Dr Brent McMonagle was born on the Gold Coast (actually in Pindara Hospital), and educated at The Southport School, graduating from the University of Queensland Medical School in 1996.
He received his surgical fellowship in 2004 having completed training in Queensland, and then undertook post-fellowship training in 2005/6 in Sydney, London, and Adelaide in the areas of otology, neurotology, skullbase surgery, and advanced sinus surgery. Brent is the only Otolaryngologist between Brisbane and Newcastle who performs virtually all types of ear surgery, at Gold Coast University Hospital. He established a cochlear implant program on the Gold Coast in 2010, and has performed more than 100 cochlear implants so far.
He is the supervisor of clinical training of Ear, Nose and Throat (ENT) surgery at Gold Coast University Hospital, a Royal Australian College of Surgeons examiner (part 1 SET), member of the Academy of Surgical Educators, and lectures medical students at Bond and Griffith Universities.
Dr Brent McMonagle has completed a PhD on Olfactory Ensheathing Cells and Stem Cells in Nerve Repair and Regeneration under the supervision of Prof Alan Mackay-Sim (Australian of the Year 2017). This work has involved developing alternative methods of peripheral nerve repair. Brent is the scientific director of the Perry Cross Spinal Research Foundation, which aims to “cure paralysis for all”, which has raised money to support four PhD projects so far. Dr McMonagle is part of the Menzies Health Institute team led by Dr James St John, recently awarded $5 million to develop new techniques for a future human trial of olfactory cell transplants in spinal cord injured patients.
He is also involved in clinical research into otitis media, has written numerous articles and chapters on basic science and clinical research, and presented both nationally and internationally.