We had a strong response to nominations, with 13 Fellows standing for Fellowship elected Councillor positions, and elections also being held for a specialty elected Councillors in Urology. (Learn more about the candidates below.)
The RACS Council plays a vital role in representing surgeons and their patients, providing a trusted voice to government on workforce challenges and other key issues shaping healthcare policy. Council decisions influence surgical education, training, and professional standards — areas that affect every surgeon and the patients they serve.
By voting, you help ensure the Council reflects the full breadth of the Fellowship — across geography, specialties, and career stages. A strong voter turnout helps build a leadership team that understands and advocates for your needs, whether you’re a Younger Fellow or retiring soon, a rural surgeon or urban-based, or part of a specialty or interest group.
You should have received all the information you need to vote via an email from BigPulse. If you haven’t received it or you have a question, please contact us.
About the candidates
Fellowship elected Councillor
All Fellows are eligible to vote in this category. There are three vacancies and you must vote for exactly three candidates in order for your ballot to submit successfully. The candidates are listed alphabetically by first name:
| Name | Region | Specialty | Notes |
| Akhtar Sayed-Hassen | VIC | General Surgery | |
| Daniel Carroll | NT | Paediatric Surgery | |
| Don Jayasuriya | VIC | General Surgery | |
| Islam Nassar | NSW | Orthopaedic Surgery | |
| Ming Yew | WA | General Surgery | Currently co-opted to Council |
| Patrick Lo | VIC | Neurosurgery | |
| Paul Bumbak | WA | Otolaryngology Head and Neck Surgery | |
| Payal Mukherjee | NSW | Otolaryngology Head and Neck Surgery | |
| Richard Bradbury | NSW | General Surgery | Standing for re-election |
| Rosalynd Pochin | AoNZ | General Surgery | Currently co-opted to Council |
| Samantha Khoo | ACT | Vascular Surgery | |
| Sanjeev Naidu | QLD | General Surgery | |
| Vahid Reza Adib | QLD | General Surgery |
Specialty elected Councillor ‐ Urology
Urology Fellows are encouraged to vote for this position. There is one vacancy. You must vote for exactly one candidate in order for your ballot to submit successfully. The candidates are listed alphabetically by first name:
| Name | Region |
| Hin-Wai Yap | QLD |
| Karen McKertich | VIC |