Recent events

       

A fantastic afternoon celebrating connection, inspiration and leadership at our WA Women in Surgery High Tea 2026, held on Saturday 7 March at the Aurora Rooftop Bar at The Melbourne Hotel Perth, in celebration of International Women's Day.

Despite the very warm weather on the day, the event was wonderfully attended by Fellows, Trainees, SIMG's and medical students, all coming together to celebrate and support women across the surgical profession.

Guests enjoyed a delightful high tea while hearing from Cardiothoracic Fellow, Dr Agneta Geldenhuys, who shared a thoughtful and inspiring reflection on her professional journey. Her insights resonated strongly with attendees and highlighted the importance of perseverance, mentorship and community within surgery.

The afternoon provided a valuable opportunity for networking and conversation, bringing together guests at all stages of their surgical careers, to connect, share experiences and celebrate the achievements of women in surgery.

Thank you to everyone who joined us for this special event.

Special thanks to our valued event partners, Ledge Home Loans & MDA National.

 

 

  

A wonderful evening of learning and connection took place at the recent RACS WA Younger Fellows Educational & Networking Evening, held on Thursday 26 February 2026 at the RACS WA State Office.

The evening was well-attended, bringing together Younger Fellows from across all specialties for an insightful session on ‘Building Financial Independence as a Surgeon’. Guests heard valuable financial perspectives tailored specifically for surgeons from expert speakers – Tony Del Popolo (Ledge Finance), Jonathan Andela (Ledge Home Loans), along with Gary Hasler and Sean Hocking (Boutique Advisers Private Wealth).

WA Younger Fellows Advisory Group Chair, Dr Jason Tee, said the evening highlighted the value of bringing colleagues together to share knowledge beyond clinical practice. “It was fantastic to see so many Younger Fellows from different specialties coming together to learn, connect and discuss financial strategies, a topic well outside of our usual realm of clinical work. Events such as this help build strong professional networks and support our surgeons at this very important stage of their careers."

Following the presentations, guests enjoyed the opportunity to continue the conversation and strengthen connections during a networking session with refreshments and canapes.

Thank you to the speakers for sharing their expertise, and to all the Fellows who joined in for an engaging evening of professional development and collegiality.

Special thanks to our valued event partners:

Boutique Advisers Private Wealth, Ledge Finance, Ledge Home Loans & MDA National

 

 

 

 

 

Mastering Private Practice Workshop WA 2025

This event brought together an engaging program of expert speakers and experienced Fellows who generously shared their insights, lesson learned, and practical guidance. Their contributions were invaluable in supporting Younger Fellows who are preparing to start their private practice journey - or looking to strengthen and grow an existing one. 

This workshop is unique because it is designed by Younger Fellows, for Younger Fellows - with a focus on their long-term welfare, confidence, and success in private practice. The thoughtful discussions, and the willingness to learn from one another truly highlighted the strength of the WA surgical community. 

A sincere thank you to our valued event partners for their ongoing support:

Avant Mutual, Hollywood Private Hospital, Integro Private Wealth, KPMG Australia, Ledge Finance, Magentus, MDA National & Perth Radiological Clinic. Their collaboration helps make opportunities like this possible. 

Reviving Excellence: WA Papers Day Returns After a Decade

After a ten-year hiatus, Western Australian (WA) Papers Day made a triumphant return on 31 October 2025, celebrating the next generation of surgical talent. The event brought medical students, interns, residents, registrars, Trainees and Younger Fellows to showcase their research and compete for the prestigious Gordon Baron-Hay Award.

Named in honour of Professor Gordon Baron-Hay—a respected paediatric surgeon and long-serving WA State Committee member and Chair (1993–1995)—the award recognises excellence in surgical research and presentation.

This year’s program featured 18 presentations from 15 emerging researchers and budding surgeons, highlighting the breadth and innovation of surgical work across the state. The event was convened by Dr Helen Ballal FRACS, Deputy Chair of the WA State Committee, with judging by Dr Diana Hastrich FRACS, Dr Corinne Jones FRACS and Dr Mark Strahan FRACS.

Congratulations to Dr Rong Hui Misté Chia, recipient of the Gordon Baron-Hay Award, for her outstanding presentation, ‘Outcomes of Aortic Valve-Sparing Root Replacement: a Western Australian Experience.’

One of the pleasing aspects was the number of Fellows who took time out of their working days to come and support the event. Not only was this an excellent demonstration of Fellowship, but it helped to reaffirm the vital role that WA Papers Day plays as a platform for academic exchange, peer learning and professional development—fostering the future of surgical excellence in Western Australia.

Fellows, Trainees and special guests gathered at the iconic Adelaide Oval for the RACS SA, WA and NT Tri-state Annual Scientific Meeting (ASM) 2025.

The meeting adopted the theme of Standing on the Shoulders of Giants to pay homage to the legacy of those who have shaped the surgical profession over many years through their innovation and their ingenuity.

The two-day event, held between Wednesday 27 and Thursday 28 August, started the preceding evening with a welcome reception at the beautiful Jolleys Boathouse. Situated on the banks of the River Torrens, it offered attendees a chance to reconnect and ready themselves for a collaborative and inspiring program.

Day one started with a warm welcome from RACS SA Chair and Meeting Convener, Dr Bernard Carney. This was followed by RACS CEO, Stephanie Clota, who shared a College update, highlighting how RACS continues to support its Fellows and Trainees through advocacy, education and the strong foundation that is being established with RACS’ new strategy.

The program featured a diverse mix of clinical updates, research presentations and panel discussions. Day one included sessions on surgical innovation, rural health, and leadership, while day two focused on trauma care, surgical education and global health. The theme was woven throughout, with speakers reflecting on the legacy of surgical pioneers and the importance of mentorship and knowledge-sharing.

We thank our valued event sponsors:

ADF Careers

ANZ Health

Avant

Detmold

Flinders University 

Gore

Healthengine

Johnson & Johnson MedTech

Karl Storz

Magentus

Majestic Opals

Medtronic

Mips

Miga

Radiology SA

ReturnToWorkSA

Solventum

University of Adelaide

and our Travel Grant Partner: Bartons 

The RACS ‘Aurora Nights’ WA Surgeons' Ball 2025, held on Saturday 14 June at the Crown Towers Ballroom, brought together Fellows and Trainees from across Western Australia for a spectacular night. With the ballroom glowing in celestial hues to reflect the Aurora lights theme, our Fellows & Trainees, along with their guests, were treated to a magical evening of celebration and connection.

Orthopaedic Fellow, Dr Jonathan Spencer, and General Surgery Younger Fellow, Dr Erasmia Christou, served as the Masters of Ceremonies, bringing their energy and professionalism to the stage, while Summer Club Band kept the dance floor alive. Most importantly, the event raised an incredible $19,285 for the Heart and Lung Research Institute of WA, helping to advance critical research into humanised tissue models for heart and lung disease - a powerful show of support from the surgical community.

We express our immense gratitude to our valued Platinum Partners of this event, Aston Martin Perth and St John of God Health Care.