Contact Details
- Phone
- +64 27 373 6251
- sarah.m.walker@otago.ac.nz
University Links
- Position
- PhD Student (HRC Clinical Training Fellow), Assistant Research Fellow
- Qualifications
- BPhty(Hons, first class), PGCertHSc (acupuncture)
- Research summary
- Rural healthcare, rural workforce, allied health workforce, undergraduate clinical programmes
- Teaching
- Undergraduate: clinical supervision for community, acute, rehabilitation and outpatient placements
- Development of interprofessional and rural clinical placement (CRISP)
- Memberships
- Physiotherapy New Zealand Special Interest Groups (Cardio-Respiratory, Acupuncture, Neurology)
- Rural Women New Zealand
- Clinical
- Clinical practice within rural setting (Central Otago Health Services Ltd) two days per week across inpatient and outpatient setting
- Co-ordination of MoH funded physiotherapy services across Central Otago
Research
Sarah is a rurally based physiotherapist whose research career began when she completed the honours programme here at the School of Physiotherapy. Since then, Sarah has remained active in research while practicing clinically. This has lead to the development and implementation of an interprofessional rural health clinical placement for undergraduate allied health students.
Sarah is currently supported as an Assistant Research Fellow, completing her PhD through a Health Research Council Career Development Award. Her research currently focuses around the role allied health professionals have in rural areas, and seeks to explore the scope of practice held by these rural clinicians. This research contributes knowledge to support the development of specific training for health care professionals, to ensure that rural communities are provided with a skilled and relevant health workforce to meet their needs.
Publications
Walker, S. M., Blattner, K., Nixon, G., Koroheke Rogers, M., & Kennedy, E. (2024). What does it mean to be an allied health professional working in rural Aotearoa New Zealand? A qualitative study. Australian Journal of Rural Health, 32, 53-66. doi: 10.1111/ajr.13061 Journal - Research Article
Walker, S. M., Kennedy, E., Nixon, G., & Blattner, K. (2022). The allied health workforce of rural Aotearoa New Zealand: A scoping review. Journal of Primary Health Care, 14(3), 259-267. doi: 10.1071/HC22055 Journal - Research Other
Walker, S. (2021, June). Supporting allied health professionals in rural areas. Centre for Health, Activity and Rehabilitation Research Seminar, University of Otago, Dunedin, New Zealand. [Department Seminar]. Other Research Output
Scott, S. M., Perry, M. A., & Sole, G. (2018). "Not always a straight path": Patients' perspectives following anterior cruciate ligament rupture and reconstruction. Disability & Rehabilitation, 40(19), 2311-2317. doi: 10.1080/09638288.2017.1335803 Journal - Research Article
Scott, S., Perry, M., & Sole, G. (2016). “Not always a straight path”: Patients’ perspectives following anterior cruciate ligament rupture and reconstruction. Proceedings of the Physiotherapy New Zealand Conference. (pp. 118-119). Retrieved from https://pnz.org.nz/conference Conference Contribution - Published proceedings: Abstract