Academy Forum

A special evening to acknowledge surgical education and the leaders among us. Held in conjunction with the November Annual Academic Surgery Conference.

The Academy Forum will offer attendees opportunity to hear from two keynote speakers on world leading topics.  We will also acknowledge the Academy of Surgical Educators Awards; The Educator of Merit for SET Supervisor/SIMG Supervisor of the Year and Facilitator/Instructor of the Year.

Due to the ongoing restrictions across Australia and Aotearoa New Zealand, the Academy Forum 2021 will be held online and is free to attend. 

Date: Thursday 4 November 2021
Time: 6:00pm - 8:00pm 
Register for Academy Forum 2021

Speakers

A/Prof Andrew Kurmis on 'Contemporary bone crunching: when Siri controls the mallet ...'

Presentation Summary
As technology-assisted surgery seems to be coming ever-increasingly commonplace in the local environment the optimal role of computers and robots in the operating theatre remains widely contentious. While in many realms of surgery there have been concerns that adoption and uptake of some technologies may have outpaced the evidence base that supports them, within the field of orthopaedics the Australian National Joint Replacement Registry (ANJRR) continues to provide arguably robust, independent and objective data to highlight the strengths (and potential short-comings) particularly related to adult arthroplasty applications. The current presentation uses real-life clinical vignettes to explore the use of computer-navigated and robot-assisted orthopaedic surgery while highlighting the perceived value, inherent limitations and early evidence underpinning such technologies.  

About A/Prof Andrew Kurmis
A/Professor Kurmis is an arthroplasty fellowship-trained Staff Specialist & Senior Consultant Orthopaedic Surgeon based in South Australia, working in both public and private practice. He provides both high-volume primary joint replacement and complex revision / limb salvage surgery services to patients from across the country. A recipient of both the RACS Gordon Trinca and Justin Miller medals, he was also the College's 2019 Robotic Training Scholar and has extensive experience with conventional, navigated, computer- and robot-assisted joint replacement surgery. His 2003 PhD exploring the early role of navigated total knee replacement in Australia lay the fundamental foundations for a career of critical inquisition and exploration of technology-assisted surgery. Through several senior committee and institutional appointments Professor Kurmis provides clinical governance and input to the Health Ministry, regional health networks and industry in relation to the provision of arthroplasty services (including resource management and technology allocation) and is a strong advocate for equity-of-access and patient outcomes. He is also passionate about teaching and training, and is the current orthopaedic director of undergraduate medical education within NALHN (SA), is a longstanding member of the RACS EMST National Committee, and is a formal AOA SET trainee supervisor. 


Prof Guy Maddern on ‘Surgical Health Technology Assessment'

Presentation Summary
We are all faced with new procedures, devices and systems in the provision of surgical care. Before they are introduced into practice we need a reliable evaluation of the available evidence rather than eminence. What are the options we have, how do we access them, who do we ask and how can we provide the best care to our patients in 2021? All of these questions will be answered and some crystal ball gazing attempted.

About Prof Guy Maddern
Professor Guy Maddern is the RP Jepson Professor of Surgery at the University of Adelaide, Director of Research at the Basil Hetzel Institute for Translational Health Research at The Queen Elizabeth Hospital and Director, Surgical Research and Evaluation (incorporating ASERNIP-S) of the Royal Australasian College of Surgeons. He was trained at the University of Adelaide and became a Fellow of the Royal Australasian College of Surgeons in 1989. His clinical interests include the development of techniques to manage metastatic hepatic disease and hepatic approaches to optimise resection options. He has also published widely on new surgical techniques and their introduction into surgical practice. He has over 500 publications in scientific journals, has contributed to over a dozen surgical texts and attracted $65 million of research funding.

The evaluation of new technologies and in particular surgical technologies is another area of focus and interest. Under his supervision, ASERNIP-S has been responsible for assessing these technologies before exposing the Australian population to them and has provided this service to the Australian and International community for the past 20 years, and is recognised, nationally and internationally, as the premier surgical innovation assessment group.

He is a past President of HTAi, a past Chair of INAHTA, and incoming Chair, HTAi Policy Forum.

The Academy was privileged to have the following speakers at the Academy Forum 2019. Recordings are now available for Academy members (RACS portfolio login required)

Prof Margaret Hay: In search of the quirky and tenacious surgical trainee: Are they lost?

Dr Claudia Di Bella FRACS: Surgical training in the era of robotics and 3D-printing

This educational activity has been approved in the College's CPD program. Fellows who participate can claim one point per hour (maximum of two points) in Category 3 - Maintenance of Knowledge and Skills. For those with a RACS CPD requirement this activity will be automatically uploaded to your record.

This event earns two CPD points.