Melissa trained in general practice and has worked exclusively in youth health since 1993. In 1994 she joined the Department of Adolescent Medicine at the Royal Alexandra Hospital for Children as their first permanent primary care staff member. In 1997 she completed a Master of Community Health where she conducted research into sexual behaviour of adolescents, and prevalence of tuberculosis among homeless young people.

She has worked in community and hospital settings, and currently works in a youth health centre with high risk and homeless young people. Recent research studies include Chlamydia prevalence among high risk young people and access to primary health care among young people. Melissa has spent the past 5 years extensively involved in training of professionals from a wide range of disciplines. She coordinated, co-wrote and edited the adolescent sexual health subject for the Graduate Diploma in Adolescent Health and Welfare, University of Melbourne/ Centre for Adolescent Health. Melissa has recently moved from the NSW Centre for the Advancement of Adolescent Health at the Royal Alexandra Hospital for Children to become a lecturer in the Discipline of General Practice, University of Sydney.

Melissa has written the “Dolly Doctor” column for Dolly magazine for the past 10 years. She has published research into the content of letters to the magazine. Since mid- 2002 she has appeared on a regular segment as “Dolly Doctor” on a national commercial radio station in Australia.