Leo Davies

Biography

Associate Professor Leo Davies is a neurologist with clinical and research interests in movement disorders and stroke, and a strong interest in medical education and assessment. He has previously worked as a Clinical and Research Fellow at Harvard University, studying the physiology of human movement. Associate Professor Davies says, “alongside movement disorders, I developed an interest in stroke because as our population ages, in-hospital neurology practice is dominated by this disease. It is an area where research and evidence-based management can make a real difference toward reducing disease burden in the community”. Associate Professor Davies also is actively involved in medical education and assessment. He is the past Chairman of the RACP Clinical Examinations Committee, current member of the National Examination Panel, and oversees the assessment of medical students in the Sydney Medical Program. He notes, “assessment necessitates balancing our demand for excellence, the community’s need for safe practitioners and the load imposed on students. Since student learning is strongly influenced by assessment, we need processes that ensure students are trained in a manner that serves the needs of the community”. Associate Professor Davies has helped implement reliable, robust student assessments that reduce bias and promote the development of skilled medical practitioners. He is Chairman of the Australian Medical Schools Assessment Collaboration (AMSAC) through which he has led a series of Benchmarking projects. He is a member of the Medical Deans of Australia and New Zealand Assessment Collaboration Steering Committee.

Research Interest

Associate Professor Davies conducts research on stroke, movement disorders and peripheral neuropathy. He is involved in a number of clinical trials in stroke including the ENCHANTED study, which aims to fine-tune the management of patients eligible for thrombolysis in acute ischaemic stroke. He also is testing therapies for autoimmune neurological disorders.