Oscars, move over – with one GP honoured at AMA24 and the rural college announcing new state-based prizes, doctor award season is off to a cracking start.
The festive season is still months away, but there’s plenty of reason to celebrate Australia’s outstanding doctors.
For the first time this year, ACRRM will do state and territory awards alongside its national awards to recognise rural generalists making a difference in their communities.
It’s also adding new national awards for contributions to First Nations healthcare and rural health research.
The new state and territory awards are medical student of the year, registrar of the year, rural generalist of the year, the rural practice excellence award and the rural generalist medical education award.
All awards bar rural generalist of the year can be either self-nominated or nominated by a peer.
Alongside the two new categories in the national awards, there’s also honorary life fellowship, honorary fellowship, honorary membership and a distinguished service award.
ACRRM will not be taking nominations for the Peter Graham “Cohuna” award this year. It has been running since 2008.
Nominations are open for the next week, with state and territory winners to be announced before the end of the month.
The state and territory winners will also be considered for categories in the national awards, which will be presented at the joint ACRRM-RDAA conference, Rural Medicine Australia, in Darwin this October.
Most categories are open for self-nomination or nomination by a peer.
At this year’s AMA conference, Canberra-based GP Dr Clara Tuck Meng Soo was honoured for her contribution to advancing diversity, equity and inclusion in medicine. Namely, for furthering the equity of care for transgender and gender diverse people.
“The AMA’s award for diversity in medicine sends a strong message about the importance of the diverse communities working in medicine and the diverse communities that we serve,” Dr Soo said.
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“In giving me this award, I see it as the AMA acknowledging my work with the LGBTIQ community and in particular the trans community, and I am grateful for this powerful gesture of support.”
Dr Dinesh Palipana was also awarded the Diversity in Medicine Award, for his work as an emergency doctor living with quadriplegia.
“If we are to thrive as a profession and remain relevant, we must reflect the community that we serve,” Dr Palipana said.
“The journey, coming to medicine from a country divided in ethnic and political wars to Australia, then sustaining a spinal cord injury in medical school, has been a personal reminder of the diversity of people in our world.”
Other doctors who were recognised at AMA24 include:
- Professor Caroline de Costa, who received the Gold Medal for her leadership in reproductive health, Pacific health and Indigenous health in regional Australia;
- Dr Amireh Fahouri received the Doctor in Training of the Year Award for leading the class action against NSW Health in the recent case on the systemic underpayment of doctors;
- Anaesthetist Professor André Van Zundert was awarded the Excellence in Healthcare Award for his commitment to medicine, research, teaching and volunteering;
- Acclaimed Melbourne researcher and junior doctor Dr Keeth Mayakaduwage was awarded the Women’s Health Award for his extensive contributions to improving stillbirth prevention and antenatal care;
- Specialist anaesthetist Associate Professor Suzi Nou received the President’s Award on advocacy for private practice;
- Professor of women’s health and equity at Monash University Professor Helena Teede and senior specialist emergency physician at the Royal Melbourne Hospital Dr Sarah Whitelaw were the join recipients of the Women in Medical Leadership Award;
- Student Kealey Griffiths was awarded the AMA Indigenous Medical Scholarship for her passion for healthcare advocacy and aspirations to assist Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander women experiencing sexual and family violence.
In the voting delegates session on Sunday, specialist ophthalmologist and past president of AMA Victoria Associate Professor Julian Rait was elected as vice president, to serve alongside incoming AMA president Danielle McMullen.
Outgoing president Professor Steve Robson said the pair would make a “formidable team” and lead the AMA with “great distinction”.
