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Criteria
The Rural Surgeons Award acknowledges significant contributions to surgery in rural settings in Aotearoa New Zealand and Australia. The contribution will be in the form of conspicuous continued involvement of at least 10 years to the development of a high standard of surgery and commitment to quality assurance and ongoing education and training for the individual and other health care staff.
Persons may be nominated by any individual Fellow, surgical society or the Rural Surgery Section (formerly the Divisional Group of Rural Surgery). The Award, in the form of a certificate, may be presented on behalf of the College at a location to be recommended by the RSS at the time of nomination.
Rural Surgeons Award recipients
2025 - Mark Sanders
2023 - Jaeme Zwart
2022 - Richard Coutts
2022 - Michael Wilson
2021 - William Ross
2020 - Bal Krishan
2020 - Richard John Kyngdon
2018 - William H Taine
2017 - Tom A Bowles
2016 - Robert North
2015 - Graeme Campbell
2013 - Murray Pfeifer
2013 - David Birks
2011 - Graeme Skeggs
2009 - John Graham
2008 - Anthony Green
2005 - Charles Butcher
2004 - Barry Aarons
2003 - John Nettlefold
Rural Surgeons Award nominations, policy and contact
Nominations for 2026 are open.
Please refer to the policy governing the Rural Surgeons award (PDF 97.12KB) before submitting a nomination. Nominations must meet the criteria outlined in this policy.
Nominations may be mailed to:
Rural Surgery Section Secretariat
Royal Australasian College of Surgeons
Suite 1, Level 26
201 Kent Street
SYDNEY NSW 2000
Australia
or sent by email to: [email protected]
Telephone: +61 2 8298 4513