News

Dear VICEN Community,

I am pleased to provide some updates and developments to the VICEN / Hot Case Central Education group.

1/ Following a meeting of VICEN representatives in April 2025 a return to a rotational hosting model of education sessions was agreed upon which will come into action in 2026.
With the significant investment by units in their local education programmes it was felt that quarterly VICEN sessions are best suited to provide relevant, high value and well attended opportunities.

2/ Hosting VICEN sessions individually from smaller units or in collaborative sessions (including between private-public units) has become reality, an exciting prospect for our community and marking an important step forward in inclusivity of all trainees.

3/ Ongoing hybrid model helps ensure the metro-rural divide is minimised, although there remains work to do in making entire events accessible for all.

4/ Development of an improved communication pathway is progressing with a number of unforeseen hurdles delaying its launch, however progress is being made and will soon make VICEN and Hot Case Central more streamlined and visible to trainees and fellows.

5/ Dates for your diary:
29th July – VICEN – Epworth Richmond
2nd September – VICEN – Werribee
25th Nov / 2nd Dec (TBC) – VICEN Collaboration – Monash / Cabrini – hosted at VHH

Please encourage trainees to download the Stack Teams app and join the VICEN team!

6/ Finally, it gives me great pleasure to introduce the new VICEN/HCC Committee, elected following an EOI process:

Dr Laura Chudleigh – Chair – Intensivist – Monash Health
Dr Ben Cunanan – SR – Alfred Health
Dr Vishnu Kurup – TY – University Hospital Geelong
Dr Mervyn Leong – Intensivist – Austin Health

I will step down and remain as immediate past chair.

Each of the new committee members brings a wealth of experience and enthusiasm to their role. It is exciting to see so many eager to continue the work VICEN does in educating and facilitating connection and collaboration in our community. I am certain that they will strengthen and improve VICEN for the benefit of Victorian trainees.

A warm welcome to our new committee would be amiss without an effusive expression of gratitude to the outgoing members. Dr Cara Moore, Dr Emily Harman and Dr John Young-Lee have tirelessly worked to improve and develop VICEN over their tenures. With Cara and Emily having navigated the pandemic and then staying on to support myself as Chair. I am grateful to them all and am certain VICEN will benefit from your extraordinary dedication for years to come. Thank you!

As I step down, I’d like to thank you all for your support and generosity. The dedicated, proactive, solution focused community with whom I am lucky enough to work, have made my time as Chair enjoyable and rewarding. Most importantly you have made it possible for VICEN to flourish and educate the intensivists of tomorrow. Thank you.

Kindest Regards
David Antognini