Dr Alex Ritchie
Alex graduated from the University of Queensland in 2004, receiving first class honours and the University Medal for Medicine. He completed Thoracic Medicine training at the Royal Brisbane and Women’s Hospital and then a Sleep Fellowship at The Prince Charles Hospital in 2013. After obtaining his Fellowship of the Royal Australasian College of Physicians he completed a year-long Clinical Research Fellowship at the British Columbia Cancer Agency, based in Vancouver.
Alex is available for consultation in general thoracic medicine including asthma, COPD and chronic cough. He has a special interest in the early diagnosis of lung cancer, lung cancer screening and lung nodule evaluation. Alex is a skilled bronchoscopist, with extensive training in endobronchial ultrasound (EBUS).
In addition to his interest in thoracic oncology, Alex provides consultation to provide patients and clinicians with comprehensive evaluation and management of the broad range of respiratory and non-respiratory sleep disorders. In particular, he is experienced in the management of sleep disorders that complicate cardiac disorders, neuromuscular weakness and chronic respiratory disease.
Dr Lauren Galt
Lauren studied undergraduate Biomedical Science at the University of Melbourne, her hometown, before moving to Brisbane to study Medicine. She graduated from the University of Queensland in 2010. Her training in Thoracic Medicine was undertaken at the Royal Brisbane and Women’s Hospital (RBWH) and the Princess Alexandra (PA) Hospitals.
In 2017, Lauren worked at the RBWH, with a focus on Interventional Bronchoscopy, encompassing extensive training in radial and convex EBUS and cryobiopsy. Lauren is expert in the assessment and management of pleural disease. In 2018 Lauren completed her Sleep fellowship at the RBWH, and is adept at managing patients with complex sleep disorders, neuromuscular disease, and respiratory failure.
Lauren is passionate about personalised Thoracic and Sleep Medicine. She is particularly interested in difficult asthma, bronchiectasis, COPD, unexplained breathlessness, lung cancer and sleep disorders, including insomnia, sleep apnoea and narcolepsy.
Dr Tom Skinner
Tom was awarded his undergraduate degree in physiotherapy in 2005, before working as a respiratory physiotherapist in Brisbane and London. He went on to study Medicine, and graduated from the University of Queensland in 2012 with honours. Tom trained in Thoracic Medicine at the Royal Brisbane and Women’s Hospital (RBWH), Greenslopes Private Hospital (GPH) and The Prince Charles Hospital (TPCH).
Tom is a well-rounded practitioner with a broad range of skills across all aspects of respiratory and sleep medicine. His particular respiratory interests include: COPD, asthma, lung cancer, unexplained breathlessness and cough, and pleural disease. He has trained in interventional bronchoscopy and performs both radial and convex endobronchial ultrasound (EBUS) procedures.
In 2020, Tom completed a sleep medicine fellowship at TPCH. Tom’s sleep medicine interests include: obstructive sleep apnoea and complex sleep disordered breathing. Through his time at TPCH he has been trained in the management of patients with neuromuscular disorders and respiratory failure, including Motor Neuron disease.
Tom strives to deliver personalised care, considering each patient at an individual level. He has an interest in the management of respiratory and sleep disorders in older patients. Tom has presented and published research in respiratory and sleep medicine and is committed to ongoing professional development.
Alex, Lauren and Tom work collaboratively and cover periods of annual, professional and other leave for each other ensuring continuity of care.
Our professional memberships
Thoracic Society of Australia and New Zealand (TSANZ)
Australian Medical Association (AMA)
European Respiratory Society (ERS)
World Association of Bronchology and Interventional Pulmonology (WABIP)
Australasian Sleep Association (ASA)
Associations
Alex and Lauren have delivered educational material for General Practitioner colleagues and other Specialists. They receive honoraria for this work, declared in accordance with Medicines Australia Guidelines.
Alex, Lauren and Tom are associate physicians providing reporting services to GenesisCare Sleep.
Alex is a Shareholder and Director in Queensland Respiratory Services (QRS), whilst Lauren and Tom are Associates.
Ongoing professional development
Respiratory and sleep medicine is a dynamic and rapidly evolving field. Alex, Lauren and Tom are committed to providing the absolute best evidence-based medical care to patients. They are passionate about peer-review, lifelong learning, improving procedural techniques and skillsets as well as actively participating in research and education of medical students. To help achieve the best medical care for their patients, they are proactive in attending education conferences, plenaries, and procedural training courses.