Rate My Professor Carl Francia

Francia graduated as valedictorian of the Bachelor of Physiotherapy (Honours) program at UQ in 2018, having earned Dean’s Commendations for Academic Excellence and held an Indigenous Cadetship. His journey into physiotherapy began following knee surgery and rehabilitation in his late 20s, which ignited his passion for the field. He recently completed his PhD, currently under examination, investigating the epidemiology and progression of ARF and RHD in Queensland over two decades. In his NHMRC-funded iPreventRHD project, he translates epidemiological findings into practical life-course prevention models, bolstering primary care systems through collaborations with communities, clinicians, and policymakers. Francia also maintains a clinical appointment as a Staff Physiotherapist at The Prince Charles Hospital. His publications include “The epidemiology of acute rheumatic fever and rheumatic heart disease in Queensland, 2017–2021: a population-level cohort study using linked administrative data” (Medical Journal of Australia, 2025), “Follow-up echocardiographic changes in children and youth aged <25 years with latent rheumatic heart disease” (International Journal of Cardiology, 2024), “The evidence that rheumatic heart disease control programs in Australia are making an impact” (Australian and New Zealand Journal of Public Health, 2023), and several others on RHD prevalence, hospital admissions, and missed diagnostic opportunities. Through these contributions, Francia bridges evidence and implementation to foster equitable health outcomes.