Rate My Professor Michala Short

Dr Michala Short is a Senior Lecturer in Radiation Therapy at Adelaide University in the College of Health, School of Allied Health and Human Performance. She holds a Doctor of Philosophy in Radiation Therapy from the University of Sydney (2006-2010), a Bachelor of Medical Radiations, Radiation Therapy (Honours) from the University of South Australia (2003-2004), and a Bachelor of Medical Radiation from the University of South Australia (1999-2001). Her career began as a Radiation Therapist at the Royal Adelaide Hospital (2002-2006), followed by casual teaching academic roles at the University of South Australia (2004-2005). She worked as a casual Research Officer at Curtin University (2010-2015), Associate Lecturer in Radiation Therapy at the University of Sydney (2011-2012), Lecturer in Radiation Therapy at the University of South Australia (2012-2020), and Senior Lecturer in Radiation Therapy at the University of South Australia (2021-2025), leading to her current position at Adelaide University. Short also served as a Committee Member for the Proton Beam Therapy Working Committee of the National Health and Medical Research Council in 2018. She teaches within the Bachelor of Medical Radiation Science program, delivering courses such as Radiation Therapy Studies 1-4, Radiation Therapy Clinical Practice 1 and 3, Introduction to Medical Radiation Practice, CT and PET Imaging, and Health Science Honours Preparation.

Short's research centers on improving the lives of cancer patients undergoing radiation therapy, with specific interests in person-centred care, the impact of radiation therapy on quality of life, long-term side-effects, proton therapy in cancer management, digital health, and health outcomes evaluation. She supervises undergraduate and postgraduate research candidates. Her achievements include the Unsung Hero of South Australian Science award from National Science Week in 2021 and the Cancer Institute NSW Scholar Award in 2007. Key publications feature 'Effective communication and information provision in radiotherapy—the role of radiation therapists' (2010, Journal of Radiotherapy in Practice), 'A scoping review of patient selection methods for proton therapy' (2022, Journal of Medical Radiation Sciences), 'Proton therapy patient selection methods and the impact of COVID-19: a cross-sectional international survey' (2025, Journal of Medical Radiation Sciences), 'Healthcare professional perspectives on digital health-related quality-of-life assessment in paediatric radiation therapy: a qualitative study' (2025, Journal of Medical Radiation Sciences), and 'Shared decision making in oncology and its implementation in cervical cancer management in the Philippines: a narrative review' (2024, JCO Global Oncology). These contributions highlight her impact on advancing patient-centered radiation therapy practices and education.