Peter Atkinson

Background

About Peter Atkinson

I completed my veterinary training at the University of Adelaide and shortly after starting a career in clinical practice, decided to pursue my interests in population health. I commenced a PhD at the University of Adelaide in 2022, focusing on the ecology of vector borne diseases in Australia, using canine heartworm as a proxy to develop epidemiological research skills. Specifically, I focuses on i) applying the principles of the ecology of the canine heartworm parasite to study its spatial distribution across Australia, and ii) the diagnosis of canine heartworm infection through traditional and Bayesian diagnostic test evaluation. I completed my membership qualification in the epidemiology chapter of the Australian and New Zealand College of Veterinary Sciences in 2023, and am now an associate lecturer in Veterinary Epidemiology and Evidence Based Medicine at the University of Adelaide. I aim to provide an approachable evidence basis for in-clinic and patient-side decision making, and hope to complete my PhD in 2025.