In the past two months, I have been actively attending a number of RACS Annual Scientific Meetings (ASMs). I attended both the Tasmanian and Queensland ASMs and due to attend both the ACT and NSW meetings in the near future. Unfortunately, I was unable to make it to the Tristate meeting in Adelaide, which was attended by a number of our RACS councillors including our president, Professor Owen Ung. 

I instead was busy with a meeting of the Aotearoa New Zealand Council of Medical Colleges (CMC), which took place in Wellington. The CMC meeting was extremely worthwhile and gave me significant insights into the issues facing our Aotearoa New Zealand Fellows. Our grateful thanks go to Dr Sharon English and Dr Ros Pochin who contribute to the CMC extremely well and we remain indebted to them for both their wisdom and their commitment.

The state meetings I was able to attend were truly exceptional and extremely beneficial. A significant amount of discussion was given to the emergence of artificial intelligence (AI) and evolving technological advancements and I found the information provided to be both exciting and scary. 

Dr Jonathan Fong and Dr Victor Ilie from Tasmania put together an exceptional program with their theme of Thriving together: exploring the science of health and wellbeing. This combined well with the challenges and opportunities that face the surgical community of Tasmania, and my personal gratitude goes to them both for an excellent program. Dr Matthew Hope convened the Queensland state meeting with the focus being Shaping the future of medicine. This truly eye-opening program stimulated my interest and intrigue into AI and its ultimate interaction with us as surgeons. 

As a result, I jumped at the opportunity to observe the newly formed Advisory Group on Artificial Intelligence in Surgery under chair, RACS Councillor Professor Matthew Clark from Auckland. This group reports to College Council, with a brief to champion the responsible use of AI in surgery, improving outcomes, communication, and access for patients while safeguarding professional standards.

The advisory group brings together a unique combination of surgeons across multiple specialties and career stages, along with AI researchers, data scientists, and legal expertise. Collectively, they have a deep clinical understanding, hands-on experience in AI development and implementation, and proven leadership in governance, ethics, and education. Their experience spans surgical practice, digital health innovation, national policy, and international collaboration, positioning them to guide safe, equitable, and impactful integration of AI into surgery. This multidisciplinary capability ensures RACS can lead in shaping AI governance, training, and patient care in Australia and Aotearoa New Zealand. I had the privilege of observing its first meeting and was amazed at the collective brain power, knowledge and enthusiasm of the participants. I feel extremely confident that under this advisory group’s guidance, RACS and our Fellows will be well placed to deal with this rapidly changing technological advancement as it increasingly enters our daily lives and practice.

ECO Care Equity in the Asia Pacific Conference
I also had the opportunity to attend the International Engagement Committee meeting and have to really congratulate Dr Neil Wetzig and his entire team on their contribution to the health and wellbeing of our neighbours.

RACS Fellows and registrars are encouraged to attend the upcoming ECO Care Equity in the Asia Pacific Conference, to be in held in Suva, Fiji from 27 – 31 October 2025. This affordable landmark event, co-hosted by the G4 Alliance, Pacific Islands Surgeons Association, and RACS, offers a unique opportunity to engage with regional leaders on the urgent intersection of climate change and surgical system strengthening. With a focus on emergency, critical, and operative (ECO) care, and aligned with WHO Resolution 76:2, the conference will spotlight Pacific-led solutions and foster collaboration with WHO regional offices. 

An exciting range of speakers will present. Your participation will not only support the region’s health resilience but also help shape the future of global surgery. 

Join us in person to experience Fijian hospitality and contribute to this pivotal moment in surgical advocacy. All information about the conference can be found on the RACS website. This is a must attend event.

Warm regards,
Professor Ray Sacks
Vice President