Dr Kira James
Sport & Exercise Physician
MBBS, FACSEP, GCSpMed, BAppSci(HMS-Ex Sci)(Hons)
Dr Kira James is a Sport and Exercise Physician who has completed her FACSEP Sport & Exercise Medicine speciality training and settled in Cairns after working across Australia in Sydney, Brisbane, Darwin and Alice Springs. She is the first Sports Physician employed within Queensland Health at Cairns Hospital.
Whilst Sport & Exercise Medicine is not just about working with ‘athletes’, Kira has worked with many high level sporting teams and most recently, was the Deputy Chief Medical Officer for the 2022 Australian Winter Paralympic team, taking her all the way to Beijing in -15C temps at the bottom of the Snowboard Events. She is also a Team Doctor for the Australian Athletics Team and will be in France for their Paris 2024 Olympic Campaign, as well as tours with the Australian Dolphins Swim Team to World and Pan Pacific Championships.
Kira is a published author in Concussion Assessment & Management and the inaugural recipient of the Professor Ken Fitch Anti-Doping Fellowship (2023) with Sport Integrity Australia.
Kira loves regional life and travelling, both in Australia and across the world. She is keen to participate in all forms of sports and exercise, from running and hiking, to fishing and winter sports. Her husband is still trying to get her on the bike – this remains a work in progress. Kira loves learning about new sports and forms of exercise through her patients, is in awe of many of her patients and their own active achievements and is keen to get everyone back to (or start) a journey of love with exercise and feeling healthy.
A referral is required to see Dr Kira however Acute Injury Spots are kept available for last minute weekend mishaps.
Career Highlights
* Olympic Winter Institute of Australia (OWIA) Doctor (2023 – current)
* Athletics Australia Team Doctor (2021 – current)
* Australian Winter Paralympic Deputy CMO (Beijing, 2023)
* Swimming Australia & Paralympic Team Doctor (2014 – 2021)
* Australian Men’s Water Polo Team Doctor (2017-2018)
* Young Matilda’s Team Doctor (2015-2017)
* Sydney FC W-League Team Doctor (2015) + FFA Cup Doctor (2018)
Other Medical Roles/Affiliations
* Rugby League World Cup Match Day Doctor (2018)
* Venue Medical Manager – Commonwealth Games, Basketball, Cairns (2018)
* Wallabies HIA Doctor
* Easts Rugby League + Rugby Union Club Doctor (Brisbane) (2016)
* Netball World Cup (2015)
Dr Dougal Middleton
Sport & Exercise Medicine Registrar
MD, BSci(Physio), DipMSKMed, MTrauma(Ortho)
Dr Dougal Middleton is an accredited Sport and Exercise Physician Registrar based in Cairns.
He grew up in Tasmania before moving to Perth where he completed Bachelor of Physiotherapy. He completed his Medical degree in Brisbane before moving to Cairns to continue his training, predominantly in the Orthopaedic Department with the goal of becoming a Sport and Exercise Physician. Dougal has furthered his education by completing a Masters in Trauma through the University of Newcastle, and a Diploma in Musculoskeletal Medicine through the Royal College of Surgeons of Edinburgh.
Dougal has worked with the Cairns Taipans NBL team, the Northern Pride QRL team and local endurance events including the IRONMAN Cairns, The Ultra50 Marathon and The Great Pyramid Race. He has played representative hockey and cricket for Tasmania but has a passion for a wide variety of sports. He has an interest in all aspects of sport and exercise medicine, especially acute injuries and degenerative conditions like osteoarthritis.
Dr Middleton will be splitting his time between FNQ Sports Medicine and Cairns Hospital and does not require a GP/Doctor’s referral to see patients. He has private acute injury spots available every week.
Career Highlights & Affiliations
• Club Doctor – North Cairns AFL (present)
• Club Doctor – Northern Pride QRL (2022 – present)
• Medical Lead – Cairns IRONMAN (2024)
• Medical Lead – Reef to Reef Mountain Bike (2023)
• Medical Lead – Green Island Open Swim (2023)
• Medical Lead – Hockey Australia, Hockey 5s World Cup, Oman (2023)
• Medical Lead – Confraternity Cup, Rugby League (2022-present)
• Medical Officer – Cairns Ultramarathon (2022)
• Medical Officer – Cairns IRONMAN (2022-2023)
• Match Day Medical Officer – Cairns Taipans NBL (2021-2022)
• Match Day Medial Officer – Queensland Cricket (2024)