Welcome to the daily dose, with all the action and highlights from the 93rd RACS ASC in Sydney.
Lighting the way for the future of surgery Professor Jenny May AM threw down a challenge to the new Fellows being celebrated at last night's Convocation Ceremony: to provide the leadership needed to ensure innovation is harnessed for good.
The National Rural Health Commissioner, Professor May delivered the George Adlington Syme Oration with a powerful message of Reimagining the Future.
While excited about the possibilities of AI and other “positive disruptors”, Professor May stressed that how these innovations evolve—and who they benefit—will depend on leadership.
She urged the newest Fellows to “find their own compass” and shape a vision for a more equitable health system, one that ensures technology delivers for all, especially those most in need.
Since the last Convocation Ceremony, 289 surgeons have been admitted to Fellowship, and 250 of them took to the stage in the Darling Harbour Theatre last night—the largest convocating cohort in recent years. Congratulations to all.
The ceremony was also an opportunity to honour long-serving members who have made exceptional contributions to the profession and to our College.
Congratulations to: - Dr Colin Barber, recipient of the Award for Excellence in Surgery
- Associate Professor Jenepher Martin, recipient of the Sir Alan Newton Surgical Education Medal
- Dr William Barber, and Dr Saxon Connor, recipients of the ESR Hughes Award
- Nicholas Carr, John Craven, Souella Cumming and Shane Solomon, recipients of the RACS Medal
- Professor Susan Stott, awarded the RACS Surgical Research Award
- Professor Eugene Ek, recipient of the John Mitchell Crouch Research Fellowship
Finally, congratulations to Professor Herbert Chen and Dr Ajit K. Sachdeva who were admitted to Honorary Fellowship of the College in recognition of their contributions to surgery, surgeons and RACS.
"We can't operate in isolation." Professor Rowan Parks, President of the Royal College of Surgeons of Edinburgh, delivered the President's Lecture at the Annual Scientific Congress (ASC), reflecting on RACS' almost 100-year evolution. Surgical colleges thrive on collaboration – with specialty associations, regulators, and health departments. This can beg the question: what is our role? For Professor Parks, it’s about finding our niche: maintaining professional standards, advocating for our members, and nurturing the next generation of surgeons and surgical leaders. He quoted William Mayo's advice to Founding Fellow Sir Hugh Devine in 1925: “My boy, go home and found your own college, and make it fit into your own conditions and circumstances." The College has since evolved, from an institution run exclusively by surgeons to a complex organisation that fits a complex environment. But our core purpose and spirit of collegiality remain. From Professor Parks: "The Fellowship and friendship between our colleagues, both nationally and globally, is hard to measure but really, really important."
From ace to space: bold ideas and surgical innovation
Outgoing RACS President, Associate Professor Kerin Fielding, officially lifted the curtain of the 93rd RACS Annual Scientific Congress (ASC) with an opening plenary that took us from cutting-edge skin repair to precision prostate cancer treatment and a peek at what medicine might look like en route to Mars.
First up was Professor Fiona Wood—world-leading burns specialist, plastic and reconstructive surgeon, and 2005 Australian of the Year—who reminded us that excellence starts with curiosity. Unconvinced that traditional skin grafts were “good enough”, she worked to pioneer skin replacement techniques. Her now-famous "spray-on skin" technique dramatically improved outcomes for burns patients, including the 28 survivors she treated at Royal Perth Hospital in the aftermath of the 2002 Bali bombings.
We also heard from Associate Professor Celalettin Varol, a urologist whose drive to do better led to many long nights in his garage. He introduced us to ProFocal-Rx—a targeted, MRI-guided laser therapy for prostate cancer that focuses only on the affected tissue, preserving the gland and offering a minimally invasive alternative to surgery or radiation. The goal? Precision with fewer side effects.
Finally, things took an interstellar turn with Dr John Cherry, Deputy Chief Medical Officer for the Australian Antarctic Program. While his talk seemed to almost verge on science fiction, it was firmly grounded in fact. He explored how Antarctica’s extreme isolation is helping us prepare for deep space exploration. Through a partnership with Baylor College of Medicine’s Translational Research Institute for Space Health, Australia’s Polar Medicine Unit is contributing to the future of astronaut health on long duration spaceflight.
Congratulating our John Corboy medalist for 2025 Service, Passion, Tenacity
Trainees and Younger Fellows gathered by a glittering Darling Harbour at Henley's Bar and Kitchen on Friday night to mingle ahead of the ASC and present the John Corboy Medal for 2025.
The medal is RACS' highest accolade for Trainees, recognising outstanding leadership, exceptional service and resilience.
Immediate Past Chair of the RACS Trainees’ Association (RACSTA), Dr Sue Hui Ong, was there to present the award to Dr Rahiri—two fantastic role models who represent a bright future for surgical leadership.
Emblazoned with the words "Service Passion Tenacity", the medal perfectly exemplifies Dr Rahiri's remarkable leadership, particularly for Māori aspiring surgeons, and her advocacy for health equity, cultural safety and Māori health.
Congratulations, Dr Rahiri! |
