RACS elects 49th President

Anthony Sparnon, an Adelaide paediatric surgeon, has been elected the next President of the Royal Australasian College of Surgeons (RACS) by a vote of the RACS Council in Melbourne.

Dr Sparnon replaces President John Batten and will formally become President of RACS at the Annual General Meeting to be held on 9 May 2019 in Bangkok, as part of the 88th RACS Annual Scientific Congress.

Dr Sparnon has been the RACS Censor in Chief since 2017 and was previously Chair of the RACS Court of Examiners and Chair of the RACS Morbidity Audits Committee, among other roles.

Dr Sparnon practices at the Women's and Children's Hospital Adelaide and Mount Barker District Soldiers' Memorial Hospital, as well as the Stirling, St Andrew's and Parkwynd private hospitals. He is also a Senior Lecturer University of Adelaide's Women's and Children's Hospital.

Dr Sparnon acknowledged the work of his predecessor, John Batten.

"I applaud President John Batten for his strong advocacy efforts around important issues such as cultural change, leadership and improving surgical education.

I am excited about this opportunity to continue the focus on the core education, training and advocacy programs, better supporting trainees, international medical graduates and surgeons to deliver excellence in contemporary patient care. This year will be one of maximising the opportunities for RACS and its membership. A united approach with our surgical speciality societies will be crucial in order to achieve and embed change. I look forward to working with my fellow Councillors, the specialty societies and training committees, the staff at the College and external stakeholders and partners."

Also elected by the RACS Council as Vice President is Richard Perry, a general surgeon specialising in colorectal and endoscopic surgery.

Mr Perry, an elected member of the RACS Council, has chaired various committees at RACS including the Professional Development and Standards Board, the Fellowship Services Committee, and the Australian Surgical Skills Education and Training Committee, and led a surgical workforce capacity building team in Myanmar.

Mr Perry has a long-time interest in governance as a Chartered Member of the Institute of Directors in New Zealand and a Graduate Member of the Australian Institute of Company Directors.