Dr Katie French

Dr. French is a geriatrician who graduated from the University of Wollongong University Graduate School of Medicine in 2010. She was the first from her cohort to return to their hometown of Shoalhaven as a specialist. Dr. French completed her junior and physician training with the Illawarra Shoalhaven Local Health District and has advanced training in rehabilitation and palliative care medicine. Currently, she works as a staff specialist geriatrician at the Shoalhaven District Memorial Hospital, where she uses her expertise to manage and treat elderly patients effectively.

Dr. French has a Master's degree in research, which involves examining the molecular biology of Alzheimer's disease and developing possible therapeutic targets. She continues to be passionate about aged care research and works as a clinical investigator at the Illawarra Medical Research Institute.

As a geriatrician, Dr. French has a keen interest in the diagnosis and management of dementia, particularly the behavioural and psychological aspects of advanced dementia. She is also interested in orthogeriatrics, which is the care of elderly patients post-fracture, including pre-and post-operative management. Additionally, geriatric rehabilitation, which identifies and manages complex co-morbidities, with the aim of regaining functionality and an improved quality of life, is another area of interest for Dr. French. Finally, Dr. French is also interested in palliative care in the elderly.

Dr. French aims to provide comprehensive geriatric assessments that identify and manage complex medical co-morbidities, while also focusing on strategies to improve the quality of life of the elderly. Dr. French's commitment to social and psychological aspects of healthcare complements her focus on physical care. As someone who is from a rural area, Dr. French feels privileged to be able to return and provide specialist care to the elderly.