Gemma McErlean

Dr. Gemma McErlean is an Associate Professor in Nursing at the University of Wollongong (UOW) and Director of the Centre for Research in Nursing and Health at St George Hospital. She holds dual affiliations with UOW and the St George Hospital clinical network, maintaining a strong focus on nurse-led research and interdisciplinary collaboration. Her academic career spans over two decades, with expertise in cancer survivorship, blood and marrow transplantation (BMT), and ethical nursing practice.

McErlean's educational background includes a PhD from the University of Sydney, an MPH in Health Promotion from UNSW, and a Postgraduate Certificate in Cancer Nursing. She has received prestigious awards such as the Winston Churchill Memorial Trust Fellowship, enabling her to study survivorship models in leading U.S. institutions. Her research emphasizes improving healthcare equity, translational evidence-based practice, and nursing workforce development.

Her teaching roles include coordinating postgraduate courses like SNPG918 Critical Appraisal and SNPG905 Minor Project within the Faculty of Science, Medicine and Health. She actively supervises PhD and MPhil students focusing on topics like palliative care integration, men’s health literacy, and geriatric oncology models.

McErlean has secured over $1.1M in research funding, including grants for projects on VR therapy in dementia care, men’s preventive health engagement, and primary care disconnections post-BMT. Her leadership extends to roles on the SESLHD Clinical Ethics Committee and the Australian Institute of Company Directors.

Key achievements include defining nurse capabilities for cancer survivorship care via a Delphi study and leading scoping reviews on BMT survivorship and healthcare resource utilization. Her work consistently bridges clinical practice and research to enhance patient experiences and nursing professional standing.