Past events

On Friday 30 October the South Australian (SA) State office hosted a highly successful papers day, where Medical Students, Trainees and Younger Fellows showcased their research to determine winners of the RP Jepson and Justin Miller Medal.

The awards are named in honour of two of the state’s most distinguished vascular surgeons. The RP Jepson Medal is awarded to the best research paper and presentation, and the Justin Miller Medal awarded to the best clinical paper and presentation.

In total 15 presentations were made across the two categories, with the event also providing participants with the opportunity to discuss their presentations and receive feedback from the judges. The judges comprised Dr Nicola Dean, Professor Martin Bruening, Prof Rob Padbury and Dr Christine Lai.

Later in the evening presenters from Paper’s Day were invited to join Fellows, Trainees and SIMGs at the SA Annual Dinner and Anstey Giles Lecture at the National Wine Centre, where the winners were announced.

Congratulations to Paris Mazzachi who won the RP Jepson Medal for her presentation on ‘Modelling synaptic dysfunction in childhood dementia using human iPSC-derived cortical networks’

Congratulations to Chor Kuan Yew who won the Justin Miller Medal for his presentation on ‘Time to Ileostomy Reversal and Predictors of Delay After Anterior Resection: A Single-Centre Retrospective Cohort Study’.

The Anstey Giles Lecture was delivered by Director of Carrick Hill, Heather Croall AM. Heather captivated the audience with her insights from an extraordinary career spanning film, television, arts and cultural leadership. Renowned for her visionary approach, Heather has led some of the world's most successful cultural organisations, including Adelaide Fringe and Sheffield DocFest, driving significant audience growth and innovation. In 2024 appointed a Member of the Order of Australia, Heather shared valuable reflections on leadership, creativity and community engagement. Her engaging and thought-provoking presentation was warmly received and a highlight of the evening.

We would like to extend our sincere thanks to all presenters, attendees, organisers and our sponsors, Bartons Financial and Radiology SA, for their support and contributions throughout the day. Their involvement helped make the event such a memorable and successful occasion.

The RACS NT, WA & SA Tristate Annual Scientific Meeting 2026 held on 27 & 28 August was a resounding success, reaching new heights bringing together a record 220 delegates at Darwin Convention Centre, NT. 

Convened by NT Plastics Fellow, Dr Ravi Mahajani, the conference centred around the theme ‘Outreach and Reaching Out’. Showcasing an outstanding array of speakers, the sessions explored the many facets of surgical outreach, connection and collaboration across the profession and the wider community.

The 2026 Tristate ASM also achieved a record level of industry engagement, with 20 sponsors and partners supporting the event. This included Platinum Partner - National Critical Care and Trauma Response Centre (NCCTRC), 15 Event Partners and Exhibitors, educational partners - Charles Darwin University and Flinders University, Travel Grant Partner - Bartons, and Destination Partner - NT Business Events. Their support played an important role in delivering a vibrant and engaging meeting for delegates.

The conference opened in spectacular style with a Welcome Function held on the Speakers Green at Parliament House, providing delegates with the opportunity to connect and celebrate the beginning of the ASM against the unique backdrop of Darwin.

The two-day event featured an insightful and thought-provoking program of speakers, exploring a diverse range of topics across rural and metropolitan healthcare, surgical leadership and the evolving landscape of surgery. The Conference dinner on the middle night at the historic Darwin Services Club was another highlight and featured an engaging presentation from guest speaker Associate Professor James Hooper, Medical Director of CareFlight NT.

With its record attendance, exceptional speakers and outstanding support from event partners, the Tristate ASM 2026 brought to life the theme of ‘Outreach and Reaching Out’ in the heart of Darwin.

The South Australian College’s Past Chairs’ Dinner was held on Friday 26 June at the Marriott Hotel in Adelaide, it bought together former Chairs and the next generation of surgical leaders. Each Past Chair was invited to bring a guest — a younger Fellow, trainee, or registrar that they have mentored in the past or that they are currently mentoring. This unique format created a collegiate and inspiring atmosphere, with stories, experiences, and wisdom shared across generations.

The evening honoured the College’s history, celebrated Fellowship, and marked the formal handover of the South Australian State Chair role from Dr Bernard Carney to Dr Ben Teague. Guests have shared overwhelmingly positive feedback, reflecting the success of the event and the meaningful connections it fostered. The College extends sincere thanks to ReturnToWorkSA whose sponsorship and support made the night possible. Please enjoy a selection of photos from the night below.

"It was amazing to be part of such an esteemed group of Fellows, many of whom were very influential throughout my own career. It was also incredible to have the next generation of Surgeons join us, who will hopefully go on to be surgical leaders and mentors in their own right." – Incoming RACS SA Chair, Dr Ben Teague

"Congratulations on an excellent evening. Great concept, enjoyable meal and exciting vibe of old and young with common purpose to keep RACS relevant and representing its fellows."  - Past RACS president, Dr Tony Sparon

"Congratulations on a very successful dinner. The idea that each Chair could invite a younger surgeon they had mentored was brilliant and added enormously to the occasion. The brief talks from those present were heartfelt, interesting and illuminating, highlighting the crucial importance of mentoring in surgery and the immense collegiality that results. We are but custodians of our profession and clearly we are leaving it in good hands. Once again thank you for a superb evening.” – Past RACS SA Chair Dr Randal Williams 1998-2000.

Our International Women’s Day guest speaker event brought together members of our community for an evening focused on leadership, progress, and the achievements of women.

We were privileged to hear from Dr Rosie Stanimirovic, whose talk Openness to Experience drew on her work as a high‑performance psychologist with the Adelaide Crows to offer a unique and powerful perspective on resilience, mindset, and human potential. 

A special thank you to Avant for sponsoring this event. Your support made this event possible. 

Our recent Psych for Set: Mastering Exam Stress information night brought SET Trainees and Registrars together for a practical and empowering discussion in Viva exam preparation and ways to manage stress. Facilitators Dr Nick Smith and Dr Rosie Stanimirovic, High Performance Psychologist guided participants through shared lived experiences, research, theory and practical skills to help perform under pressure. It was an engaging and supportive workshop that left everyone feeling better equipped to cope with the fast-approaching upcoming Viva exams