Dr Andrea Zalan

Current Practice

Dr Andrea Zalan is a Developmental and Behavioural Paediatrician who has worked exclusively in this area over many years allowing her to combine her expertise in Medicine, Paediatrics, Psychology and Educational Principles. This unique combination of skills offers an efficient, experienced assessment capacity allowing highly effective management advice and strategies for children and adolescents with developmental and/or behavioural problems.

She founded MINERVA MINDS Paediatric Practice to realise her vision of creating a centre of excellence dedicated to optimising children’s health and well-being and improving their development. Through her clinical practice she regularly observes  the benefits of early intervention and is keen to make that available for more children. Therefore she does not only see her regular clients but also supervises the doctors in the practice and provides the necessary developmental assessments if required.

She regularly attends National and International Conferences and is an active member of the Neurodevelopmental and Behavioural Paediatric Society of Australasia.

Personal

Dr Zalan grew up in Europe, speaking multiple languages and attending Universities in several countries, before moving to Australia in her early 20’s. She understands and respects cultural differences and the challenges of adapting to new settings.

She has been a fundraiser for UNICEF and ASPECT (Australian Autism Association), combining her commitment to helping children with her love of ocean swimming. She is also a parent, giving her personal insights into both the demanding and rewarding aspects of parenting.

Education

Dr Zalan completed her Medical Degree at The Flinders University of South Australia in 1989. She went on to do her specialist Paediatric Training at The Royal Children’s Hospital in Melbourne between 1992 and 2000. After moving to Sydney in 2001, she completed further training in Child Psychiatry at The Sydney Children’s Hospital & The NSW Institute of Psychiatry. She recently completed her Level 1 training in Sensorimotor Psychotherapy reflecting her ongoing commitment to training and education.

Experience

She developed and implemented a Training Program for Paediatric Registrars at the Sydney Children’s Hospital, dealing with the psychosocial aspects of chronic illness and impact on their families. This gave her extensive experience in working with families to ensure optimal clinical strategies.

She worked as a Medical Educator (The Assistant Principal of The Diploma in Child Health, University of Sydney) teaching General Practitioners on current paediatric health issues. During this period she gained extensive exposure in effective learning and educational processes and approaches.

She has worked extensively in the Public Paediatric Hospital system including The Royal Children’s Hospital in Melbourne, The Sydney Children’s Hospital and The Children’s Hospital at Westmead.