Rate My Professor Peter Coombs

Mr. Peter Coombs is a Senior Lecturer in the Department of Medical Imaging and Radiation Sciences, Faculty of Medicine, Nursing and Health Sciences, at Monash University. He concurrently holds the position of Ultrasound Service Lead and Chief Sonographer at Monash Health, leading the ultrasound service for over 15 years. With more than 20 years as a Senior Lecturer in ultrasound at Monash University, he coordinates the SON5000 Ultrasound research unit and contributes significantly to sonographer education and training programs. Coombs' expertise encompasses a wide range of ultrasound applications, including fetal medicine, neonatal cranial ultrasound, musculoskeletal sonography, vascular ultrasound, point-of-care ultrasound, and thyroid imaging. He has played a key role in developing clinical guidelines, such as those for ultrasound assessment of the gravid cervix to predict preterm birth risk and standardized clinical ultrasound reporting for sonographers. Additionally, he supports international ultrasound education through volunteer efforts in Papua New Guinea, Solomon Islands, and Cambodia via the 2H Safe Arrivals obstetric care program.

Coombs has produced 32 research outputs documented on the Monash University research portal, with publications in leading journals focusing on advancing sonographic practices. Notable works include 'Sonography in a large Australian public ultrasound service: 10 years of change and innovation' (2024, Sonography), 'Reliability and accuracy of rectus femoris muscle measurements by dietitians using ultrasound, compared to sonographers' (2025), 'Enhancing Sonography Through a Clinical Fellowship Model' (2025, Sonography), 'Visualization of the Fetal Corpus Callosum in Routine Second Trimester Screening Ultrasound Examinations' (2025), 'Sonographic risk stratification of FDG-avid thyroid nodules using the Thyroid Imaging Reporting and Data System' (2024), 'Accuracy of sonographic estimation of weight in fetuses with abdominal wall defects' (2020, Australian and New Zealand Journal of Obstetrics and Gynaecology), 'Surveillance Practice for Sonographic Detection of Intracranial Abnormalities in Premature Neonates' (2020, Ultrasound in Medicine & Biology), and 'Normal foetal kidney volume in offspring of women treated for gestational diabetes' (2019, Endocrinology, Diabetes & Metabolism). His contributions earned him awards such as Australasian Sonographer of the Year (2013), Australasian Sonographer of the Year: Victoria (2018), Australasian Humanitarian of the Year (2019), Anthony Tynan Award for Best Clinical Presentation (2006), and Award for Excellence (1995). Coombs serves on the editorial board of the Sonography journal, and his work supports UN Sustainable Development Goal 3: Good Health and Well-being.