RACS is phasing out the use of gendered titles for surgeons, which can create power and status differences between surgeons and other medical professionals, male and female surgeons, and women who are married and women who are not. Find out more:
The Royal Australasian College of Surgeons supports the Equity Adjustor Score introduced by Te Whatu Ora – Health New Zealand to reduce inequity in the health system. Read the full press release here:
It is with deep sadness that we heard of the death of Dr Clayton Lang, a plastic surgeon and his father Dick in the Kangaroo Island fires. Our deepest condolences to the Lang family. Our thoughts are also with all those impacted by the fires in our country.
RACS is proud to support
#CrazySocks4Docs
Day – a campaign that aims to raise awareness of mental health among clinicians. Proudly wear your crazy socks on 1 June, upload a photo and start the conversation! Learn more at
#MH4Docs
@DrEricLevi
@gdtoogood
“Women should know they offer so much by being women. They are able to be hardworking and ambitious, but still caring and nurturing if they want to be. They don’t have to be anything but themselves to be successful” – Dr Maxine Ronald, General Surgeon
#PressforProgress
#IWD2018
RACS expresses its deepest sympathies to those affected by the dreadful events in Christchurch today. Our thoughts are also with our New Zealand medical colleagues delivering care through this tragedy.
“Whether it’s nuclear disarmament or increasing diversity in our profession, I believe the best thing we can ever do is to dismantle the obstacles faced by others because we rise together, not over each other” – Dr Ruth Mitchell. Article in Surgical News:
Congratulations to new president, Associate Professor Kerin Fielding, an orthopaedic surgeon, based in NSW and new vice president Professor Owen Ung, a general surgeon in Queensland.
Our thanks to outgoing president Dr Sally Langley and vice president Professor Chris Pyke.
Dr Roxanne Wu, a RACS Fellow and vascular surgeon and her daughter Dr Helen Buschel, a RACS Paediatric surgical Trainee have not only smashed the glass ceiling but are trailblazers for young female medics.
#RACS22
Professor Papaarangi Reid has a vision for the future: "A country where it is safe to be born an Indigenous child."
A sentiment shared by the attendees at this weekend's Indigenous Hui.
Thank you to them and to everyone who helped make the hui, a first for RACS, such a success.
“You cannot be what you cannot see. I feel honoured to be chair of the Women in Surgery group… If we’re going to make progress, now is the time." Dr Christine Lai.
Get to know Dr Lai, one of RACS’ newest Councillors, in
#SurgicalNews
:
@csl888
RACS is proud to support
#CrazySocks4Docs
Day – a campaign that aims to raise awareness of mental health among clinicians. Proudly wear your crazy socks on 1 June, upload a photo and start the conversation! Learn more at
@DrEricLevi
@crazysocks4Docs
Six prevocational Indigenous doctors were helped on their way to becoming surgeons after being awarded scholarships at the RACS ASC in Adelaide in May.
Meet the scholarship recipients -
RACS is concerned about the experiences raised on social media about stress and burnout. We have been actively working with individuals and organisations to respond and strongly support accreditation standards being applied to the prevocational space.
We encourage and invite anybody who has experienced inappropriate behaviour from any surgeon to contact us. We can deal with complaints with known complainants. It is difficult to proceed with appropriate investigations where the complaint is anonymous.
#OperateWithRespect
Dr Lupe Taumoepeau is New Zealand’s first female vascular surgeon – and the only Pacific Island female vascular surgeon in Australasia.
This
#InternationalWomensDay
, learn more about how Dr Taumoepeau is smashing stereotypes:
#IWD2020
#WomenInSurgery
I am proud to represent the Royal Australasian College of Surgeons at Sydney WorldPride.
Participation in World Pride 2023 demonstrates our commitment to the LGBTQIA+ community and that the College is welcoming and inclusive of all.
Professor Mark Frydenberg, RACS Councillor
RACS welcomes the addition of a new competency (Cultural Competence and Cultural Safety) to its Surgical Competence and Performance Guide - Cultural Competence and Cultural Safety. Find out more:
@KelvinKongENT
#NRW2020
“Almost half of all doctors are emotionally exhausted, burned out at work. Forty percent of surgeons meet the criteria for burnout.” Visit and learn more about why surgeons are wearing their
#CrazySocks
.
#MH4Docs
@DrEricLevi
@crazysocks4Docs
RACS Fellow Dr Lupe Taumoepeau, New Zealand’s first female vascular surgeon, recently sat down with
@FQmagazine
to discuss smashing stereotypes and work/life balance.
Full article:
Congratulations to Dr Maxine Ronald who was awarded the RACS Māori Health Medal today at the College's inaugural Indigenous Hui.
Dr Ronald is passionate about eliminating health inequities for Māori and Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people.
We are very excited to announce the Hot Topic Speaker for DCAS 2023 is
@LiangRhea
speaking on “Intersectionality of a surgeon”! A/Prof Liang is Surgical co-Lead at Bond University and a Consultant General and Breast surgeon at Robina Hospital. Register at
“When surgeons behave respectfully, they get the best outcomes from their teams and that translates naturally into better patient outcomes” - Dr Christine Lai, Surgeon.
Find out more at
#OperateWithRespect
@csl888
Acclaimed ENT surgeon and proud Worimi man Professor Kelvin Kong is in Aotearoa this weekend (29-30 July) as up to 50 surgeons/surgical Trainees of Aboriginal, Torres Strait Islander and Māori descent connect at a first-of-its-kind event. Read more:
After years of campaigning by medicos, health ministers have agreed to remove barriers preventing doctors and nurses from accessing mental health treatment. Read the full article in The Citizen:
It is pretty hard to imagine someone being more inspirational than Associate Professor Kelvin Kong. Australia’s first Indigenous surgeon, he is passionate about bridging the health gap between Indigenous and non-Indigenous Australians.
After 44 years delivering life-changing surgery to children with skull and facial deformities, Tony Holmes has been made an officer of the Order of Australia for his contribution to reconstructive and craniofacial surgery. Congratulations!
As part of our International Women's Day program, the “President’s Meeting Room” at the College will now be called the “Anne Kolbe Room” in honour of our first female President. Anne Kolbe was President of RACS between 2003-2005.
If you spend 20% of your time doing something you feel is meaningful you will have very high work satisfaction rate. Try to arrange your schedule to spend more time doing things you are passionate about.
@DrEricLevi
Burn out and work life balance
Did you know that in addition to being a plastic surgeon, RACS Fellow Dr Andrew Greensmith is also an Archibald Prize-nominated painter? His portrait of
@SusanCarland
was recently chosen as a finalist in the art competition. Read more in
#SurgicalNews
:
Women account for just 11 per cent of consultant surgeons in Australia and New Zealand. To celebrate
#InternationalWomensDay
,
@WomensAgenda
spoke to five powerhouse surgeons who have shattered the glass ceiling. Read the full article online:
RACS is proud to support
#CrazySocks4Docs
Day, a day that aims to encourage conversations about mental health and help reduce the stigma for doctors experiencing mental illness.
For information, visit
@crazysocks4Docs
A new study has discovered the majority of Australian surgeons are struggling with shoulder, neck and upper back pain. Ironically, many surgeons are performing surgery on patients suffering similar symptoms. Dr Katherine Grant’s poster will be on display at
#RACS19
Associate Professor Kerin Fielding – RACS in-coming president
I am passionate about promoting equity in the surgical profession and the broader healthcare system for the benefit of our communities especially patients in rural and remote locations.
#IWD2023
#womeninsurgery
A perfect way to wrap up a fantastic Day 1 of the RACS 2022 ASC. Congratulations to all new fellows and we can’t wait to see everyone again tomorrow!
#RACS22
In case you missed it, RACS Fellow Associate Professor
@KelvinKongENT
was recently awarded the prestigious Menzies Medallion for excellence in healthcare. Congratulations! Read more:
RACS recently held the Fellowship Exam in Adelaide, Brisbane, Melbourne, Perth, Sydney, and Auckland.
We are pleased to report that 288 candidates from nine surgical specialties completed the exam.
#ThankYou
to the examiners, candidates and staff that helped make this happen.
For the first time at an ASC, the Women in Surgery Section held their own all-day program at
#RACS19
. 'Super Thursday’ featured sessions on social media, diversity, facing challenges and unconscious bias. Read more:
@LoggheMD
@drnikkistamp
@drjanel
Professor Helen O'Connell, Urologist and RACS Fellow, didn't dare dream of ever getting to where she is today. And yet here she is, at the top of her profession with a string of firsts to her name. And now she's been recognised as a "Legend of Urology":
We recently introduced a tenth competency: cultural competence and cultural safety, to ensure our surgeons are embracing diversity and respecting the values and beliefs of people from all cultural backgrounds. Learn more:
During World War One, Dr Lilian Cooper performed 144 operations and focused on the health issues of women and children after the war. She was the first female FRACS, joining the College as a Foundation Fellow in 1927.
#WomenInSurgery
#IWD2019
#BalanceforBetter
A new study has discovered women are under-represented in surgery, especially in leadership and academic roles and face a gender pay gap. The results of Dr Katrina Hutchinson qualitative study will be on display throughout
#RACS19
Congratulations to the winner of the Justin Miller Prize, Dr Nagendra Dudi-Venkata for best clinical paper presentation
The award is in honour of Dr Justin Miller, a distinguished vascular surgeon.
During World War One, Dr Lilian Cooper performed 144 operations and focused on the health issues of women and children after the war. She was the first female FRACS, joining the College as a Foundation Fellow in 1927.
#PressForProgress
#IWD18
#WomenInSurgery
Dr Rachelle Love, shares her perspective on how to
#breakthebias
this
#IWD2022
"Every time you are asked to lead something, think about voices being represented. Actively making room for women, and for marginalised colleagues, is shown to increase the quality of your outcomes."
#SurgicalNews
: Dr Rachelle Love shares her journey to becoming RACS’ first New Zealand Māori female ENT surgeon, the impact that role models have had in influencing her career, and her desire to inspire the next generation of Māori surgeons.
#WomenInSurgery
#diversity
Dr JamieLee Rahiri, a SET Trainee from Aotearoa New Zealand, sharing an already fascinating presentation - nothing about us, without us in the Beyond Box-ticking Session.
#RACS22
Victorian Orthopaedic Surgeon and Clinical Director for Surgery and Perioperative Services for RAAF, Dr Annette Holian, FRACS will be giving the Dawn Service address on
#ANZACDay
at Melbourne’s Shrine of Remembrance.
#RACSRemembers
#LestWeForget
We've picked our favourite for the 2023 NSW Australian of the Year Award. Otolaryngology head and neck surgeon Professor Kelvin Kong is a Worimi man, an Aboriginal ear health advocate, and the first Aboriginal RACS Fellow.
Read about all the NSW nominees:
RACS is proud to be one of a number of medical colleges who will support the inaugural Pride in Medicine float this Saturday, 25th February at Sydney World Pride 2023. 🌈
#PrideinMedicine
#sydneyworldpride
Attendees at the
#RACS18
ASC this year can bring their young children along! A parenting room as well as childcare services are available. For more information visit:
#RACS18
Learn more about the new Indigenous Surgeons Pathway Program, a long-term, multipronged initiative to contribute to health equity and inspire First Australians to consider a career in surgery. Read more:
@KelvinKongENT
@AIDAAustralia
@LIME__Network
RACS condemns the horrific violence and senseless loss of life from the shootings at two Christchurch mosques last Friday and fully supports the New Zealand government's decision to strengthen the country's gun laws.
MEDIA RELEASE:
RACS has refreshed its gender equity targets to help increase the strength and diversity of our profession over the next five years, by boosting the number of women in surgery.
Read more -
The new government’s plans to scrap tough smokefree initiatives are “regressive and a massive blow for health”, says RACS Aotearoa New Zealand National Committee Chair Andrew MacCormick. Read the full media release:
#smokefree
#health
#AotearoaNZ
The RACS Council has decided to move the ANZ Journal of Surgery to a digital-only publication format from 2022. Going digital will save the printing of 16 million pages and the shipping of 85,000 copies, each wrapped in plastic. Read more:
@WileyHealth
Congratulations to RACS Fellow and Trauma Committee Chair Dr John Crozier who was presented with prestigious 2018 the Australasian College of Road Safety (ACRS) Fellowship at the ACRS Award Ceremony in Sydney last night.
#RoadSafety
#VisionZero
@crozi3r_john
Dr Christine Lai is a RACS Councillor and Chair of the RACS
#WomenInSurgery
Section. Christine was recently interviewed on the ABC’s Health Report program where she spoke about breaking down barriers for women in surgery.
Listen to the full interview:
RACS Fellow John Greenwood, who developed a synthetic skin product to help victims of the 2002 Bali bombings, is in Athens helping burns victims of devastating wildfires raging in Greece. Read the full story via
@abcnews
:
Associate Professor Rhea Liang (
@LiangRhea
), a general surgeon on the Gold Coast, will update delegates on anti-discrimination policies in surgical practice, and Women in Surgery at Surgery 2021 in Queenstown this September. Register today:
Did you know that when addressed early and often, a single incident or concern regarding unacceptable behaviour is the strongest opportunity for positive behaviour change?
Learn more about our Building Respect program:
#Operatewithrespect
Congratulations to RACS Fellow Professor Jeffrey Rosenfeld AC OBE who was awarded the 2019 NSA Medal for his many extraordinary contributions to the Neurosurgical Society of Australasia and neurosurgery, including his roles in research, education and training.
“Leadership is about doing the right thing – as a profession, as a College and as individuals,” – Dr Maxine Ronald, General Surgeon.
Find out more about what we are doing to promote a culture of respect and patient safety in surgical practice: