General Practice staff

Dr Melinda Bell

Dr Deep Khosa

Graduated from Murdoch University in 1996, she ventured into private practice after graduation and stayed there for 5 years. While in private practice she successfully completed post graduate studies to attain a Membership in Small Animal Medicine with the Australian College of Veterinary Scientists. She started working at Murdoch soon after her studies in 2001.

Outside of work she loves to cook, dream up home improvements, run and travel. She shares her life with 1 husband, 3 cats and 40 tropical fish.

Dr Richard Rumsey

Richard graduated from the University of Sydney in 1994. He began work at the RSPCA in Sydney for 4 years then after this worked in private practice in Sydney. He moved to Perth in 2001 and worked in private practice.

He started working at Murdoch University General Practice in 2002. He completed his Membership in Small Animal Surgery of the Australian College in 2003. His interests include small animal surgery.

Dr Karen Denholm

Karen graduated from Murdoch University in 1993. Upon graduating Karen travelled to the UK and practiced in a nine vet team as a small animal veterinarian for two years. Karen has also worked as a human nurse and midwife prior to completing her veterinary degree. On return from the UK she worked as a locum vet for eight months, including small animal general practice at Murdoch and was given the opportunity to return to Murdoch and become a member of the general practice team and has been with us since 1996. Karen has a special interest in internal medicine and feline medicine. During her time as a clinician she has had several vacations to become a mother of three daughters and has acquired a rabbit, guinea pigs, fish and soon to be a snake !

Dr Nikki Kirkwood

Nikki graduated with honours from Murdoch University in 1992. She began work in suburban private practice in Perth and stayed there for 5 years before the lure of university practice brought her back to Murdoch in 1998. Later in this year she achieved Membership to the Australian College of Veterinary Scientists in Small Animal Medicine. A short stint as Registrar in Small Animal Medicine at Murdoch followed, but after missing her clients and patients in the general practice too much, she moved permanently back to GP in 2001. Her special area of interest is internal medicine. Outside of work she likes to cook, eat out and tinker in the garden. She lives with 1 cat, 1 worm farm, 3 children and 1 husband.

Ailsa Foster 

Nurse Coordinator

(RVN) Cert IV Veterinary Nursing
Veterinary Nurse

Ailsa is a Registered Veterinary Nurse who joined the General Practice team at the start of 2011. She has been nursing for 4 years and also has a degree in Animal Science. Ailsa has a passion for wildlife, and during the teaching term leads practical classes in safe wildlife handling for Murdoch's Veterinary students.
When she's not nursing in the General Practice, Ailsa heads overseas to volunteer with wildlife in other countries. So far she has worked with primates and bears. Who knows what will be next!

Claire Deamer

(RVN) Cert IV Veterinary Nursing
Veterinary Nurse

Maria Tarr 

(RVN) Cert IV Veterinary Nursing
Veterinary Nurse

Maria has been nursing since 1989, working both in Private Practice and at an Ophthalmology Referral Practice prior to starting with Murdoch University Veterinary Hospital. She began in January 2009 with Murdoch's Surgery Department, before joining the General Practice team in March 2012. Maria has several pets at home including Dog's, Cat's, Horses, Birds and 2 teenage boys that keep her very busy when not at work.

Monique Strombolini

(RVN) Cert IV Veterinary Nursing
Veterinary Nurse

Monique has been nursing since 2006, and joined Murdoch's General Practice at the start of 2012. She enjoys working with all animals, but has a particular soft spot for cats. At home Monique takes care of 2 cats: Wilson the Ragdoll and Yoda a Domestic Short Hair that she hand raised from less than a week old.