A Warm Welcome to Dr Robert Bourke 

Q1: Why did you choose to become a Neuropsychologist?

“I did not initially plan to pursue a career in neuropsychology. My early training was in prosthetics and orthotics, driven by a desire to work in healthcare with a strong emphasis on direct patient care. At the time, I was not fully aware of the field of neuropsychology. 

However, during my undergraduate training, I was introduced to the discipline and was immediately drawn to its unique integration of scientific principles and focus on brain function and behaviour, along with interesting cases of individuals who could not learn new information. 

The opportunity to apply scientific knowledge in a clinical context to help individuals understand and manage cognitive, behavioural, and emotional changes deeply resonated with me. I have also found applying neuropsychology within a medicolegal context to be both valuable and engaging.“

Q2: What has been the highlight of your career so far?
“Managing the Neuropsychology Unit at a large teaching hospital in Victoria during the COVID-19 pandemic stands out as one career highlight. I led a team of senior and junior neuropsychologists through the challenges of the COVID-19 pandemic. 

Given that neuropsychology traditionally relies on face-to-face contact and in-person cognitive assessments, we had to be agile and adapt quickly to telehealth models to ensure continuity of care. In addition to supporting patients with a range of cognitive and behavioural conditions, other career highlights include teaching and mentoring early-career and senior neuropsychologists and being appointed Lead Neuropsychologist within the Cognitive Neurology Service at The Royal Melbourne Hospital. “

Q3: What do you like to do in your free time?
“Bikes. Anything and everything bikes, especially mountain bikes. I have been riding mountain bikes for over 35 years. I am thinking about bikes right now.”

Q4: If you could have dinner with anyone, alive or dead, who would it be and why?
“Arnold Schwarzenegger. 
Our evening would begin at the gym, earning our dinner over a heavy weights session. Later, over a protein-rich meal of almost uncooked steak (minimal carbs), he would share stories from his bodybuilding career, Hollywood days, and political life.”

Bonus points – are you cooking or heading to a restaurant?

Cooking. Protein heavy, mainly rare steak, cooked over an open fire. Vegetables, salad and carbs strictly optional. 

Bonus Questions

Tell us something surprising about you
“I once crashed a paraglider. I survived, but my dignity was dinted. Turns out soaring through the skies is not for everyone.  I now keep my feet, and hobbies, firmly on the ground.“

Do you prefer cats or dogs?
“If you asked me a year ago, I would have confidently said I was Team Dog. But then Freddie, a tuxedo cat full of charm, personality, and a surprising number of cuddles, entered my life. 

Since then, he has been gradually (and occasionally forcefully) nudging me toward the feline side. These days, I spend a fair amount of time keeping up with his ever-growing list of demands, mostly centred on food and cuddles. My dog, understandably, is not thrilled with this shift. At this point, I call it a draw.”

Which season speaks to you, summer or winter?
“Summer in Tasmania. Winter in Darwin.”

Does pineapple ever grace your pizzas?
“YES! Not chicken though.”