Newcastle University

Research Interests

Speciality Area: Care of the Elderly / General Medicine

Current Work

I moved to Newcastle for my undergraduate medical education in 1995, mostly because I was impressed with its forward thinking curriculum, but also as I liked the city and didn’t want to stray too far south of the border! I have had no reason to want to leave, completing house jobs, membership exams and gaining a training number in general medicine and geriatrics in 2003. During my registrar training I was keen to be involved in research, particularly in Parkinson’s disease, and completed my MD in 2007 on “The prevalence, and nature, of Parkinson’s disease in Hai, Tanania”. This meant that I spent 6 months of my MD living in northern Tanzania, a fascinating experience, and one that the University were very supportive of. I have also completed a Certificate of Medical Education at the University.

I have found Newcastle an inspiring place to work, both with the vibrant, enthusiastic and highly internationally regarded researchers who work here, and the talented physicians I have trained with. I am delighted to be an academic clinical lecturer, to continue my clinical training, but yet spend more dedicated time to develop my research in Parkinson’s disease, and medicine of the elderly in developing countries. For me, it gives a great balance between academic and clinical work.

• Dotchin CL, Msuya O, Walker RW. The challenge of Parkinson's disease management in Africa. Age and Ageing 2007, 36(2), 122-127.
• Dotchin C, Msuya O, Kissima J, Massawe J, Mhina A, Moshy A, Aris E, Jusabani A, Whiting DR, Masuki G, Walker RW. The prevalence of Parkinson's disease in rural Tanzania. Movement Disorders 2008, 23(11), 1567-1572.
• Dotchin CL, Walker RW. The prevalence of essential tremor in rural northern Tanzania. Journal of Neurology, Neurosurgery and Psychiatry 2008, 79(10), 1107-1109.
• Dotchin CL, Jusabani A, Walker RW. Non-motor symptoms in a prevalent population of patients with Parkinson's disease in Tanzania. Parkinsonism and Related Disorders 2009, 15(6), 457-460.
• Longdon A, Paddick SM, Dotchin C, Dewhurst F, Gray WK, Dewhurst M, Kisolie A, Walker R. Screening for dementia in rural Tanzania: Results from the screening phase of the Hai Dementia Prevalence Study. In: Age and Ageing: British Geriatrics Society Spring Meeting. 2011, Liverpool: Oxford University Press.
• Dewhurst F, Dewhurst M, Orega G, Longdon A, Dotchin C, Paddick S, Gray W, Walker R. The prevalence of disability in the elderly population of Hai, Tanzania, as measured using the Barthel Index with comparison to a European population. In: Age and Ageing: British Geriatrics Society Spring Meeting. 2011, Liverpool: Oxford University Press.
• Dotchin C, Jusabani A, Walker R. Three year follow up of levodopa plus carbidopa treatment in a prevalent cohort of patients with Parkinson's disease in Hai, Tanzania. Journal of Neurology 2011, 258(9), 1649-1656.
• Mshana G, Dotchin CL, Walker RW. 'We call it the shaking illness': perceptions and experiences of Parkinson's disease in rural northern Tanzania. BMC Public Health 2011, 11, 219.
• Dotchin C, Van Den Ende C, Walker R. Delivering global health teaching: The development of a global health option. Clinical Teacher 2010, 7(4), 271-275.
• Dotchin C, Shanshal Y. Medical care of osteoporotic pelvic bone fracture: The United Kingdom experience. Clinical Geriatrics 2010, 18(10), 52-56.