Lectures and Prizes - Regions

Also view: Awards and Lectures and Prizes (general)

New South Wales
Queensland
South Australia
Tasmania
Victoria
Western Australia 
New Zealand

Policies - Regions 

 

New South Wales

Graham Coupland Lecture and Medal

The Graham Coupland Lecture was established in 1983 to honour the memory of G.A.E. Coupland (1934-1982), who had a distinguished, but short, career as a gastric and paediatric surgeon. Coupland was born in the New England region of New South Wales and graduated in medicine from the University of Sydney in 1959. He obtained his Master of Surgery from the same institution in 1975. He was a brilliant and natural surgeon, especially of the upper gastrointestinal tract. He later turned his attention to the surgery of children.

As Supervisor of Surgery for the University of Sydney, he was an admired and respected teacher at Royal North Shore Hospital, where he acquired the epithet "tachyambulant". In 1976 he was appointed associate professor. He also taught at the Singapore General Hospital under the Colombo Plan. He was an energetic and enthusiastic member of the New South Wales Regional Committee from 1978 to 1982.

Award Recipients 

NSW Medical Student Awards

The Annual Medical Student Award and Medal is awarded to the winner of the Essay Competition for medical students in their final year at the NSW Medical School  organised by the NSW Regional Office to promote a career in surgery. 

Award Recipients 

Michael Donnellan Medal

The Michael Donnellan Medal was established by the NSW Regional Committee in recognition of the contributions made to the College and to cancer care in NSW by Dr Donnellan.  A former Chairman of the NSW State Committee between 1988 and 1990, Dr Donnellan was instrumental in securing the funding for the Albion Street offices of the College.  He was also heavily involved with the establishment of breast screening services.  However, his lasting legacy will be the doctors and surgeons that he trained. 

Award Recipients 

Regional Committee Merit Award and Medal

Each year up to 3 awards can be presented at the NSW annual meeting or at the Regional Committee Dinner. The award is open to Fellows of the College, other medical practitioners or to members of the public.

The award is made for the best overall presentation at the discretion of the regional committee and for distinguished service to surgery in New South Wales. The award committee comprises the executive members of the NSW Regional Committee and the supervisors of surgical training.

 Award Recipients  

 

Queensland

Court and Lilley Scholarship

The Award comprises funding from two bequests, the Richard and Elizabeth Court Scholarship (1974), and the Charles M Lilley Scholarship (1955). They are held in conjunction so as to ensure the amount of the scholarship is significant and also because the terms of the bequests are very similar.

The Awards are made every three years, but holders and their supervisors must reapply by submitting an annual report.  Further installments will be made only if these are satisfactory.

Award Recipients

David Theile Lecture 

Delivered at the Annual Scientific Meeting of the Queensland State Committee.

David Theile's enormous contribution to the College includes service as Chairman of the Queensland State Committee (1981-1982), member of College Council (1983-1995), censor-in-chief (1989-1991), vice-president (1991-1993) and president (1993-1995).

He has served with distinction on the Australian Medical Workforce Advisory Committee and as Chairman of the Pacific Islands Project. Theile's initiative led to a successful College tender for this project. This initiative was the start of much increased outreach activity by the College. He remains an active supporter of the College and of surgery on a number of fronts. David was awarded a Sir Hugh Devine Medal in 2001. 

Award Recipients

Neville Davis Prize

This is a longstanding award of the Queensland Regional Committee awarded for the best clinical paper presented at the annual Queensland State Meeting.  The recipient receives a RACS Plaque and prize money.

The award was established in 1983 through the Queensland State Committee, and named after Dr Neville Coleman Davis AO, FRACS.  Dr Neville Davis was a Surgical Supervisor at Brisbane General Hospital 1952-1956, and Co-ordinator, Post Graduate Surgical Education 1980 -1986 at the Princess Alexandra Hospital, Brisbane. He is the author of 90 scientific articles on malignant Melanoma, Colorectal Cancer, Wound Infection, Intestinal Obstruction and Burns.  His personal standards for writing and research, as well as his views and influence in surgical education have contributed towards raising the standard of medical articles and presentations within the College.

The award is for the best paper presented at the Queensland State Committee's Annual State Meeting. The award is in the form of a certificate and a cheque for the amount of $2,500.00. At the discretion of the Convener and with funds available a second prize of $500 may be offered.

The applicants must be an active College Trainee in Queensland.  The applicants can also be a Principal House Officer (PHO) working in a surgical unit at a Public Hospital in Queensland.

Award Recipients 

 

South Australia

 Jepson Medal

The award is presented to a Fellow or SET Trainee who presents the best paper based on clinical relevance, presentation skills, use of audio visual, research content and originality. The award is an engraved medal plus $500.

Award Recipients

Sir Henry Newland Award

Approved in 2012, this award is in recognition of achievement either for the best overall presentation at a SA Trainee or Fellowship meeting or for distinguished service to surgery in SA. Sir Henry Newland was an eminent surgeon of his time and the Chairman of the RACS State Committee in South Australia from 1939-1942. The award is a medal and certificate. 

Award Recipients

W. Anstey Giles Memorial Lecture

Delivered at the Annual Scientific Meeting of the South Australian Committee.

This lecture, formerly the Annual Lecture, was first given under this name in 1953. It commemorates the contributions to surgery of William Anstey Giles (1860-1944), one of the founders of the College. A member of an eminent pioneering family of South Australia, Giles was educated at Clifton School in Bristol and graduated from the medical school at Edinburgh University in 1882.

He subsequently undertook postgraduate study with Adam Politzer in Vienna (Austria) and specialized in diseases of the ear, nose and throat. He returned to Adelaide in 1885 and in due course built up a large general practice. He was appointed lecturer in otology at the University of Adelaide in 1886 and joined the (Royal) Adelaide Hospital as assistant surgeon in 1887.

His career flourished, and he ultimately became Dean of the Faculty of Medicine (1895 and 1902), Registrar to the Medical Board of South Australia and consultant surgeon to the (Royal) Adelaide Hospital. He was the first chairman of the South Australian Regional Committee of the College (1928-1932).

Giles, with others in the profession, endured a very difficult period in the history of medicine in South Australia. In 1896 teaching at the hospital and the medical school was suspended when the government dismissed the board of management. The honorary medical staff then resigned en masse, leaving the students without any tutelage. Not until 1901 did the staff return and clinical teaching resume.

Giles was a man of commanding presence and irascible temper. Whatever he undertook was done with energy and enthusiasm. He was a strict adherent of aseptic procedures and a prolific contributor to the medical literature on a wide range of topics. When speaking about the foundation of the College, he said, "Its objective was to make more perfect the art and science of surgery, and to give the best possible service to the community".

Award Recipients 

 

Tasmania

Covidien Education Grant

The Covidien Education Grant is funded by Covidien to encourage SET trainees to undertake research studies.  Eligibility for this Grant is open to all SET trainees who present a paper at the Tasmanian ASM.

Award Recipients

Graham Duffy Memorial Prize

This is a long standing award in recognition of the best paper presented at the Tasmanian Annual Scientific Meeting by a Registrar or intern.  This prize was first awarded in 1993 in honor of Graeme Duffy who was the first established neurosurgeon in Hobart and created a State Neurosurgical Service.  He was appointed Hunterian Professor of the Royal College of Surgeons of England for his landmark paper on lumbar puncture.  The prize is open to all registrars and interns who present papers at the meeting.

Award Recipients

Joe Shepherd Memorial Prize

This is a long standing award in recognition of the best paper presented at the Tasmanian Annual Scientific Meeting by a consultant.  This prize has been presented since 2006 in memory of Joe Shepherd, Professor of Surgery at the University of Tasmania, 1978 - 1993. Joe was recognized as a world authority on MEN-1 and vigorously campaigned for public education against cigarette smoking.  The prize is open to all consultants who present a paper at the meeting.

Award Recipients

Peter Braithwaite Award

This is a long standing award in recognition of the runner-up to best paper presented at the Tasmanian Annual Scientific Meeting by a Registrar or intern.  This prize has been awarded since 1988 in honor of Peter Braithwaite who was appointed Surgical Superintendent at the Royal Hobart Hospital in 1948.  Peter served as a member of Council from 1967 to 1979, Senior Vice-President between 1977 and 1979 and was also a past Chairman of the Cardiac Society of Australia and New Zealand.

Award Recipients

Peter Hewitt Memorial Prize

This is a long standing award in recognition of the best paper presented at the Tasmanian Annual Scientific meeting by a final year medical student.  This prize has been presented in memory of Peter Hewitt since 2008. Peter was a highly regarded hepatobiliary surgeon at the Launceston General Hospital and Associate Professor at the Launceston Clinical School of the Faculty of Medicine, University of Tasmania.  The prize is open to all final year medical students who present papers at the meeting.

Award Recipients 

 

Victoria

D R Leslie Prize

The D.R. Leslie Prize was established in 1986 to honour Doug Leslie and the work he has done for the College.  This Prize is to be awarded to the best clinical registrar paper at the time of the Annual Scientific Meeting.

This is an annual prize awarded for the best clinical registrar paper presented at the Annual Scientific Meeting. The recipient receives a medal.

Award Recipients

Geoffrey James Royal Memorial Lecture and Medal

The G.J. Royal Memorial Lecture was established in 1991 to honour the late G.J. Royal (1939-1991) and recognise his work both for the College and in particular the Victorian State Committee.  This lecture is delivered at the time of the Country/City Scientific Meeting.  The lecturer is then awarded the G.J. Royal Medal by the VRC at the AVSFM formal dinner after the lecture.

Award Recipients

Michael Ryan Scholarship

Established in 1934, this is an annual prize awarded to the final year student who has achieved the best results in surgery at St Vincent's Hospital. The recipient receives a cheque and a medal, which is not presented until the year after the final examination.

Award Recipients

RC Bennett Prize

This is an annual prize awarded for the best research paper presented at the Annual  Scientific Meeting (AVSFM).

The R.C. Bennett Prize was established in 1989 to honour Dick Bennett and his work for the College as well as surgical research.  This Prize is to be awarded to the best research paper at the time of the Annual Scientific Meeting.  The recipient receives a medal.

Award Recipients 

 

Western Australia

Gordon Baron-Hay Award (formerly RACS Registrars' Award)

This award is given to the best registrars paper presented at the WA Annual ASM (AVSFM). 

Award Recipients

John Hanrahan Oration

The John Hanrahan Oration was established by the Western Australian Regional Committee in 1992 to honour the first Western Australian to be elected President of the College (1991-1993)

Award Recipients 

 

New Zealand

Gordon Bell Memorial Lecture

The lecture is given at the Annual Scientific Meeting of the New Zealand National Board.

This lecture was established in 1977 to honour Sir Francis Gordon Bell (1887-1970), the second New Zealander to be elected President of the College (1947-1949).

Bell came from a family of Scottish farmers who had migrated from Dumfries. He was born at Grovetown in the district of Marlborough in the South Island. He was educated at Marlborough High School and later at the University of Edinburgh, where he graduated MB ChB in 1910. He gained his Fellowship of the Royal College of Surgeons (FRCS) in 1912 and MD in 1913.

On the outbreak of World War I Bell went on a fellowship to the Mayo Clinic in the United States, where he was impressed by the scale and lavishness of the institution. In 1915 he joined the Royal Army Medical Corps (RAMC) and was sent to France. He served with distinction and was awarded the MC (1916). He became expert in the surgery of the battlefield and worked with many other surgeons who were to become leaders in their fields in Australasia.

After the war, he returned to practise in Edinburgh, where he was appointed assistant surgeon to the Edinburgh Royal Infirmary and gained his Fellowship of the Royal College of Surgeons of Edinburgh (FRCSEd) in 1924. In 1925 Sir Louis Barnett retired from the chair of surgery at Otago and endowed a chair of surgery in memory of his son, who had died in the war. Bell applied and was appointed. He held this chair for the next 27 years.

In 1927 he became one of the foundation Fellows of the College. When Barnett retired from Council in 1939, Bell filled the vacancy. He was elected vice-president in 1943 and president in 1947.

He retired from the University of Otago in 1952 and was knighted the following year. In 1957 he was persuaded to return to Otago during a 12-month interregnum in the medical faculty. His final public appearance was as the representative of the Royal College of Surgeons of Edinburgh at the centenary celebrations of the University of Otago in 1969. He died in Dunedin the following year, aged 83.

Conditions

• The lecture shall be known as The Sir Gordon Bell Memorial Lecture.
• The lecture shall be delivered by a guest speaker at the Annual Scientific Meeting of the New Zealand National Board.
• The subject of the lecture may be in any surgical specialty, provided that, as it is delivered at the opening plenary session, the subject must be relevant to the specialties represented at the meeting.

Lecturers
1978 - Professor R.B. Welbourn - Science and Surgery
1979 - Professor H. Ellis - Cutting for the Stonev 1980 - Professor H.A.F. Dudley - From Edinburgh, an Academic Surgeon
1981 - Professor J.L. Dawson - Medical Education and the London Medical Schools
1982 - Professor M. Irving - The Building of the Manchester Ship Canal and the Subsequent Development of Accident Services in the UK
1983 - Professor S. Bengmark - Organisation of Health Services in Western Society
1984 - B. Campbell - Team Management and Accountability
1985 - Professor N. O'Higgins - Endocrine Aspects of Breast Cancer
1986 - W.B. Runciman - The Right to live - The Right to Die
1987 - Professor A. Johnson - Future Trends in Clinical Research
1988 - Professor R. Williamson - A Relevant Family History
1989 - Professor M.F. Brennan - Management of Soft Tissue Sarcoma
1991 - Professor D.C. Carter - The Challenge of Pancreatic Cancer
1992 - Miss Averil Mansfield
1993 - Professor G.L. Hill - Revolution In Surgery: Keyholes Or Molecules?
1994 - Professor J Wong
1995 - Professor M.R.B. Keighley
1996 - Professor I. Taylor - Is Research Really Necessary in Surgical Training?
1997 - Professor J. Perissat - An Overview of The Minimally Invasive Approach
1998 - Professor G.I. Taylor - The Anatomical Renaissance: Explored, Explained, Expanded and Explanted
2000 - Professor K. Jeffery - Surgical Beginnings: The Dunedin and Edinburgh Connection
2001 - Professor M. Brennan - Training Requirements for the Surgeon Interested in Surgical Care of The Cancer Patient
2002 - Professor A. Fingerhut - Evidence-Based Surgery: Why Is It Important?
2003 - Dr Ira Kodner - Hereditary Colorectal Cancer: The Rights Of the Patient vs the Rights of Others at Risk
2004 - Professor Bruce Wolff - The Intra-Abdominal Surprise - A Guide to Incidental Surgery
2005 - James Church - Thoughts about the Management of Rectal Cancer