Northern Doctors Services comprises Northern Doctors Workforce and Northern Doctors Education. We provide one point of contact for junior doctors at every stage of medical career and have your best interest in the heart of all decisions.  

 Northern Doctors Workforce

Our responsibilities include managing recruitment, rostering, leave, and pastoral support. We have experienced recruitment and rostering coordinators supporting approximately 2,000 medical staff across Northern Health’s campuses. Our team consists of: 

  • Vinod Chellaram – Director of of Northern Doctors Services & Operational Director of Medical Workforce
  • Sarah Kliene – Manager of Recruitment
  • Melanie Vellios – Manager of Rostering & Wellbeing
  • Emma Tobin- Emergency, Intern Coordinator
  • Andie Kliene- Surgical, ICU Anaes, General Stream Coordinator
  • Jijo Matthew- Medical, Cancer Services, Cardiology & Sub-Acute
  • Marina Hondros- Mental Health, Womens & Childrens, Diagnostics
  • Kai Cooper- IMG Affairs Coordinator
  • Mel Zgheib- Recruitment & Onboarding
  • Defne Gokoglu- Recruitment & Onboarding
  • Natalie Bootlis –  VVED Coordinator
  • Seda Aydin- Receptionist/ Admin
Email us for onboarding enquiries here  Email us for workforce enquiries here. 

Northern Doctors Education  Empowering Tomorrow’s Clinicians, Today

We provide education and training to help our junior doctors deliver safe, high-quality care. We support  prevocational medical trainees (PGY1 and PGY2) and newly arrived International Medical Graduates (IMGs) as they begin their medical careers in Australia. Our team consists of: 

  • Dr Kim Jeffs – Directof of Northern Doctors Education
  • Dr Carol Chong- Supervisor of Intern Training
  • Dr Chiu Kang- Director of Clinical Training
  • Dr Anastasia Castles – Director of Clinical Training (on parental leave until 1st August 2026 – Dr Laura Ehlert covering)
  • Dr Georgie van der Vliet & Dr Alison Giles- IMG Supervisors
  • Susie Sangas- Manager of Education
  • Kirra McGaw- Medical Education Officer (MEO)
  • Ijaza Lafeer- Advisor, Education (on parental leave 30th June 2026) Lisa Bootlis covering 
  • Andrea Kim – Advisor, Education

We provide:

  • Structured weekly orientation program for interns at the beginning of the year and unit orientation meetings at the beginning of each term

  • Structured hospital orientation for new doctors at the beginning of a new term and for returning doctors once a year at the end of year as well as unit orientation meetings at the beginning of each term

  • A suite of resources to compliment orientation such as the Annual Junior Doctor Handbook, unit handbooks and ROVERs accessible 24HRS on Sharepoint

  • Formal teaching programs for interns and HMOs – Intern Education program: Tuesday 12:30pm and HMO Education program: Thursday 12:30pm presented in a hybrid format and recorded for those unable to attend. 

  • Clinical skills workshops e.g. suturing, plastering, IV UG cannulation, airway management and chest drains 

  • Annual Careers Expo consisting of CV writing and interview techniques, interview practice, representatives from a range of specialties presenting, RACGP, Surgical and Radiology info sessions and much more

  • Intern Mentoring program matching interns to a consultant mentor relevant to preferred specialty and a new peer to near peer mentoring program for HMO2s in the AMC Framework.
  • Mandatory Catch Ups with the Supervisor of Interns Dr Carol Chong (and a representative from Workforce) focusing on career development, future plans and supporting interns during intern year and beyond.
  • Catch up with Directors of Clinical Training for HMO2s and 3s to reflect on the year and support plans for the following year and beyond
  • Support with mid and end of term assessments, beginning of term discussions and EPAs to ensure mandatory requirements are met prior to Assessment Review Panel (ARP) meetings
  • Monthly newsletter to keep abreast of new initiatives and programs related to junior doctors
  • WhatsApp Groups for:
    • Northern Doctors Education
    • AMC Framework trainees
    • IMG Peer Support 
    • GP Training
  • Transition To Practice Program for International Medical Graduates offering a 6 week observership to successful candidates
Email us here.

Other programs

  • Introduction to Clinical Governance program – offering opportunities for junior doctors to become involved in Quality, Safety and other governance processes and receive certification of their involvement to  building on CVs. This program won the award for Health Service Innovation and Excellence (Metro) at the Victorian Prevocational Medical Training Awards in November 2025.
  • Annual Northern Doctors Education Award Night honouring the exceptional training and support provided by educators in sharping the next generation of junior doctors by presenting educators with the following awards:  
    • Excellence in Supervision
    • Excellence in Clinical Teaching
    • Mentor of the Year
    • Research Supervisor of the Year
  • Wellbeing program encompassing “You Said, We Did” providing feedback about what we have done to address your concerns, Thank you and recognition for junior doctor who had to stay back past their shift or come in early to help cover a critical shift with a Thank You note from the the CMO and a coffee voucher and much more
  • Monthly JMO Forum with Deputy CMO
  • Quarterly Northern Doctors Education, Training and Supervision (NDETS) Committee 
  • Research Linkages 

We work closely with Northern Doctors Workforce to enhance your training and ensure our programs meet your evolving needs.