Alongside a clinical degree health leadership matters the most
As Mark Merolli's career evolved from clinician to clinician-academic, digital health consultant and then innovator, he realised leading meaningful change in health takes an elevated set of leadership skills.
When Associate Professor Mark Merolli completed his Bachelor's degree and PhD at the University of Melbourne, he expected the linear career that most clinicians would recognise. A steady climb that sees the deepening of expertise and increased responsibility, but ultimately staying within one professional lane.
Instead, his path widened.
While Associate Professor Merolli continues to practise clinically throughout, his work has grown to span research in digital health and innovation, and, increasingly, leadership roles that stretch well beyond any single organisation or discipline.
As his career evolved, Associate Professor Merolli realised that leading meaningful change in health takes an elevated set of skills, beyond clinical or research expertise alone.
"Like a lot of health professionals, I'd never had expert and formal leadership development despite increasingly complex leadership responsibilities," Associate Professor Merolli said.
New support for people leading in the health sector
In order to augment his skills, Associate Professor Merolli undertook a course offered by the Bastas Academy of Health Leadership (Bastas Academy), a joint initiative of the University of Melbourne’s Faculty of Medicine, Dentistry and Health Sciences and Melbourne Business School.
The Bastas Academy's premise is that meeting today's healthcare pressures, including workforce shortages, burnout, and an ageing population, requires leaders who can work across boundaries.
That's precisely the space Associate Professor Merolli found himself needing to work in, moving between clinical practice, research and innovation, and now Faculty-wide leadership.
"I saw the Bastas Academy as an opportunity to truly build those capabilities," Associate Professor Merolli said.
"The course I took provided practical frameworks, challenged my thinking, and gave me greater confidence to lead with purpose and a view towards impact across my various roles in healthcare, industry, education, and research."
Learning alongside the healthcare community Equally important was the calibre of the cohort he was learning alongside.
“The course brought together a genuine mix of health leaders — public and private, clinical and academic, operational and strategic — which is rare in health leadership education,” he said.
“It provided an opportunity to learn from others with different perspectives and responsibilities, but who are also facing similar challenges.”
Given improving people’s health requires involving a breadth of stakeholders, it is important courses offered by the Bastas Academy also provide people with networks that span all aspects of health explained Professor Robert Saunders, the inaugural director of the Bastas Academy.
"Everyone is leading, even without the title," Professor Saunders said.
"Every time you run a handover, guide a new colleague, or pull people together across units, you're already leading.This training gives you tools for exactly those moments."
It's a gap Professor Saunders sees across the sector.
“With rising workforce turnover and burnout, and a wave of AI and digital tools reshaping how care is delivered, the case for building leadership capability intentionally has never been stronger.”
Since launching in 2025 with philanthropic support from Dennis Bastas and DBG Health, the Bastas Academy has welcomed more than 300 participants across 12 course cohorts.
For alumni like Associate Professor Merolli, the pitch is simple.
While clinical and research expertise may have gotten him in the room, it is the leadership training that enables him to drive lasting change.
Strengthen your health leadership
Bastas Academy's 2027 course applications are now open.
Explore practical, collaborative courses designed to strengthen leadership, inspire innovation and build connections across healthcare, government and community organisations.
- Activating Your Health Leadership — 25 February, 4 May, 9 November
- Health Leadership for Impact — 22–24 March, 7–9 June, 11–13 October
- Leading Complex Organisational Change in Health — 2–4 August & 16 September
- Leading Cultures of Innovation and Impact — 23–27 August
Scholarships are available through the support of Dennis Bastas and DBG Health.
