Rate My Professor Melissa Carlson

Dr. Melissa Carlson is a Research Associate in the School of Medicine and Public Health at the University of Newcastle, Australia. She earned her Doctor of Philosophy from the University of Newcastle, focusing her doctoral thesis on the acceptability and feasibility of routine cognitive assessments for individuals with brain cancer to improve care outcomes for patients and caregivers. Prior degrees include a Bachelor of Social Science (Honours) and a Bachelor of Social Science from the same university. Her research interests encompass health behaviour, implementation science, psycho-oncology, research methods, and supportive care, utilizing mixed quantitative and qualitative methodologies to enhance psycho-oncology outcomes and healthcare equity for cancer patients and caregivers.

Carlson's career at the University of Newcastle spans various roles, including current Research Associate, previous Research Assistant in the School of Medicine and Public Health (2017-2023), Casual Academic in the School of Humanities, Creative Industries and Social Science, and Casual Academic and Peer Support Mentor (2014-2016). She has authored numerous impactful publications, such as "Acceptability and feasibility of cognitive assessments with adults with primary brain cancer and brain metastasis: A systematic review" (Neuro-Oncology Practice, 2023), "Understanding experiences of cognitive decline and cognitive assessment from the perspectives of people with glioma and their caregivers: A qualitative interview study" (International Journal of Nursing Studies Advances, 2024), "The dynamic relationship between cancer and employment-related financial toxicity: an in-depth qualitative study of 21 Australian cancer survivor experiences and preferences for support" (Supportive Care in Cancer, 2022), "Hearing the Voices of Australian Thyroid Cancer Survivors: Qualitative Thematic Analysis of Semistructured Interviews Identifies Unmet Support Needs" (Thyroid, 2023), and contributions to studies on post-mortem brain donation and financial assistance in cancer care (2024-2025). Her work significantly influences supportive care practices in oncology.