Our Team

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 one of the Team Doctors for the Australian Athletics Team at the Paris 2024 Olympics. She has also been 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. Kira has previously toured with the Australian Dolphins Swim Team to World and Pan Pacific Championships.

Dr 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 is now a Review Panel Member for ASDMAC (Australian Sports Drug Medical Advisory Committee)

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
* ASDMAC Review Member (2024 – current)
* 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 Nick Charalambous is an accredited Sport and Exercise Physician Registrar based in Cairns. 

He has a strong passion for combat and contact sports, as well as weightlifting. He grew up in the UK, where he earned both his medical degree and a degree in neuroscience from the University of Bristol. Afterward, he completed the written components of the Royal College of Physicians examinations and then went on to complete both the written and practical components of the Royal College of Surgeons (Edinburgh) exams. 

Dr. Charalambous has worked across several surgical specialties, including trauma and orthopaedics, where he received a national prize, general surgery, and neurosurgery. He has also gained extensive experience in emergency medicine, earning certification from the Australian College of Emergency Medicine, as well as in neurology, where he was awarded another national prize. 

This wide-ranging experience, combined with his commitment to preventative medicine, inspired him to pursue a career as a Sport and Exercise Physician, with a focus on both acute injuries and chronic conditions. On a personal level, Dr. Charalambous has competed internationally in Taekwondo, trained in western boxing, currently holds a blue belt in Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu, and is an avid weightlifter. 

Nick is also currently the Team Doctor for the Northern Pride and their six squads. 

Dr Charalambous 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 – Northern Pride QRL (2025 – present)
• Current chief project manager for the Combat Sport Exercise Module for the Sport and Exercise College [2024 – present]
• Club doctor for Port Melbourne Football Club VFL/VFLW [2024]
• Event doctor for Williamstown, Werribee and Frankston VFL [2024]
• Event doctor for Geelong Falcons Under 18s girls/boys Football club [2024]
• Ringside Doctor for the Australian Combat Board – boxing, MMA and Thai boxing [2023 – present] 
• Ringside Doctor for the British Board of Boxing Control [2018 – 2022] 
• Medical officer for First Division Medical Services [2018 – 2022] – emergency response team at motorcycle events
• Ringside Doctor at Cage Warriors and Bellator MMA events [2018 – 2022] 
• Crowd doctor at soccer and rugby events (Salford FC and Leigh Sports Village). [2018 – 2022].