Vivian graduated from the University of New South Wales and moved to Newcastle for her internship and resident medical officer years. Prior to Dermatology training at John Hunter Hospital, she gained valuable experience in both Emergency Department work and General Practice, which also included a Medical Educator role. Her interest in Dermatology was established in medical school, where she was awarded The Katherine Georgouras Prize in Dermatology and arranged overseas observation posts at the Mayo Clinic in Rochester, Minnesota, Kings College in London and The National Skin Centre in Singapore. Her local training was enhanced with a term at Orange Dermatology where she was exposed to rural aspects of the specialty.
Vivian offers consultations in private practice at Valentine Dermatology, and also regularly in public practice at John Hunter Department of Dermatology where duties include outpatient clinics and teaching dermatology registrars and medical students. As the first dermatologist in Newcastle accredited for Mohs Micrographic Surgery, she will be offering this important service to residents of the Hunter in 2022.
She remains actively engaged in research and teaching – she has published in peer reviewed journals and has attended and presented at national and international dermatology conferences. She lectures to University of Newcastle and University of Sydney students, presents to general practitioners and GP registrars on various dermatology topics.
Her special interests include Mohs surgery (a technique to manage facial skin cancer with minimal skin removal), general skin cancer management, surgical dermatology, scar management and revision, melanoma diagnosis and care, as well as general dermatology, including but not limited to eczema, psoriasis, acne, hidradenitis suppurativa and autoimmune disorders.