Graham Vimpani trained as a specialist in paediatrics and child health in Melbourne, Adelaide, Alice Springs and Edinburgh between 1968 and 1977. In Edinburgh, he also trained in public health and completed a PhD which involved visiting every primary school in Edinburgh, Glasgow and Aberdeen screening the heights of over 48,000 6-8 year olds to identify the smallest 1% to find out why they were small. The mind-expanding experience of working laid the foundation for a subsequent career in community paediatrics.
After 12 years in Adelaide at the Health Commission, Child and Youth Health and Flinders Medical Centre (researching injury prevention, the effects of lead on child development) he moved to Newcastle in 1990 to head the community child health services and become the first professor of community child and family health in Australia.
Graham Vimpani is acknowledged as a senior leader in child health services, paricularly through his advocacy of investment in early childhood because of its huge influence on subsequent health and wellbeing.