2025 marks 20 years of Queensland X-Ray supporting the Clinical Masters Fellowship at the Queensland Children’s Hospital (QCH). In partnership with the Queensland University of Technology (QUT) and supported by Children’s Health Queensland, this program is dedicated to training the next generation of orthopaedic specialists through advanced clinical and research opportunities.
Since its inception in 2005, the two-year Clinical Masters program has provided Senior House Officers and Principal House Officers with hands-on clinical experience in QCH’s Orthopaedic Department and research training through QUT’s Master of Philosophy program. Participants conduct cutting-edge research under the guidance of the QUT Biomechanics and Spine Research Group, making contributions to the understanding and treatment of spinal deformities and disorders.
This long-standing collaboration aims to improve the management of paediatric spinal conditions while equipping medical professionals with the research skills that will shape their careers.
Two current Clinical-Masters students, Dr Grace Pulling and Dr Mark Rainey, are tackling important challenges in paediatric spinal care.
Dr. Mark Rainey’s research focuses on understanding apical vertebral rotation within a scoliosis curve—a key aspect of this complex three-dimensional spine deformity. His work explores how MRI technology can play a growing role in identifying early deformity rotational changes in idiopathic scoliosis that can influence how a curve may progress, with the goal of recognising earlier those who may progress to a severity that will require surgical intervention.
Mark said: “Being able to contribute to such important research in paediatric spinal care is incredibly rewarding. Having the opportunity to appreciate deformity through MRI and linking clinically with the patients I treat has been invaluable. With the support of Queensland X-Ray, the Queensland Children’s Hospital, and the QUT Biomechanics and Spine Research Group, my research aims to better understand the relationship between spinal vertebral rotation and increasing scoliosis deformity.”
Mark aims to develop reliable techniques to measure spinal rotation and its connection to overall spine deformity as part of a patient’s clinical assessment and ongoing surveillance. By providing clearer insights into a scoliosis patient’s likely trajectory, this research hopes to help patients and their families better understand the condition and aid medical practitioners in making informed decisions about treatment, including whether and when surgery may be offered or the reassurance that less frequent surveillance or bracing is required.
Learn more about Mark’s research here.
Dr Grace Pulling’s research aims to drive real-world advancements in paediatric spinal care for children with neuromuscular conditions. She joined the QUT Biomechanics and Spine Research Group in 2023 as part of a two-year Clinical-Masters position, supported by Queensland X-Ray and Children's Health Queensland Hospital and Health Service.
Grace’s research focuses on improving the care of children with complex neuromuscular conditions after scoliosis surgery. She is developing clinical guidelines and protocols for safely managing these patients in the Paediatric Intensive Care Unit. Her project examines critical factors such as postoperative blood pressure trends, biochemical markers of poor tissue perfusion, and potential complications. By identifying safe physiological ranges for blood pressure following major spinal surgery, Grace aims to provide guidelines for medical intervention and improve recovery outcomes for these patients.
Grace said, “I feel incredibly lucky to be involved in a project that will enhance the care we provide to a complex cohort of paediatric patients by ensuring treatment is evidence-based, has clinician support and is part of a holistic management approach. This has been an incredible opportunity—one that I may not have had without the support of Queensland X-Ray, Children’s Health Queensland and the QUT Biomechanics and Spine Research Group.”
Learn more about Grace’s research here.
Queensland X-Ray is proud to sponsor this program, supporting the next generation of orthopaedic specialists and advancing research that will shape the future of paediatric spinal care. By supporting students like Mark and Grace, Queensland X-Ray is helping ensure that innovative research leads to real-world applications that improve patient outcomes and clinical practices.
As the Queensland X-Ray Clinical Masters Fellowship celebrates its 20th anniversary, we look forward to continuing our commitment to advancing orthopaedic care and shaping the careers of the specialists of tomorrow.
