Full Program
We are excited to offer a program filled with leading experts and content showing the latest developments in occupational health.
The program begins on Sunday afternoon with optional sessions or workshops and the Welcome Reception - a great opportunity to reconnect with colleagues and make new connections. The meeting continues on Monday through to Wednesday with an impressive selection of industry professionals presenting across keynote sessions and two breakout sessions. The gala dinner will be held on Tuesday evening and is a great chance to extend connections made through the meeting. We finish the meeting with site visits on Wednesday afternoon with a choice of 5 options available.
City Suites 1 & 2
11:00am - 1:00pm
General Council Meeting
Stream 1
Panorama Room 1
Stream 2
Panorama Room 2
1:30pm - 2:30pm
CPR Update
Our annual CPR Update is a convenient way to refresh your practical CPR skills and secure your required accreditation. Delivered by our long-term provider, HERO, the session is not included in full registration and can be booked separately when you register. Spaces are limited.
Registrar Session: Clinical reasoning, clinical examination and an EBA exam practice approach to the worksite visit.
This session is a must for trainees, with three exam-focussed sessions aimed at supporting foundational skills.
Empowering outcomes through clinical reasoning: A practical evidence-based approach to clinical musculoskeletal practice
Jeremy Hobbs, Musculoskeletal Physiotherapist
Stream 1
Panorama Room 1
Stream 2
Panorama Room 2
2:30pm - 4:30pm
Registrar Session: Clinical reasoning, clinical examination and an EBA exam practice approach to the worksite visit. (continued)
This session is a must for trainees, with three exam-focussed sessions aimed at supporting foundational skills.
Examination of the shoulder
Dr Peter Jezukaitis, Occupational Physician
Worksite visits - A video/photo experience with an emphasis on EBA practice
Dr Gavin Shepherd, Occupational physician
Witness Seminar: Shaping our speciality - History of the development of occupational medicine competencies
The History of Occupational Medicine team return to the ASM in 2026 to continue their exploration of key historical developments within the field of occupational medicine. Join our panel as the recount the early development of occupational medicine competencies, reflect on current experience and look to the future of occupational medicine training.
6:30pm - 8:30pm
Join us at the Adelaide Convention Centre Panorama Ballroom and enjoy catching up with colleagues while savouring views over the river and parkland.
Sponsored by
8:30am - 8:45am
Presidents' Welcome
Dr Rebecca Dingle, ANZSOM President & Dr Armand Casolin, AFOEM President
8:45am - 9.00am
Welcome to Country
9:00am - 9:30am
Welcome Address
The Honourable Blair Boyer MP, Minister for Health and Wellbeing South Australia
9:30am - 10:30am
Ferguson-Glass Oration
Professor Michael Kidd, Chief Medical Officer, Australian Government Department of Health, Disability and Ageing
ANZSOM joins with AFOEM in welcoming Professor Michael Kidd to deliver the 2026 Ferguson-Glass Oration, presented in honour of the Founding Fathers of academic occupational medicine in Australia and New Zealand.
10:30am - 11:00am
Morning Tea and Exhibition
Stream 1
Panorama Room 1 & 2
Stream 2
Panorama Room 3
11:00am - 1:00pm
Mental Health - challenges and opportunities for the workplace
This session explores a range of contemporary mental health issues, bringing together evidence, expert perspectives and real-life experience in relation to prevention, assessment and management.
When the scan is silent: Functional neurological
disorder and work injury
Dr Michael Schirripa, Psychiatrist, Consultant Forensic Psychiatrist
Building your resilience shield
Dr Dan Pronk, Ex-SASR Special Operation Doctor, Author, Medical Director
The quest for doctors in denial
Dr Jo-Jo-Anna Wilson, Occupational Physician
Worker Wellbeing - what works, what's new
Worker wellbeing extends beyond preventing illness and injury - it is about creating workplaces where people can thrive. With a focus on collaboration and individualised care, this session explores clinical and supportive approaches and the role of technology in enabling meaningful change and building a healthy high performing workforce.
Complexities of modern obesity management
Dr George Balalis, Bariatric Surgeon
More than a job: A story of health, support, and success, one worker’s journey to lasting change
Rosalie Glover, Occupational Health Nurse
Enhancing worker wellbeing - the power of Health Station screening in supporting preventative care
Dr Sarah Cavanagh, Wesfarmers Health, Head of Clinical and Chief Medical Officer
1:00pm - 2:00pm
Lunch and Exhibition
Stream 1
Panorama Rooms 1 & 2
Stream 2
Panorama Room 3
2:00pm - 3:30pm
WORKSHOP
When sleep becomes a workplace hazard: OSA, fatigue and fitness for duty
Sleep disorders and fatigue are common, under-recognised contributors to occupational risk, particularly in safety-critical workers, commercial drivers and shift workers. This interactive workshop will provide a practical framework for assessing and managing sleep-related occupational risk. The session will cover sleep disorder screening, interpretation of sleep study reports, CPAP download review, fitness-for-duty decision-making, documentation and communication with employers and treating clinicians
Dr Joel Monmolin, General Practitioner
Dr Marcus McMahon, Respiratory and Sleep Scientist
Investing in Worker Health
Investing in worker health delivers benefits that extend beyond individual wellbeing, improving productivity, workforce participation and organisational performance. Drawing on case examples from the aviation industry, this session explores how strategic investment in occupational health supports both worker wellbeing and operational success. Delegates will gain practical insights into evidence-based initiatives that can be adapted across a range of industries.
The value of occupational medicine – innovations
and advances from the International Occupational Medicine Society Collaborative (IOMSC)
Dr Peter Connaughton, Occupational Physician
Trust, disclosure and fitness for duty in safety-critical aviation workers
Prof Gordon Cable AM, Head of Flight Medicine
Fatigue management in aviation: Bridging sleep science, regulation, and occupational health
Dr Silvia Pignata, Senior Lecturer, Adelaide University
3:30pm - 4:00pm
Afternoon Tea and Exhibition
Stream 1
Panorama Rooms 1 & 2
Stream 2
Panorama Room 3
4:00pm - 5:30pm
WORKSHOP: When sleep becomes a workplace hazard: OSA, fatigue and fitness for duty (continued)
Sleep disorders and fatigue are common, under-recognised contributors to occupational risk, particularly in safety-critical workers, commercial drivers and shift workers. This interactive workshop will provide a practical framework for assessing and managing sleep-related occupational risk. The session will cover sleep disorder screening, interpretation of sleep study reports, CPAP download review, fitness-for-duty decision-making, documentation and communication with employers and treating clinicians
Dr Joel Monmolin, General Practitioner
Dr Marcus McMahon, Respiratory and Sleep Scientist
Concussion and mild TBI: from injury to recovery and return to work
This session will review the latest evidence for the assessment and rehabilitation of concussion and mild traumatic brain injury (mTBI), including current ‘Return to Learn’, ‘Return to Sport’, and ‘Return to Work’ frameworks. Participants will explore how individualised, evidence-based rehabilitation and multidisciplinary support can enhance recovery outcomes, while addressing common challenges such as persistent symptoms, personal agency, misinformation, stigma, workplace culture, and appropriate workplace accommodations.
Dr James McLoughlin, Neurological Physiotherapist and
Dr Andrew Rothwell, Neuropsychologist
6:00pm - 9:30pm
Nurses Dinner
The special event for Occupational Health Nurses provides an opportunity for fun and connection with your fellow nurses. The dinner will be at 2KW Bar, King William Street, Adelaide.
8:00am - 8:45am
Journal Club
A popular and well-established feature of the ANZSOM Annual Scientific Meeting, Journal Club offers an opportunity to strengthen your critical appraisal skills while engaging with current occupational health research. The journal article will be made availble in the lead up to the conference.
9:00am - 10.00am
Keynote address:
Turning evidence into decisions: The art and science of clinical decisions
Professor Saravana Kumar
Evidence alone is seldom sufficient to guide clinical decisions. Professor Kumar will examine common misconceptions about evidence-based practice, reframing it as dynamic, interpretive process in which clinical reasoning and decision-making sit at its core, and highlighting the often-invisible cognitive work that underpins high-quality clinical decisions, particularly in situations of uncertainty, complexity, or competing priorities.
10:00am - 10:30am
Morning Tea and Exhibition
Stream 1
Panorama Rooms 1 & 2
Stream 2
Panorama Room 3
10:30am - 12:30pm
Collaborating for better outcomes - How teamwork can
improve the health of underground workers
Occupational health outcomes are strongest when occupational hygienists, occupational health professionals and occupational physicians work together. This session explores how collaboration across these disciplines strengthens hazard identification, exposure assessment, risk management and worker health surveillance. Through practical examples and expert perspectives, delegates will gain a deeper appreciation of the complementary roles each profession plays in protecting worker health.
Andy McCarthy, Occupational Hygienist
Dr Nell Gillett, Consultant Occupational and Environmental Physician
Anthony Bamford, Global Health & Hygiene Manager, South32
WORKSHOP - Embedding best practice in cultural safety
Delivered by the RACP, this practical workshop explores considerations for ensuring cultural safety in daily practice, with case studies to highlight the key elements of cultural awareness relevant to clinical practice as well as systems and procedures to embed best practice approaches.
12:30pm - 1:30pm
Lunch and Exhibition
Stream 1
Panorama Room 1 & 2
Stream 2
Panorama Room 3
1:30pm - 3:00pm
Medicinal cannabis - where to from here?
As the use of medicinal cannabis continues to grow, occupational health professionals are increasingly faced with complex clinical, regulatory and workplace considerations. This session explores the latest evidence, prescribing practices and policy developments, while examining the implications for fitness for work, impairment, risk management and patient care.
Medicinal cannabis: The pharmacology behind the
evidence
Prof Michael Ward, Head of Pharmacy, School of
Pharmacy and Biomedical Science
Medicinal cannabis - Does it have a role in pain management?
Dr Matthew Green, Pain Physician
Medicinal cannabis, prescription medications and fitness for work: Navigating the legal and practical challenges
Daniella Carling, Senior Associate, Finlaysons Lawyers
Whiplash - mechanisms and management
Whiplash-associated disorders remain a common yet complex challenge in occupational and compensation medicine. This session explores current evidence on diagnosis, management and recovery, together with the factors that influence outcomes and return to work. Delegates will gain practical insights into delivering evidence-based care and supporting optimal functional recovery for injured workers.
Whiplash-associated headache: When imaging is normal but symptoms persist
Dr Dean Watson, Musculoskeletal Physiotherapist
Crash and biomechanical factors in whiplash associated disorders
Assoc Prof Andrew McIntosh, McIntosh Consultancy and Research
Session supported by CTP Insurance Regulator
3:00pm - 3:30pm
Afternoon Tea and Exhibition
Stream 1
Panorama Rooms 1 & 2
Stream 2
Panorama Room 3
3:30pm - 5:00pm
Tunnelling - understanding and managing the risks
Tunnelling projects present unique occupational health challenges with workers exposed to complex physical, chemical and environmental hazards in dynamic underground environments. This session explores current approaches to identifying and managing these risks, highlighting operational considerations for protecting worker health and supporting safe operations, as well as the latest in clinical investigation and management. Delegates will gain insight from experts working at the intersection of occupational medicine, hygiene and the tunnelling industry.
Beneath the surface: the health risks of tunnelling work
Kate Cole OAM FAIOH, Certified Occupational Hygienist
Tunnel workers and how to image their lungs
Dr Catherine Jones, Radiologist
Permanent impairment and independent medical examinations
Permanent impairment assessments and independent medical examinations are integral to compensation systems, requiring sound clinical judgement, consistency and a thorough understanding of legislative frameworks. This session explores contemporary approached to impairment assessment, medico-legal reporting and independent examinations, highlighting practical challenges and emerging issues in occupational medicine. Delegates will gain insights to support high-quality, evidence-based assessments and reporting.
Co-design and updating of Impairment Assessment Guidelines for the RTWSA scheme
Dr Peter Jezukaitis, Occupational & Environmental Medicine Physician
Being the independent examiner - The obligations and challenges, a legal perspective
Guy Biddle, Lawyer, employment and workplace safety
Common challenges, professional obligations and emerging considerations for medical assessors
Associate Professor Christopher Cunneen, Occupational & Environmental Medicine Physician
7:00pm - 11:00pm
Gala Dinner
Join us for a memorable evening at the ANZSOM ASM 2026 Conference Gala Dinner, held at the Adelaide Oval. Enjoy a unique dining experience while connecting with colleagues.
Sponsored by
8:00am - 8:45am
Annual General Meeting
Join us in launching our new Strategic Plan as we look to the future and set ourselves an ambitious path towards Good Work, Safe Workplaces and Healthy Workers.
9:00am - 9.45am
Hugh Denehy Oration:
We know what to do - so why don't we do it?
Dr Mary Wyatt , Occupational & Environmental Medicine Physician
ANZSOM is delighted to welcome Dr Mary Wyatt to deliver the 2026 Hugh Denehy Oration. Mary's long career and selfless pursuit of better outcomes for injured workers epitomises the values and professional qualities of Dr Denehy, who was one of ANZSOM's founding members.
9:45am - 10:00am
2026 Ramazzini Winner Presentation - Kevin Sleigh Memorial Presentation
Evaluating gaps in occupational medicine education among final-year medical students in Queensland: A mixed-methods pilot study
Dr Laura Cameron, Occupational and Environmental Medicine Registrar
The Ramazzini Prize is awarded annually by AFOEM for the best scientific paper in occupational and environmental medicine presented by an AFOEM trainee. Inclusion of the presentation in the ANZSOM conference has been supported by Sonic HealthPlus for a number of years in memory of Dr Kevin Sleigh. We congratulate Laura and welcome her to the conference to deliver her award-winning paper.
Laura's attendance at the conference is proudly supported by Sonic HealthPlus.
10:00am - 10:15am
2026 AFOEM Essay Winner:
A review of occupational UV exposure and skin cancer in Australia
Dr Yaron Gu, Junior Medical Officer
The AFOEM Essay Prize is awarded for excellence in occupational medicine; demonstrated either through the best essay written additional to curriculum requirements, or the best research project or assignment submitted in the assessment of courses in occupational or environmental health. We congratulate the 2026 Winner, Dr Yaron Gu and welcome him to deliver his paper (online).
10:15am - 10:45am
Morning Tea and Exhibition
10:45am - 12:15pm
Contributed Papers 1
Contributed Papers 2
12:15pm - 1:00pm
Lunch and Exhibition
1:00pm - 4:30pm
Site visits
Site visits will be available to book in September.
Currently, the confirmed locations are:
- BAE Systems - Osbourne Naval Shipyard
- South Australian Health and Medical Research Institute (SAHMRI)
- RM Williams Bushman's Base manufacturing facility
Click here for more information.
Site visits are supported by ReturnToWorkSA
