About Dr Sara Lucas

Qualifications

Doctorate of Clinical Neuropsychology, Macquarie University, 2009.
Master of Clinical Neuropsychology, Macquarie University, 2000.
Bachelor of Science (Honours Psychology), University of Adelaide, 1997.

Professional Memberships

Full member of the Australian Psychological Society (APS)
Full member of the APS’s College of Clinical Neuropsychologists (CCN)
Associate member of the National Academy of Neuropsychologists (NAN)

Other Professional Associations

Motor Accidents Authority (MAA) Trained in Assessment of Permanent Impairment
Health Care Complaints Commission (HCCC) Expert Reviewer

Experience

Clinical: Dr Lucas has eight years experience working at Westmead Hospital, mainly in the areas of geriatric medicine, brain injury, psychiatry and neurology. This involved provision of neuropsychological assessment services to inpatient wards including geriatric medicine, psychiatry, neurology, neurosurgery, rehabilitation, and general medical wards, as well as provision of similar services to outpatients from the area. She also consulted to the Westmead Cognition Clinic performing assessments for diagnosis of dementia. Presently, she works part time at Royal Rehabilitation Centre Sydney in the Outpatients Department.

Medicolegal: Dr Lucas has worked in the medicolegal arena for six years. This has largely involved assessment of individuals (on behalf of both plaintiff and defendant solicitors) for CTP and worker’s compensation insurance claims. She has also completed assessments for Victim’s compensation claims, as well as capacity assessments for the NSW Nurses’ Board. The majority of this experience has been gained whilst working with Dr Pauline Langeluddecke, a very experienced Clinical Psychologist and Neuropsychologist who has worked in the medicolegal arena for over 20 years.

Teaching: Dr Lucas has been involved in the teaching programs for Clinical Neuropsychology, Clinical Psychology and Forensic Psychology of three Universities around Sydney. This has involved teaching in the use of psychometric tools such as the WAIS-IV, WAIS-III, WMS-III and WISC-III, as well as various other neuropsychological tests. She has lectured in the areas of memory and traumatic brain injury. Presently, she lectures in Semester 1 at University of NSW.

Current Positions

Private Practice
Consultant Neuropsychologist, MLCOA Sydney
Guest Lecturer, UNSW
Clinical Neuropsychologist, Outpatients Dept, Royal Rehabilitation Centre Sydney
Supervisor for Registered Psychologists

Research Publications

Lucas, S.K., Redoblado-Hodge, M.A., Shores, E.A., Brennan, J. & Harris, A.W.F. (2009). Factors associated with functional psychosocial status in first episode psychosis. Early Intervention in Psychiatry, 3, 35-43.

Lucas, S.K., Redoblado-Hodge, M.A., Shores, E.A., Brennan, J. & Harris, A.W.F. (2008). Predictors of outcome three years after diagnosis of first episode psychosis. Psychiatry Research, 161, 11-18.

Zipparo, L., Whitford, T.J., Redoblado-Hodge, M.A., Lucas, S.K., Farrow, T.F.D., Brennan, J., Gomes, L., Williams, L.M. & Harris, A.W.F. (2008). Investigating the neuropsychological and neuroanatomical changes that occur over the first 2-3 years of illness in patients with first-episode schizophrenia. Progress in Neuro-psychopharmacology and Biological Psychiatry, 32, 531-538.

Wegener, S., Redoblado-Hodge, M.A., Lucas, S.K., Fitzgerald, D., Harris, A. & Brennan, J. (2005). The relative contribution of psychiatric symptoms and neuropsychological functioning to quality of life in first episode psychosis. Australian and New Zealand Journal of Psychaitry, 39(6), 487-492.

Harris, A., Brennan, J., Anderson, J., Taylor, A., Sanbrook, M., Fitzgerald, D., Lucas, S., Redoblado-Hodge, A., Gomes, L. & Gordon, E. (2005). Clinical profiles and general findings of the Western Sydney First Episode Psychosis Project. Australian and New Zealand Journal of Psychiatry, 39, 36-43.

Langeluddecke, P.M. & Lucas, S.K. (2004). WMS-III findings in litigants following moderate to extremely severe brain trauma. Journal of Clinical and Experimental Neuropsychology,27, 576-590.

Langeluddecke, P.M. & Lucas, S.K. (2004). Evaluation of Two Methods for Estimating Premorbid Intelligence on the WAIS-III in a Clinical Sample. The Clinical Neuropsychologist, 18 (3), 423-432.

Langeluddecke, P.M. & Lucas, S.K. (2004). Validation of the Rarely Missed Index (RMI) from the Wechsler Memory Scale - Third Edition (WMS-III) as a method of detecting memory malingering in mild head injury litigants. Journal of Forensic Neuropsychology, 4(1), 49-64.

Lucas, S., Fitzgerald, D., Redoblado-Hodge, M.A., Anderson, J., Sanbrook, M., Harris, A. & Brennan, J. (2004). Neuropsychological correlates of symptom profiles in first episode schizophrenia. Schizophrenia Research, 71, 323-330.

Fitzgerald, D., Lucas, S., Redoblado, M.A., Winter, V., Brennan, J., Anderson, J. & Harris, A. (2004). Cognitive functioning in young people with first episode psychosis: relationship to diagnosis and clinical characteristics. Australian and New Zealand Journal of Psychiatry, 38, 501-510.

Lucas, S.K., Carstairs, J. & Shores, E.A. (2003). A comparison of methods to estimate premorbid intelligence in an Australian sample: Data from the Macquarie University Neuropsychological Normative Study (MUNNS). Australian Psychologist, 38(3), 227-237.

Langeluddecke, P.M. & Lucas, S.K. (2003). Wechsler Adult Intelligence Scale - Third Edition findings in relation to severity of brain injury in litigants. The Clinical Neuropsychologist, 17(2), 273-284.

Langeluddecke, P.M. & Lucas, S.K. (2003). Quantitative measures of memory malingering on the Wechsler Memory Scale - Third Edition in mild head injury litigants. Archives of Clinical Neuropsychology, 18, 181-197.

Lucas, S. & Wade, T. (2001). An examination of the power of the voices in predicting the mental state of people experiencing psychosis. Behaviour Change, 18, 51-57.

Published Conference Proceedings

Lucas, S.K., Redoblado, M.A., Shores, E.A., Brennan, J. & Harris, A. (in press). Prediction of outcome three years after diagnosis of first episode psychosis - exploration of preliminary findings. Journal of the International Neuropsychological Society [abstract]. (Presentation at the 2006 INS Conference, Zurich, Switzerland)

Lucas, S.K., Redoblado, M.A., Fitzgerald, D, Brennan, J. & Harris, A. (2005). Predictors of outcome 2-3 years after diagnosis of first episode psychosis. Australian Journal of Psychology [abstract]. (Presentation at the 2005 APS CCN Conference, Melbourne, VIC)

Lucas, S.K., Redoblado-Hodge, M.A., Fitzgerald, D, Brennan, J. & Harris, A. (2005). Predictors of outcome 2-3 years after diagnosis of first episode psychosis. Australian and New Zealand Journal of Psychiatry, 39(Suppl), A63 [abstract]. (Poster at the 2005 ASPR Conference, Brisbane, QLD)

Lucas, S.K., Fitzgerald, D., Redoblado, M.A., Anderson, J., Harris, A. & Brennan, J. (2003). Neuropsychological correlates of clinical symptoms in first-episode schizophrenia - 12 month follow-up data. Australian Journal of Psychology, 55 (Suppl), 156 [abstract]. (Poster submission to 2003 APS CCN Conference, Perth, WA)

Redoblado, M.A., Lucas, S., Fitzgerald, D., Winter, V., Harris, A., Brennan, J. (2002). Cognitive profiles of first episode schizophrenia and affective disorders. Acta Psychiatrica Scandinavica, 106 (413), 40 [abstract].

Lucas, S.K., Fitzgerald, D., Redoblado, M.A., Brennan, J. & Harris, A. (2000). Neuropsychological correlates of clinical symptoms in first-episode psychosis. Australian Journal of Psychology, 52 (Suppl), 134 [abstract]. (Presentation at the 2000 CCN Conference, Hunter Valley, NSW)