60th Provincial Surgeons of Australia Annual Scientific Conference

RACS supports the General Surgeon Australia (GSA) Rural Coach PSA Registration Grant which provides financial assistance to General Surgery Trainees, General Surgery SIMGs and junior doctors who attend the Provincial Surgeons of Australia (PSA) conference.

The eligibility criteria and recipients are decided by GSA. RACS notifies the grant recipients and collects reports. Successful recipients have their grant applied retrospectively following the conference.

Each grant is valued at $700 and includes GST.

The 60th PSA took place in Mount Gambier, South Australia, between 19 and 21 November 2025 with four registration grants awarded. 

The recipient reports are below:

Dr Amanthi Mendis, GSA JDoc, South Australia

It was a great experience to attend the Provincial Surgeons Association conference this year in Mount Gambier. The program was very well organised and thought out. There were good updates regarding all the subspecialties and a range of interesting topics and presentations. 

As a junior surgical registrar, I found the sessions very informative. My favourite sessions were the Palliative care session and the retrieval session. It was interesting to hear a multi-disciplinary approach on how management for certain palliative conditions would be done in a rural/ regional setting.

Additionally, as a registrar having to routinely refer and receive patients from the retrieval service, the retrieval session was an excellent insight into the critical decision-making process that MEDSTAR teams go through on a day-to-day basis.

Moreover, it was wonderful to hear the different rural surgeons sharing their surgical careers in regional and rural centres. As a junior doctor listening to their advocacy and advancement efforts in their regions bringing positive and ever-lasting change to the communities were inspirational. Overall, the PSA was a fun and excellent conference to attend. 

 

Dr Luke Green, GSET1, South Australia

The 2025 PSA Annual Scientific Congress (ASC) was a three-day event held in Mount Gambier, nestled in the heart of South Australia’s Limestone Coast. As a surgical resident commencing training next year—and a local from the region—I made sure not to miss this congress, and it certainly did not disappoint. The program was rich and varied, featuring educational sessions that ranged from presentations of innovative research conducted in rural and regional centres across Australia to practical tips and tricks sessions delivered by metropolitan subspecialists—each tailored to the unique challenges faced by rural surgeons. No surgical conference is complete without a strong social component, and the Mount Gambier ASC certainly delivered. The social program catered to all appetites—literally and figuratively—with highlights including a regional tour on the second day, where delegates enjoyed a seafood platter and a tasting board from one of Australia’s premier Wagyu producers. This was followed by a lively quiz night and a gala dinner, both of which fostered collegiality and provided an excellent opportunity to connect with colleagues and mentors from across the country.

Overall, the Mount Gambier ASC was a resounding success—an engaging blend of education, collaboration, and community. For me, it reaffirmed the value and vitality of rural surgical practice and the importance of continued professional engagement outside metropolitan centres. The conference not only showcased the strength of regional innovation but also highlighted the camaraderie that defines our surgical community. I left feeling inspired, proud of my rural roots, and even more motivated as I begin my journey into surgical training next year.

Dr Mark Harris, GSET4, South Australia

I recently had the pleasure of attending the Provincial Surgeons of Australia (PSA) Conference in Mount Gambier. Having previously worked in rural South Australia and the Northern Territory, including time in Mount Gambier as a general surgical registrar, it was particularly meaningful to return to the region and celebrate the strength and vibrancy of rural surgery. I encountered some of my most influential mentors during my time in Mount Gambier, and it was a pleasure to reconnect with colleagues and reflect on the formative role rural practice has played in our careers.

The three-day program offered a broad and engaging mix of the challenges facing rural surgery in Australia, and, more importantly, its success. I particularly valued hearing first-hand accounts of the opportunities that rural surgery provides to us as surgeons. These included the breadth and complexity of case mix, strong collaboration with metropolitan centres/subspecialities, a healthy work-life balance, and the immersion within the local communities served. 

Professor Craig McBride’s session on Paediatric Surgery for Rural Surgeons’ was my personal highlight. He offered invaluable advice regarding common paediatric surgical presentations a rural surgeon may encounter. Overall, it is clear that there remains a strong appetite for true General Surgery in Australia, particularly in regional and rural settings. It was also great to see so many fellow doctors in training in attendance.

The enthusiasm of the attendees was evident throughout the scientific sessions, with lively discussion and shared problem-solving. This was complemented by a strong sense of camaraderie during the excellent social events, with the ever-popular quiz night and gala dinner—which highlighted the Coonawarra wine region and the beauty of the south-east.

This was my first PSA conference, but it will certainly not be my last. I would highly recommend the meeting to Trainees and consultants alike who have an interest in rural and regional surgery, and in supporting the future of General Surgery in Australia. The PSA Rural Coach Grant was a fantastic resource in aiding my attendance at the PSA this year and I would like to thank the GSA and Rural Surgery Section for their support.

Dr Lorane Gaborit, GSA JDOC, New South Wales

The 2025 PSA perfectly captured the spirit of rural General Surgery—of collaboration, innovation and service.

 

I greatly enjoyed the academic program, which included a range of presentations covering changes in practice, new research areas and individual surgeon experiences. In particular, the surgical palliation session highlighted the multidisciplinary nature of rural surgery in practice, with a panel discussion including surgical, palliative care, medical oncology and radiation oncology perspectives. Professor David Watters’ description of surgical training in Papua New Guinea from pre-independence to now was also very inspiring, demonstrating the strength of collaboration in building surgical capacity in the Pacific.

The social events were a fantastic opportunity to meet like-minded surgeons and Trainees, while exploring the beautiful region of Mt Gambier. There were many opportunities to discuss experiences, research presentations, and share tips and tricks from our different rural centres. 

 

Thank you to the PSA Committee and Rural Coach program for the opportunity to attend such an excellent conference.