Dr Elysia Thornton-Benko

BSc. MBBS (Hons) PhD FRACGP

Dr Elysia was a highly ranked Australian junior and American College Circuit tennis player who chose to pursue a career in medicine instead of sport, and has been a Doctor since 2003.

Dr Elysia obtained a BSc. from Southern Methodist University Dallas Texas, USA in 1996 while on full tennis scholarship. She completed her Medical Degree with Honours from the University of Western Australia in Perth and her internship at Sir Charles Gairdner Hospital, Perth.

Dr Elysia then returned to her hometown of Sydney. She has worked in a broad range of General Medical, Surgical and Emergency hospital terms. Dr Elysia worked as a Resident and Senior Resident at Royal Prince Alfred Hospital (RPAH) in terms inclusive of Emergency, ICU, Melanoma/Surgical Oncology, Medical Oncology, Haematology, Radiation Oncology.

Dr Elysia spent 2 years as an Advanced Trainee Registrar in the Radiation Oncology Specialist Program at RPAH. After choosing to leave Radiation Oncology for more Generalist Medicine, Dr Elysia worked as a Community Palliative Care Registrar and in Paediatrics as a Senior Resident.

In 2005, Dr Elysia was awarded a PhD for her thesis on improving edge detection of mammograms using a neurological vision system model and has several published research papers.

Dr Elysia entered Specialist GP training in 2009, passed her Fellowship exams in 2012 and following from this became a Fellow of the Royal Australian College of General Practitioners.

Current Positions/Organisations

• General Practitioner/Family Physician (Bondi Rd Doctors)- Antenatal Shared Care Provider for Royal Women’s Hospital and Royal Prince Alfred Hospital, Sydney. Provides care for all ages and health conditions.

• Cancer and Palliative Care and Breast Medicine Network Member, RACGP National Faculty of Specific Interests

• Member of the Australasian Society of Lifestyle Medicine

• Member of PC4 (The Primary Care Collaborative Cancer Clinical Trials Group)

• Member of the Clinical Oncology Society of Australia (COSA)

• Member of the Executive Committee of the COSA Exercise and Cancer Group

• Member of the Implementation Working Group for the COSA Position Statement on Exercise in Cancer Care

• Member of the Executive Committee of the COSA Survivorship Group

• Member of the COSA Survivorship Group

• RACGP/PC4 along with a research team from UNSW and National Centre for Cancer Survivorship- Pilot study for adult cancer survivors having formulated a novel triage tool to risk stratify cancer survivors for optimal follow up care

• Multidisciplinary GP Review Board Member for the Re-Engage Study for childhood cancer survivors run out of the Behavioural Sciences Unit of the Kid’s Cancer Centre, Sydney Children’s Hospital Randwick, NSW

• Content Advisor for the Cancer Institute NSW EVIQ information sheets for GP Education regarding cancer patients during treatment

• Member of the Scientific Advisory Committee for the Harry McPaul Cancer Council NSW Program Grant

• Director of Wellac Lifestyle- Wellness After, And during Cancer/Wellness And Contented Living

• Member Of Behavioural Science Unit Kids to Adults SHPERE network Group

• Working Relationship with Cancer Council Survivorship Unit

• Published Research Papers

• One of the resident medical professionals on Babyology’s Feed Play Love Podcasts (Formerly one of the resident medical professionals on Kinderling Kids Radio)

Additionally, Dr Elysia has past media experience in addition to occasional sports modelling.

Dr Elysia is open to exciting opportunities and collaborations. Please email info@drelysia.com.au to discuss further.