lesley Cotterell graduated in 1987 from the University of Qld.
Lesley has worked in Brisbane, Sydney, Newcastle and Darwin in hospitals, general practice, community paediatrics, family planning and sexual health.
She joined the Abbotsford Family Medical Practice in 1998.
Her postgraduate qualifications include the Family Planning Certificate (working as both a clinician and lecturer for Family Planning for almost a decade), the Fellowship of the Royal College of General Practitioners, the Masters of Psychological Medicine (UNSW) and the Diploma of Child Health (Usyd).
She enjoys looking after families and is part of the antenatal shared care program at RPA Women and Babies.
As well has her clinical work, Lesley enjoys teaching medical students, general practice registrars and overseas trained doctors entering practice in Australia.
Dr Colin Lim
Dr Colin Lim graduated from the University of Sydney in 1994. He has worked as a resident at Hornsby and Mona Vale Hospitals. He attained his Fellowship of the College of General Practice in 1998.
Before joining the Abbotsford Family Medical Practice, he has worked in General Practice on the Central Coast and also in the South Sydney and Liverpool regions. His interests include minor procedures and removal of skin lesions, counselling and smoking cessation.
Dr Anthony Brettell
Dr Anthony Brettell graduated with Honours from the University of NSW in 1978, working over the next four years in Sydney hospitals. His further qualifications include the Family Planning Certificate, Diploma of Obstetrics and the Fellowship of the College of General Practice.
Dr Brettell worked in his own general practice for 16 years in Wagga Wagga, before moving to Sydney. Special interests include antenatal care, child health, men's health, and preventive health care.As a medical educator he is involved in the training of GPs and medical students through the Royal Australian College of General Practitioners and Sydney University.
Dr Gemma Kim
Dr Gemma Kim graduated from Sydney University and completed her training at Westmead Hospital. Her further qualifications include a Diploma of Obstetrics and Gynaecology as well as a Fellowship of the College of General Practice.
She is currently studying for a Diploma of Child Health which will be completed by the end of 2007.
Her special interests include women's health, paediatrics, dermatology (skin cancers) and shared obstetric care.
Dr Lara Mihaljevic
Dr Mihaljevic is an honours graduate of the University of Sydney. She is completing a Masters of Public Health and has a strong interest in preventive health and evidence based medicine. She has post graduate training in women's health, psychiatry & psychological medicine and has recently completed a Diploma in Child Health. Special interests include antenatal shared care, paediatrics, women's health, and counselling. Lara's interest in medical education extends to tutoring medical students and acting as an advisor for the Central Sydney Division of General Practice.
Dr Alison Free
Dr Alison Free is a graduate of Sydney University and commenced General Practice in 1987. After further studies in Population Health she worked on Breast & Cervical Cancer Screening projects at the Australian Institute of Health and Commonwealth Health Department. She returned to full-time General Practice in 1992 and enjoys all aspects of Family Medicine.
Dr Melanie Brown
Dr Melanie Brown graduated from Newcastle University before working in several Sydney hospitals and in the UK. Her post-graduate studies include Fellowship of the College of General Practitice, a Diploma in Child Health, and the Family Planning Certificate.
Her special interests include travel medicine, women's health, antenatal shared care, and paediatrics.
Melanie will be on maternity leave until the end of 2009.
Dr Kate Clowes
Dr Kate Clowes graduated from Monash University in Melbourne with Honors in 1996 and attained her Fellowship with the Royal Australian College of General Practitioners in 2001.
Her training as a general practitioner saw her complete hospital terms in paediatrics, cardiology, geriatrics, general medicine, psychiatry and palliative care, as well as enjoying varied mentorships in the general practice setting, both in rural and outer metropolitan locations, where she developed further skills in women's and mental health, aged care and travel and sexual health.
She had been working in private general practice in Melbourne for 3 years before moving to Sydney in 2004. She has continued to take part in medical student education since her move to Sydney, and is currently engaged as a tutor at UNSW in the Department of Community Medicine.
She loves the broad spectrum of challenges a day in general practice brings, is interested in preventive care and health education, and above all values the ongoing relationships she develops with her patients.
Dr Trish Pearse
Dr Trish Pearse graduated from London University in 1973, she trained as a paediatrician in the USA for two years before returning to the UK to complete her training in General Practice.
She worked as a GP in Highgate London for ten years before moving to Australia in 1989,when her husband was appointed Professor of Physiology at Sydney University.
Juggling the demands of three growing boys she worked as a lecturer at Sydney University in the Department of General Practice. For the past 15 years she has worked as a GP in the University Health Service. She loves the variety that comes with General Practice but has a particular interest in Antenatal care and Paediatrics. She also obtained a Masters Degree from UNSW in Psychotherapy and maintains an interest in Psychological medicine.
Dr Helen Kwon
Dr Helen Kwon graduated from the University of NSW with Honours in 2005. She trained at Westmead, Blacktown, Auburn and Coffs Harbour Base Hospital. During this time she attained experience in general paediatrics, emergency, infectious disease, oncology, palliative care, geriatrics, respiratory, cardiology and general surgery.
Dr Kwon started working within general practice at Port Macquarie and West Ryde. Her special interests are in preventative care, paediatrics and dermatology.