Dr Zao Qu

I am an accomplished and highly skilled General Medicine advanced trainee with recent experience in Respiratory and Sleep Medicine. Over the past six months, I have excelled in conducting pleural ultrasound scans and procedures, managing complex respiratory failure cases, and fulfilling weekend 1st on-call duties.

With a background in biomedical engineering and a strong passion for basic science, respiratory and sleep medicine captivates me by seamlessly integrating physiology with physics principles. My engineering foundation enhances my grasp of physiology principles in respiratory and sleep medicine, which also facilitates managing complex patients in real life clinical practice.

Finally, my proficiency in Mandarin and Cantonese enables me to communicate effectively with Chinese-speaking patients, ensuring comprehensive care across language barriers to manage respiratory conditions within this population known for a relatively high prevalence of smoking.

• Point of Care Lung Ultrasound Course (Australian Institute of Ultrasound, enrolled for 22/11/2024 course at Hurstville Private Hospital, Sydney)
• Ultrasound - Medical and Surgical Online (Lightbox Radiology Education)
• X-Ray - Chest Interpretation Essentials Online (Lightbox Radiology Education)
• CT - Acute Medical and Surgical Interpretation Online (Lightbox Radiology Education)
• Chest Drain Course for Doctors (Clinical Skills Development Service, Queensland Health)
• Pleural Disease Training Session Workshop (Westmead Hospital)
• Respiratory Failure Education Session Workshop (Westmead Hospital)
• Noninvasive Ventilation Masterclass (Medmastery Education)
• Mechanical Ventilation Essentials (Medmastery Education)
• Pulmonary Function Testing Essentials Workshop (Medmastery Education)
• Cardiopulmonary Exercise Testing Workshop (Blacktown Hospital)
• Pulmonary Rehabilitation Online Training (Lung Foundation Australia)
• BASIC Intensive Care Course (College of Intensive Care Medicine of Australia)

Conjoint Associate Lecturer

University of Western Sydney, Blacktown/Mt Druitt Clinical School, 2021 - Current

Clinical Placement Tutor

University of New South Wales, St. George and Sutherland Clinical School, 2018 - 2021

MOCK VIVA Examiner 

University of New South Wales, St. George and Sutherland Clinical School, 2020

Audit on Indwelling Pleural Catheters (IPCs) Inpatient & Community Care  

Westmead Hospital, 2023 - Current

• Key findings: lack of adequate instructions for community IPCs care upon discharge is common
• Interventions: an original checklist for IPC discharge instructions has been developed and is currently undergoing testing in Westmead Hospital

Audit on Venous Thromboembolism (VTE) Assessment & Prophylaxis in Respiratory Inpatients

Westmead Hospital, 2023 - Current

• Key findings: weekly self-audit activities conducted by Junior Medical Officers (JMOs) could significantly enhance compliance with VTE assessment and prophylaxis in respiratory inpatients
• Interventions: aim to update the current business rules at Westmead Hospital to institutionalise weekly JMO VTE self-audit activities as routine practice

Audit on the Appropriate Use of Reduced-Dose Apixaban in Atrial Fibrillation (AF)

Blacktown Hospital, 2024 - Current

• Key findings: inappropriate apixaban dose reduction in AF among geriatric patients is common
• Interventions: an Electronic Medication Management (eMeds) checkpoint when prescribing reduced-dose apixaban is currently under development in Western Sydney Local Health Distinct

Junior Medical Officer Representative of the Safe Use of Medicines Committee

Sutherland Hospital, 2020

• Monthly meeting

Junior Medical Officer Representative of the Invasive Devices Committee

St. George Hospital, 2019

• Monthly meeting

Advanced Trainee Research Project 

Pending

Indwelling Pleural Catheters - Experience in an Australian Tertiary Hospital Respiratory Unit

Poster Presentation at the 23rd World Congress of Bronchology and Interventional Pulmonology / World Congress for Bronchoesophagology (WCBIP/WCBE), October 23-25, 2024, Bali

Indwelling Pleural Catheters Inpatient & Community Care Audit

Poster Presentation at the 2024 Hospital Week Research Symposium, August 23, 2024, Westmead

Case Report: Chlorine Gas Inhalation Induced Acute Respiratory Distress Syndrome
Original research paper submitted to Respirology Case Reports, July 2024

Differential Expression Patterns of Sphingosine-1-Phosphate Receptors in Abdominal Aortic Aneurysm Vascular Smooth Muscle Cells

Original research paper published on Mediators of inflammation, March 2012

The Role of Sphingosine-1-Phosphate Receptors in Abdominal Aortic Aneurysm 

Poster Presentation at the Arteriosclerosis, Thrombosis and Vascular Biology 2011 Scientific Sessions, April 28-30, 2011, Chicago

Reduction of Caspase-12 Proteolytic Activity during Compression-Induced Muscle Damage

Poster Presentation at the 3rd Hong Kong Association of Sports Medicine and Sports Science Student Conference, June 19, 2010, Hong Kong

Master of Philosophy Studentship

University of Hong Kong, 2009-2011

1st Runner-up of The Best Final Year Project Award

The Hong Kong Polytechnic University, 2009

S.K.Yee Medical Foundation Scholarship

The Hong Kong Polytechnic University, 2008

Hang Seng Bank Mainland Student Scholarship

The Hong Kong Polytechnic University, 2007

• Purple Day Volunteer (Education/fundraising for epilepsy patients)
• Run2Cure Volunteer (Education/fundraising for neuroblastoma patients)
• PADI Open Water Diver
• Sydney Marathon Finisher