Rate My Professor Narelle Dalwood

Narelle Dalwood is an education-focussed senior lecturer and unit coordinator in the Department of Physiotherapy, School of Primary and Allied Health Care, Faculty of Medicine, Nursing and Health Sciences at Monash University. She holds a Bachelor of Applied Science (Physiotherapy) awarded in 1991 and a Graduate Diploma in Neurosciences from La Trobe University awarded in 1998. With a background as an APA titled neurological physiotherapist, Dalwood has combined clinical practice and education throughout her career. She previously held senior clinician positions at the Royal Melbourne Hospital and Monash Health. Transitioning to education in 1998, she has served as Senior Lecturer at Monash University since 2013, where she coordinates units, leads the Neurology team, and focuses on preparing students for clinical practice through innovative teaching methods that promote safe, effective, and culturally responsive physiotherapy based on evidence.

Dalwood's academic interests and research specializations encompass simulation, peer simulation, simulated patients, curriculum design, and development in health professions education, particularly strategies to prepare learners for clinical uncertainty. She developed a pioneering, innovative, and scalable peer simulation program at Monash University, in which physiotherapy students act as simulated patients for peers during pre-clinical skills teaching. Her key publications include “ ‘Acting it out really makes it stick in your brain’: Educating students for patient portrayal during peer simulation” (Medical Teacher, 2026), “Students as patients: A systematic review of peer simulation in health care professional education” (Advances in Simulation, 2020), “Adverse events related to physiotherapy practice: a scoping review” (Archives of Physiotherapy, 2024), and “ ‘It's the ultimate observer role…you're feeling and seeing everything’: Physiotherapy students' experiences of peer simulation” (Advances in Simulation, 2020). Dalwood has earned major awards such as the Vice-Chancellor's Citation for Outstanding Contribution to Student Learning (2018), Teacher Innovation and Impact Award from the Monash University Office of Learning and Teaching (2016), and Teaching Excellence Award (Innovation) from the School of Primary Health Care Education Committee (2016). She became an Associate Fellow of the Australian & New Zealand Association for Health Professional Educators in 2023. Dalwood has contributed through public presentations, including at the Monash Faculty of Medicine, Nursing and Health Sciences Simulation Showcase (2025), Australian Catholic University Simulation in Health Education Showcase (2025), Australian Physiotherapy Association Conference (2019), and Australian & New Zealand Association for Health Professional Educators Conference (2019).