Michael Pollack MBBS, FAFRM, FACRM, FFPMANZCA, M.Med.Sci

Associate Professor Michael Pollack graduated from studying Medicine at the University of NSW in 1981. He qualified as a Rehabilitation Medicine specialist in 1988 and was part of the Executive when the Australasian College of Rehabilitation Medicine evolved into the Australasian Faculty of Rehabilitation Medicine in the RACP in 1993. At that time Michael chaired the Board of Continuing Education in the College/Faculty, holding an interest in Adult Professional Education.

Associate Professor Pollack has always been primarily a Clinician, working as a Staff Specialist at the John Hunter Hospital since 1991. His clinical work has had a focus in stroke rehabilitation, spinal cord impairment, pain management, and biomechanics. He has been the Director of Rehabilitation Medicine in Hunter New England, established the Hunter Stroke Service in 1995 (spanning acute to community care of stroke patients) and co-founded the Australasian Stroke Unit Network. He firmly believes that maintaining Clinical Quality is based in a solid understanding of research, effective team processes, and striving for diagnostic accuracy in a holistic patient view and a biopsychosocial model of health. He has been involved in research, exploring models of care for health, as well as stroke recovery, and more. He co-chaired the National Stroke Foundation Working Parties to write the first Australian Guidelines in Stroke Rehabilitation, and the National Stroke Rehabilitation Framework.