ProfessorJane Bleasel

Professor Jane Bleasel is a rheumatologist and medical educator. She graduated from the University of Sydney with MBBS in 1984 and has been associated with the University in research and teaching throughout her professional life. She obtained a PhD in Medicine (1998) from The University of Sydney. She has a Master of Health Professional Education (Monash) and is a Principal Fellow of the Higher Education Academy (UK). She has extensive knowledge of the public health system, the university educational environment and professional postgraduate training. In senior roles in each of these areas she has negotiated with a wide range of external stakeholders to make advances in medical education.

Her strategic leadership has involved introducing educational change in practice and policy, in both undergraduate and postgraduate medical education. As Director of the Sydney Medical Program from 2015-2022, she led a team redesigning the Doctor of Medicine curriculum (MD2020) and supervised its implementation across nine Clinical Schools in metropolitan and rural hospital sites. The new curriculum introduced innovative teaching and assessment pedagogies. Her leadership was instrumental in launching the rural-based Doctor of Medicine (MD) program in Dubbo in 2022, aiming to increase the rural medical workforce.

She was Head of School of Medicine and Public Health, and Dean of the Joint Medical Program, University of Newcastle from 2022 to 2025. During her time at Newcastle, she successfully implemented the relocation of the School of Medicine and Public Health to the John Hunter Hospital campus. The move brought a closer collaboration with the Hunter New England Local Health District and establishing a conjoint academic engagement strategy for teaching and research. She developed the framework for a Flexible Learning in Place Pathway  into the Joint Medical Programfor health professionals living and working in the footprint of the University of New England.

From a clinical perspective, Professor Bleasel was Head of the Department of Rheumatology at Royal Prince Alfred Hospital (2000 - 2015) and spent many years improving access to rheumatology services in rural and regional areas and First Nations communities. Her research interests have straddled clinical practice and medical education. She has served on multiple accreditation and quality improvement boards and advisory groups and her success in directing transformational change has had impact beyond her own institutions.

She returned to the University of Sydney as Head of School and Dean, Sydney Medical School in March 2025.