Convenor Honour Board

Dr Harmeet Aneja is a specialist anaesthetist with a keen interest in Regional Anaesthesia based in Perth. He has completed a provisional fellowship in regional anaesthesia at Sir Charles Gairdner Hospital in Perth in 2008 and the Post Graduate Certificate in Clinical Ultrasound from Melbourne University. In addition to regularly convening Australian Regional Anaesthesia and Cadaveric Ultrasound Seminars (ARACUS) at CTEC UWA, Dr Aneja has lectured and held workshops at various national and international conferences, including yearly ANZCA and ASA meetings. He is a faculty member for University of Melbourne point of care courses, Australian Symposium on Ultrasound and Regional Anaesthesia (ASURA) and the Sydney Ultrasound & Regional Anaesthesia Cadaveric Workshop (SURAC), Hands on Regional Anaesthesia Workshops at Royal Perth Hospital, Regional Anaesthesia Cadaver Course Singapore & Cadaveric Advanced Airway Workshop (CAAW) Singapore. His current interests include developing models of teaching advanced ultrasound guided regional anaesthesia and fiberoptic airway techniques on cadavers. He is also a member of Australian Society of Anaesthetists (ASA) & European Society of Regional Anaesthesia (ESRA).

In addition to his appointment at Sir Charles Gairdner Hospital he has a busy private practice at Hollywood Private Hospital. His regular lists include Major Orthopaedic Surgery & Trauma, Musculoskeletal Tumour Surgery, Major Upper GI Surgery, Bariatric Surgery, Cardiac Electrophysiology, Neuro-Interventional Procedures & Emergency Surgery.

Dr Aneja is a Specialist Anaesthetist at Sir Charles Gairdner Hospital and Hollywood Private Hospital.

Associate Professor Mo Ballal is a highly trained Upper Gastrointestinal and Bariatric surgeon, having completed his training under some of the world’s leaders in both General and Upper Gastrointestinal Surgery. Associate Professor Ballal embarked on his journey to become a surgeon at the prestigious Hacettepe School of Medicine in Ankara, Turkey. Having completed his medical degree in 1997, he was offered the opportunity to train as a general surgeon in Liverpool – UK, in the highly competitive and world-renowned general surgery program. Associate Professor Ballal successfully completed his general surgery training and was admitted to the United Kingdom’s governing body as a Fellow of the Royal College of Surgeons – Edinburgh in 2009.

Following his qualification in General Surgery, he further enhanced his skills by relocating to Perth, Western Australia to complete additional surgical training in the field of Upper Gastrointestinal Surgery with Professor David Fletcher, and his team including Mr Krishna Epari and Mr Alan Thomas. Associate Professor Ballal completed this intensive training in 2012 and was subsequently admitted as a Fellow of the Royal Australian College of Surgeons (FRACS) as a specialist in Upper Gastrointestinal Surgery.

Due to highly specialised skills, Associate Professor Ballal was offered the opportunity to join the Fremantle Hospital Upper GI Unit as a consultant surgeon and continues to hold this position today at Fiona Stanley Hospital in Murdoch, Western Australia.

He combines his love for learning by maintaining his public appointment, conducting research in conjunction with universities and honing and teaching future general surgeons their skills. He combines this with his private practice at Upper GI West, located in the Wexford Medical Centre, Murdoch, Western Australia.

Associate Professor Ballal is fluent in Turkish, Arabic and English.

PROFESSIONAL MEMBERSHIPS

• Australia and New Zealand Gastric and Oesophageal Surgery ANZGOSA
• Australia and New Zealand Hepatic, Pancreatic and Biliary Association Inc ANZHPBA
• The International Hepato-Pancreato-Biliary Association (IHPBA)
• Asian-Pacific Hepato Pancreato Biliary Association (A-PHPBA)
• The International Society for Diseases of the Esophagus (ISDE)
• Association of Upper Gastrointestinal Surgeons of Great Britain and Ireland (AUGIS)
• International Federation for the Surgery of Obesity (IFSO)
• British Obesity and Metabolic Surgery Society (BOMSS)
• Association of Laparoscopic Surgeons of Great Britain and Ireland
• European Association of Endoscopic Surgery

CURRENT APPOINTMENTS (PUBLIC HOSPITAL)

• Associate Professor – School of Surgery, University of Western Australia, Perth (2011 – Present)
• Consultant Upper GI/HPB and General Surgeon – Fremantle and Kaleeya Hospitals (2011 – 2015)
• Consultant Upper GI/HPB and General Surgeon – Fiona Stanley Hospital (2015 – Present)

PRIVATE HOSPITAL (VISITING RIGHTS)

• SJOG Hospital, Murdoch

Clinical Associate Professor David Booth, an oral and maxillofacial surgeon, has had a long and distinguished career in academia and teaching in the Department of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery at Perth Dental Hospital, including being appointed Emeritus Surgeon in 2001. He has dedicated 36 years to teaching and training dental professionals at the School of Dentistry at The University of Western Australia.

Dr Carragher has been working in the Perth Hills region for 35 years. He has extensive experience in the diagnosis and management of skin cancer and is a founder of the Kalamunda Skin Clinic. Dr Carragher performs all aspects of skin cancer surgery including skin grafts and flaps at the dedicated facility in Kalamunda. He has completed several courses in skin cancer diagnosis and management, including the certificate in Skin Cancer through the University of Queensland.

Dr John Croser is a retired Orthopaedic surgeon living in Perth. He has previously worked as Head of the Department of Orthopaedic Surgery at Joondalup Health Campus and Director of Orthopaedic Trauma at Royal Perth Hospital. Dr Croser is a Life Member of the Royal Flying Doctor Service having served as a Councillor, Federal representative and President of the Eastern Goldfields Section. He was a member of the working party and inaugural Board of Western Operations.

In retirement Dr Croser has continued a commitment to surgical education at a local, national and international level through the Swiss AO Foundation where he has served as the Australian representative on the Board of Trustees.  He has directed and participated in fracture management courses in Australia and Overseas and, as Chairman of the AO Socio-Economic committee and has directed courses on fracture management in developing countries.

Dr Chris Dhepnorrarat is an Ear Nose and Throat surgeon who treats patients at St John of God Mount Lawley Hospital.

Dr Dhepnorrarat graduated from medical school at The University of Western Australia. On completion of his training in otolaryngology, head and neck surgery in Perth, Dr Dhepnorrarat worked at Royal Perth Hospital for 12 months before undertaking a Fellowship in rhinology, sinus surgery and endoscopic anterior skull base surgery at the Singapore General Hospital in 2011. In 2012, he undertook a second Fellowship in sinus and anterior skull base surgery at the University of Toronto / Mount Sinal Hospital in Canada.

Dr Dhepnorrarat is one of very few ENT surgeons in Australia to have dual Fellowship training in sinus and anterior skull base surgery. His experience and research have led to several international presentations, journal publications and academic book chapter publications. Dr Dhepnorrarat has also participated as a lecturer and demonstrator at local and international sinus courses and workshops.

Dr Dheopnorrarat is head of the ENT Department at Sir Charles Gairdner Hospital, and works at several other institutions in Perth as well. His special interests include general and paediatric otolaryngology, the management of all aspects of sinus disease and endoscopic anterior skull base surgery.

I am happily in graceful retirement from my specialty Anaesthesia and would like to reflect not on my career but CTEC’s. During my career I was involved as Chairman of the IHLC, Clinical staff RPH. Australian Society of Anaesthetists (WA) and President AMA (WA) and AMA Federal Councillor. Each had its own rewards and ability to have some influence on Health. At least equal to these roles was my time at CTEC.

It is difficult to imagine but up to 20 years ago the overwhelming majority of skills training was still done on patients. This can never be entirely eliminated but skills training on simulators has minimised this. CTEC changed all that in WA and helped change it on the International stage.

When planned CTEC did not even have a building. The current building was purpose built by The University of Western Australia and they must be given every credit for their vision and commitment. It further came about because of the collaboration, dedication and vision of various groups. These are the WA Government and Health Department lead by Bryant Stokes, The University of WA, the Colleges of Surgeons and Anaesthetists and many dedicated individuals - too many to mention. It should also mentioned that there was support from overseas. In my field,  Anaesthesia, we had support, advice and training from the preeminent  international experts at Stanford University USA and Harvard University USA. They willingly gave their time and expertise. I enjoyed my visits to both institutions to receive training so as to ensure we were up to international standard.

I was proud to be part of the inaugural three person management team expertly lead by Neurosurgeon Richard Vaughan, plus Ron Swann from the Anatomy Department and myself. I am equally proud to see CTEC continue to develop under the current team and hope that in some small way I have contributed.

The lesson of CTEC is that new concepts, even ground breaking ones like skills training at CTEC which change the training methods used for hundreds of years, can be done and comes about with the vision, dedication and collaboration of both individuals and organisations.

CTEC has earned its rightful place on the international stage and has done our patients a great service up to now and I am sure into the future.

Thank you to the University and all others who had the vision and commitment to take a ground breaking concept from an idea to fruition. Thank you also to the current team for carrying the vision into the future.

Our patients are better off for it.

Clinical Professor Hooi Ee has been co-convenor of the CTEC Gastrointestinal Endoscopy Workshops since their inception in 2003. He was appointed as a full-time gastroenterologist at Sir Charles Gairdner Hospital since 1998, was Head of Department (2007-2013 and again, 2019 - ) and has been the inaugural Director of Endoscopy since 2015. He was awarded his MBBS (UWA) in 1987, FRACP in gastroenterology in 1993 and PhD (Melbourne) in 1997. He spent 2 years as a postdoctoral research fellow at the University of California San Francisco, with an interest in the molecular mechanisms of differentiation in the pancreas, gastrointestinal tract and cancer prior to his return to Perth.

Professor Ee's major clinical interests are the management of genetic colorectal cancer syndromes, inflammatory bowel disease and functional gastrointestinal disease. He is actively involved with teaching, being the primary supervisor for gastroenterology trainees since 1999 and won a UWA Excellence in Teaching Award for undergraduates in 2015. He is a research collaborator on NHMRC-funded projects and interests include colonoscopy quality and utility, colorectal cancer risk stratification, pancreatic cancer therapy and developing a vaccine for coeliac disease.

He plays substantial roles in strategic advice for the Department of Health WA by being on the Familial Cancer Committee (since 2002), Clinical Adviser for bowel cancer screening (since 2005), member of the Colorectal Cancer Tumour Collaborative (since 2007), member of the WA Gastrointestinal Endoscopy Services Working Group (since 2015) and member of the WA Cancer Services Taskforce (since 2015). He has also been co-opted to assist with revising the NHMRC Guidelines on bowel cancer screening (since 2015).  He has also co-authored current national guidelines (NHMRC-endorsed) for colorectal cancer screening and colonoscopic surveillance.

Dr Finlayson graduated from the University of Western Australia in 2002 and went on to complete his internship and resident training at Royal Perth Hospital. He then trained in general surgery, completing his basic and advanced training through the Royal Australasian College of Surgeons at various hospitals throughout Perth and regional Western Australia.

Dr Finlayson followed his general surgery training with a three year fellowship specialising in colorectal surgery. This started with 12 months at Sir Charles Gairdner Hospital where he has now return as a consultant surgeon. He then completed the Colorectal Surgical Society of Australia and New Zealand post fellowship training program. This program is the only recognised colorectal training program in Australia and one of the best colorectal training programs worldwide. Through this program he trained at Royal Melbourne Hospital where he enhanced his laparoscopic skills and learnt techniques such as sacral nerve stimulation. As one of the major trauma hospitals in Victoria, he also gained valuable experience in the management of severe trauma. He also spent 12 months at North Shore Hospital in Auckland, servicing the largest District Health Board throughout the country. As the regional referral centre for recurrent rectal cancer, he gained valuable exposure to complex pelvic surgery.

On return to Perth he has been appointed as a Consultant Colorectal Surgeon at Sir Charles Gairdner Hospital with additional public appointments at Osborne Park Hospital. He also joins the team at Perth Colorectal Surgery with private appointments and operating at Hollywood Private Hospital.

Dr Finlayson has interests in minimally invasive laparoscopic surgery of the colon and rectum as well as complex pelvic surgery. He is a member of the multidisciplinary cancer teams of both Hollywood and Sir Charles Gairdner hospitals in order to provide a comprehensive approach to cancer care. He also has an interest in surgery for inflammatory bowel disease, perianal disease including fistulas and haemorrhoids, as well as pelvic floor surgery including prolapse repair. Dr Finlayson also offers a comprehensive general surgical service including laparoscopic hernia and gallbladder surgery.

Throughout his medical career, Dr Finlayson has represented his peers at various levels. As a medical student he was heavily involved with the WA Medical Students Society and also coordinated a high school student health promotion program (Dr YES project). He was President of the Royal Perth Hospital Resident Medical Officers' Society and representative on the Postgraduate Medical Education Council of WA and the RPH Clinical Staff Association. Dr Finlayson also represented his fellow trainees on the Board in General Surgery.

He was awarded the status of CTEC Gold Convenor for his contributions to CTEC's training programs in colorectal surgery.

Professor David Fletcher graduated MBBS from The University of Western Australia in 1970, gained his General Surgical Fellowship from the Royal Australasian College of Surgeons in 1974 and undertook Upper G.I./Endoscopy training at the Royal Post Graduate Medical School and Hammersmith Hospital London (1978-1980). He was an Associate Professor of Surgery at Austin Hospital 1980-94 where was a member of the Victorian Liver Transplant team and was involved in introducing Laparoscopic Surgery to Australia and New Zealand.

Professor Fletcher is the former President of the Surgical Research Society Australasia, the Chair of the Upper GI Section RACS, and the Foundation Chair of the Endosurgery Group RACS.   He is a Professor of Surgery at The University of Western Australia (1994-current), and was Director of Surgical Services at Fremantle Hospital 1996-2014, a member of its Board of Management from 1992-1998 and Chair of the Fremantle Hospital Clinical Staff Association 2011-2015.

He was a Member of the Clinical Casemix Committee Australia (1999-2004), Classifications Clinical Advisory Group 2016 (current). Professor Fletcher was an inaugural Board Member of the National Institute of Clinical Studies (N.I.C.S.) 2000-2005, established to close the gap between current and best practice. Professor Fletcher was a member of Reid Committee planning WA Health Care and developing the new West Australian tertiary Fiona Stanley Hospital and South Metropolitan service provision.

Professor Fletcher is Head of General Surgery, Lead Surgeon and inaugural President of the Fiona Stanley Hospital Clinical Staff Association (2015-current). Research M.D. (1985) Melbourne gut endocrinology, since surgical epidemiology (both N.H.M.R.C supported) and now health services research. He was elected Councillor of the Royal Australasian College of Surgeons (2015-current), a member of the Sustainability, Professional Standards and Governance/Advocacy Committees, Chair of the Board of Regional Chairs and inaugural Chair Surgical Directors Section. He was appointed member of Medical Services Advisory Committee (2016-current).

Dr Rik Hagen started medical life as a country GP in Harvey, Western Australia, where he practised for 12 years.

For more than 20 years he has worked as an Emergency Doctor in the Emergency Department of St John of God Hospital at Murdoch. During that time, he has also worked a total of 8 years half time at the Royal Flying Doctor Service based in Perth, and has also been a Clinical Skills Tutor at the University of Notre Dame in Fremantle.

His main hobby over the years has been motor sport medicine working at a State, National and International level. Dr Hagen has held senior medical positions in Australian Rally Championship events, the Confederation of Australian Motor Sport, the World Rally Championship and Formula 1.  He currently is the FIA World Rally Championship Deputy Medical Delegate for Asia and Oceania.

Professor Ian Hammond was a Gynaecologic Oncologist working at the Western Australian Gynaecologic Cancer Service, King Edward Memorial Hospital and St John of God Hospital, Perth, WA, from 1984-2012.  He was Director of Gynaecology at King Edward Memorial Hospital, Director of the WA Cancer and Palliative Care Network, Chair of the Australian Society of Gynaecologic Oncologists and served on numerous state and national committees involved in gynaecologic oncology and women’s health. He is an Adjunct Professor in the School of Anatomy, Physiology and Human Biology and Clinical Professor in the School of Women’s and Infants’ Health, University of Western Australia.

He was actively involved in postgraduate surgical education, the training of specialist trainees in Obstetrics and Gynaecology and subspecialty trainees in gynaecologic oncology.  Professor Hammond was responsible with Mr John Taylor and Professor Paul McMenamin for the development and implementation of the Anatomy of Complications Workshop in Perth and the international workshops in Singapore, Hong Kong and New Zealand.  He was the co-director of the workshop in Perth from inception in 2000 until 2010.

Professor Hammond chaired the Group that developed the NHMRC guidelines for the management of abnormal Pap smears in Australia.  Since 2012 he has been involved in the renewal of the Australian National Cervical Screening Program, and is Chair of the Steering Committee for the Renewal Implementation Project that has oversight for bringing these changes into practice in Australia by 2017.  He recently chaired the Guidelines Working Party, Cancer Council Australia that developed the new National Cervical Screening Program: Guidelines for the management of screen detected abnormalities, screening in specific populations and investigation of abnormal vaginal bleeding, that will underpin the new program.  In 2011 he was awarded the RANZCOG President’s Medal for Services to Women’s Health. 

Clinical Associate Professor Hemmings is a surgical pathologist who worked in New Zealand and Canberra and undertook sabbatical fellowships in London and Boston before moving to Perth in 2013.  Chris has subspecialty expertise in soft tissue, gastrointestinal, and head, neck & endocrine pathology and has a particular interest in rare cancers including sarcoma, neuroendocrine tumours and GIST, and in tumour biology as it informs the multidisciplinary management of cancer.

She belongs to several professional interest groups in these areas, including COSA, AGITG, ASSG, ENETS, ANZNET and the European Society of Pathology.  Dr Hemmings serves on the ASSG Scientific Advisory Committee, the WA Colorectal Tumour Collaborative Group and the Clinical Advisory Group of the National Bowel Cancer Screening Programme, and she is a founding member and foundation Secretary/Treasurer of the Australasian Gastrointestinal Pathology Society.  Professor Hemmings is the current WA State Councillor for the Royal College of Pathologists Australasia (RCPA), and she sits on the RCPA’s Cancer Services Advisory Committee and chairs the Bone and Soft Tissue Expert Committee.

She has a longstanding commitment to research and teaching, serving as an examiner for the RCPA and chairing the anatomic pathology programme committee of the RCPA’s annual educational meeting, “Pathology Update”.  A reviewer for several journals in the fields of pathology and cancer, Professor Hemmings is a member of the Editorial Board of Pathology and has more than 30 publications (with >190 citations), as well as numerous oral and poster presentations and invited lectures at national and international conferences.  Most of her current research projects focus on colorectal cancer and she is currently working towards a PhD with the School of Surgery and the St John of God Cancer Research Group based in Subiaco.  Professor Hemmings was Co-Convenor of CTEC's Generic Surgical Sciences Training Course.

Dr Imani is a certified specialist ENT Surgeon and Facial Plastic and Reconstructive Surgeon in Perth. He is a fellow of the Royal Australasian College of Surgeons (FRACS), the only official body training and representing specialist surgeons in Australia. Dr Imani received his medical degree from the University of Western Australia, graduating with Honours. He then went on to complete his Masters of Surgery degree (Head and Neck Surgery) at the University of Melbourne also graduating with Honours. He completed his specialist training in Otorhinolaryngology, Head and Neck surgery in Perth, Western Australia. Dr Imani then embarked on post fellowship training in international centres of excellence in Facial Plastic Surgery. He has completed the prestigious European fellowship in Facial Plastic Surgery under the guidance of the ex-president of the International Federation of Facial Plastic Surgery Society and the European Academy of Facial Plastic Surgery, Prof. G. Nolst Trenité in Amsterdam, Holland. He also worked closely with Dr H Vuyk in Blaricum, Holland and the president of the German Aesthetic-Plastic Surgeons, Prof. W. Gubisch in Stuttgart, Germany.

Dr Imani went on to train further in North America, under Prof. T. Cook (ex-president of the American Academy of Facial Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery) and Prof. T. Wang, current president of the American Academy of Facial Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery to further his education in facial aesthetic and reconstructive surgery. Lastly, Dr Imani completed the Brazilian Academy of Facial Plastic Surgery fellowship under the guidance of Prof. J. Maniglia, the ex-president of the Brazilian Academy of Facial Plastic Surgery.

Dr Imani specialises in rhinoplasty, eyelid surgery, facelift surgery, sinus surgery and non-surgical facial rejuvenation. He is a consultant surgeon at Sir Charles Gairdner Hospital in Nedlands and is actively involved in teaching surgical trainees, junior doctors and medical students.

Associate Professor Karthigasu is Gold Convenor of CTEC's Gynaecological workshops.

Dr Robyn Leake is a gynaecologist who is Convenor of CTEC's Cutting Edge: Proceduralist Obstetrics and Gynaecological Skills Workshop and Co-Convenor of The Anatomy of Complications Workshop, which is held at CTEC several times each year.  Dr Leake graduated from The University of Western Australia in 1993 and trained in obstetrics and gynaecology in Western Australia and Victoria.  She has been involved in The Anatomy of Complications Workshop since its inception in 2000 and became Co-Director in 2014.  She practices gynaecology at the Hollywood Medical Centre and at King Edward Memorial Hospital.  She is also the visiting gynaecologist to the Northern Goldfields Region.

Professor Lee is a chest physician and professor with 16 years of experience in translational research of pleural diseases, especially pleural malignancies and infection. His pleural program includes a laboratory and a clinical research arm closely integrated with an active tertiary clinical pleural disease service which he directs. This research program is amongst the most active in the field.  His work has translated to clinical practice on many occasions and contributed directly to reducing mortality, morbidity and healthcare costs in patient care. Professor Lee was recognised by Cancer Council WA as its 2019 cancer researcher of the year.  This recognised the outstanding research of Professor Lee and his team into pleural effusion. He led two multinational clinical trials which resulted in major advancements in pleural medicine and contributed to greatly improved outcomes for patients. 

He has published over 200 original and invited papers (H-index 38; total citations >4500), and a grant record of over AUD $16 million. He has delivered 250+ invited lectures on pleural diseases, including at 80+ international conferences in 28 countries. He co-edited the Textbook of Pleural Diseases (three editions), the most comprehensive text in the field, and has served on international pleural guideline panels. He has a strong record in training clinical fellows and postdoctoral scientists.

Professor Lee has worked for 10 years with the leading pleural groups in the USA and UK, during which time he had won a Fulbright Graduate Scholarship (USA), two Young Investigator Awards, two Wellcome Trust (UK) Fellowships and a HEFC (UK) Senior Lecturer Award.  In 2021 he was awarded the Thoracic Society of Australia and New Zealand's Research Medal for outstanding contribution to respiratory medicine and science. His goal is to continue to build on these foundations to foster a comprehensive research program and global research network that focus on understanding the pathogenesis of common pleural diseases and improving patient care. 

In 2011 Professor Yee Leung was appointed the inaugural Professor in Gynaecologic Oncology in Western Australia. He is a Professor with the School of Women’s and Infant’s Health at The University of Western Australia.   Professor Leung is the Head of Department of the Western Australian Gynaecologic Cancer Service and Director of Surgical Education at King Edward Memorial Hospital for Women.

He is actively involved in RANZCOG serving as College Councillor, on the Gynaecologic Oncology Subspecialty Committee as Chair in 2006-2008 and 2012-2014, WA Regional Committee, Examiner for Gynaecologic Oncology, Education Strategy Committee, Education and Assessment Committee, Women's Health Committee, Honours Committee, Continuing Professional Development Committee and Program Director for the WA Gynaecologic Oncology Fellowship Training Program.

His research interest includes Gynaecologic Oncology clinical trials, basic and epidemiologic research. He obtained ethical approval to commence a gynaecologic cancer biospecimen bank for the Western Australian Gynaecologic Cancer Service in 2013, and successfully obtained a $1.25 million grant from the Cancer Research Trust for the Western Australian Gynaecologic Cancer Research Initiative.

Professor Leung is an enthusiastic teacher and has a special interest in teaching in the operating room. He was the developer and facilitator of the Multidisciplinary Laparoscopy Group meetings in WA and the Perth Total Laparoscopic Hysterectomy Masterclass. He actively promotes the “rules” that improve the execution of a surgical skill.

Dr Richard J Martin began surgical training in 1996 and has two years post fellowship training specifically in Oncoplastic Breast Surgery encompassing all aspects of:

• Breast augmentation

• Breast reduction

• Breast reconstruction including: implants / expanders, Latissimus Dorsi flaps and TRAM flaps

• Breast oncology

• Sentinel node biopsy

Dr Martin also has experience and expertise in treating thyroid and parathyroid diseases, varicose veins, Melanoma, skin cancers and all general surgical conditions. He has specific expertise in Laparoscopic Hernia Surgery, Laparoscopic Splenectomy, Laparoscopic Adrenalectomy and Vascular Access Surgery.

Dr Martin holds several current office bearing positions with the Royal Australasian College of Surgeons, including:

•                Post Fellowship Training Committee of BreastSurgANZ

•                Professional Development Committee

•                Fellowship Services Committee

•                WA State CCrISP (Care of the Critically Ill Surgical Patient) representative

•                CCrISP Director and instructor

•                Deputy Chair SEC (Skills Education Committee)

•                ASSET (Australasian Surgical Skills Education and Training) instructor

Dr Martin is committed to providing the highest level of surgical expertise and care for his patients. He is an active member of the breast section of the Royal Australasian College of Surgeons (BreastSurgANZ) and participates fully in the National Breast Audit. Dr Martin has published and presented both nationally and internationally and is dedicated to the development and progression of Oncoplastic Breast Surgery in Australia and New Zealand.

Professor Richard Naunton Morgan trained in the United Kingdom and Australia. He is a Consultant Upper Gastrointestinal and General Surgeon at Sir Charles Gairdner Hospital and Fremantle Hospital. Professor Naunton Morgan has an interest in error avoidance, early recognition of complications and delay minimisation. He is an EMST and CCrISP Senior Instructor, ASSET Director, DSTC Instructor, a Facilitator of Teaching on the Run Modules, Advisory Faculty and Instructor on the Anatomy of Complications Workshop, and the Convenor of CTEC’s Core Skills: General Surgery Trainee workshop.  Professor Naunton Morgan is also a Faculty member for CTEC’s Core Skills: Laparoscopic General Surgery Workshop. He is a Discipline leader and Professor of Surgery at The University of Notre Dame, Fremantle. 

Clinical Professor Newman graduated from The University of Western Australia with an MBBS (Hons) in 1978. He trained in Cardiothoracic Surgery at Royal Perth Hospital and attained FRACS in 1985. Professor Newman spent two years doing research at the Baker Institute in Melbourne which resulted in a Doctorate of Surgery. He spent a year in Southampton UK as Senior Registrar in Cardiothoracic Surgery. He returned to Royal Perth Hospital and was appointed Consultant Cardiothoracic Surgeon in 1991. In 1993 he was appointed as Director of Cardiothoracic Surgery at Sir Charles Gairdner Hospital. Professor Newman has spent his career as a full-time Public Hospital surgeon and has an interest in teaching and research.

Professor Paul Norman is a Vascular Surgeon at Fiona Stanley Hospital and an Emeritus Professor of Vascular Surgery at The University of Western Australia. 

His main area of research interest is abdominal aortic aneurysms (AAAs) including epidemiology, screening, natural history, biomarkers, genetics and studies of pathogenesis. He was the lead investigator of the Western Australian trial of screening for AAA (1996-2004) which involved the randomisation of ~40,000 men. Other areas of research interest include: the epidemiology of peripheral arterial disease, the pathogenesis and clinical consequences of diabetic arterial disease (particularly High Risk Foot) and the assessment of cardiovascular risk. 

Since 1996 he has (with various collaborators) received multiple NHMRC project grants as well as funding from NIH and the Wellcome Trust. He held an NHMRC Practitioner Fellowship in 2007-11. He has published over 220 peer-reviewed papers.

Professor Norman taught clinical aspects of vascular disease and surgery in general to medical students and convened numerous advanced and trainee level CTEC workshops in vascular surgery. 

In 2022 Professor Norman was recognised as a Member of the Order of Australia for his contributions to medicine in the field of vascular surgery. 

Dr Tuan Pham is a Fellow of the Royal Australasian College of Surgeons. He completed his Otolaryngology Head and Neck Surgery Fellowship in 2000 and a number of post-graduate Fellowships in Facial Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery, Head and Neck Surgery and Aesthetic Plastic Surgery from 2001-2003.  

Currently Dr Pham is in private practice as Medical Director of Perth Facial Plastic and Cosmetic Surgery and Churchill Day Surgery. He is also a Consultant Surgeon at Royal Perth Hospital and Fiona Stanley Hospital in the Department of Otolaryngology Head Neck Surgery.

Dr Pham practices a full scope of Facial Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery, Head and Neck Oncology Surgery and Aesthetic Surgery. His primary interest is Rhinoplasty, Facial Rejuvenation Surgery, Facelift, Blepharoplasty, Otoplasty and Skin Cancer Surgery and Reconstruction of the Face and Neck.

He is currently the Vice President and due to be President of the International Federation of Facial Plastic Surgery Societies (IFFPSS) in October 2016 and he is a member of the IFFPSS Executive Committee.

Dr Pham is a Consultant Surgeon at:

• Hollywood Private Hospital
• St John of God Hospital (Subiaco)
• Churchill Day Surgery
• Subiaco Private Hospital
• Royal Perth Hospital
• Fiona Stanley Hospital

Clinical Associate Professor Spiro Raftopoulos is a gastroenterologist with subspecialty interest in all aspects of interventional endoscopy including endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography (ERCP). In addition to this he prides himself in the delivery of expert management in all aspects of general gastroenterology, therapeutic endoscopy and high quality colonoscopic services.

His specific interests are patients with Barrett’s Oesophagus with access to the latest endoscopic techniques including endoscopic mucosal resection and radiofrequency ablation, Advanced Colonic Polyps, Achalasia, Pharyngeal Pouches (Zenker’s Diverticulum) and Eosinophilic Oesophagitis including dilation.

Associate Professor Raftopoulos completed his gastroenterology training in Perth. He subsequently undertook fellowship training at the prestigious St Michael’s Hospital in Toronto Canada in interventional endoscopy.

He also has a public appointment at Sir Charles Gairdner Hospital and an appointment at The University of Western Australia as Clinical Lecturer of Medicine. He is actively involved in multicentre clinical trials including being an active member in the Australian and New Zealand Endoscopy Leaders Forum (ANZELF).

He is currently on a number of national advisory committees including the Cancer Council of Australia, the Royal Australasian College of Pathologists and the Australian Gastrointestinal Endoscopy Association

Associate Clinical Professor Riley is a practicing anaesthetist at Royal Perth Hospital, having trained in anaesthesia in both Australia and the United States of America.  He has a strong interest in medical simulation and from 2001 to 2003 he was the Clinical Director of the Centre for Anaesthesia Skills and Medical Simulation, part of CTEC at The University of Western Australia. He was a Medical Adviser for WA Health’s Clinical Simulation Support Unit from 2014 to 2014.   In 2006 he was the Meeting Chair for the International Meeting on Medical Simulation.  He is the Chief Editor of the Australasian Anaesthesia Journal since 2009. 

Associate Professor Riley has edited a substantial handbook on the use of simulation in various healthcare settings ranging from emergency medicine, intensive care, anaesthesia, military medicine, nursing and obstetrics.  Published by Oxford University Press, the Manual of Simulation in Healthcare (1st edition 2008, 2nd edition 2016 ) involves impressive contributions by simulation experts drawn from all around the world.   In 2009, Associate Professor Riley received a prestigious Book Award from the British Medical Society in recognition of the quality of his literary achievement.  In 2011 he and Dr Geoff McConnell were awarded the Simulation Australia Achievement Awards for significant contribution to the development of modelling and simulation science, technology, policy, standards and / or industry in Australia.

Associate Professor Riley also has interests in difficult airway management and obesity.  

Ms Russell is a CTEC Gold Convenor for her long standing educational contributions as Convenor of CTEC's The Cutting Edge: Practice Nurse Skills Training workshop.

Stephan Schug is a past Professor and Chair of Anaesthesiology in the Department of Pharmacology, Pharmacy and Anaesthesiology of The University of Western Australia, Perth, Australia and is Director of Pain Medicine at Royal Perth Hospital, Australia. His principal research interests include the management of acute and chronic pain, cancer pain, regional anaesthesia, the pharmacology of local anaesthetics and analgesics and quality improvement in health care.

Professor Schug studied medicine at The University of Cologne, Germany, where he also obtained his MD in clinical pharmacology and subsequently specialised in anaesthesia and pain medicine. He has written over 85 research and 180 review papers, as well as abstracts, letters, and editorials, and has edited or co-authored several books, book chapters, and monographs. He is currently on editorial and review boards of several leading journals including Pain & Therapy, Annals of Palliative Medicine, Current Opinion in Anaesthesiology and CNS Drugs. Professor Schug is an active member of several pain and anaesthesia societies including Vice-Chair of the SIG Acute Pain of IASP and Chair of the SIG Acute Pain of ACE, and is a Fellow of the Australian and New Zealand College of Anaesthetists (ANZCA) and its Faculty of Pain Medicine (FPMANZCA), where he is a member of the Board of the Faculty. 

Professor Stokes is an eminent Professor of Neurosurgery, with a strong professional clinical profile and has a proven track record at the executive and operational levels of the organisation.

In 1962 Professor Stokes was a Lecturer in Anatomy at The University of Western Australia (UWA).

Professor Stokes has previously acted in the role of Commissioner for Health; Examiner in Neurosurgery; he is the immediate past Chairperson of the WA Council on Safety and Quality in HealthCare and has carried out successful investigative reviews across State and Commonwealth jurisdictions.   He has also held the position of Chair of the Governing Council for the South Metropolitan Health Service.

As Acting Commissioner of Health in 2000 Professor Stokes assisted in the development of the Clinical Training and Evaluation Centre (CTEC) at UWA.

Professor Stokes has recently carried out the Review of the Adverse Events to the Seasonal Influenza Vaccine 2010, the Review of Four Hour Rule Program Issues and Progress in Stage One Hospitals December 2011; the Admission and Discharge Referral Practices for the Metropolitan Hospital Emergency Departments 2011: and the Review of the Admission or referral to and the Discharge or transfer practices of public mental health facilities/services in Western Australia 2012.

Following the resignation of Kim Snowball from the position of Director General of Health on 15 March 2013, Professor Stokes was appointed A/Director General of Health until the permanent appointment of Dr David Russell-Weisz as the current Director General of Health in August 2015.

With the establishment of the 5 Metropolitan Health Service Boards on 1st July 2016, Professor Stokes is currently the Chair of the North Metropolitan Health Service Board. 

Dr John Taylor is a CTEC Platinum Convenor who was actively involved in the training of specialist trainees in Obstetrics and Gynaecology and in the teaching of urogynaecologic surgical techniques to specialist colleagues.

Dr Lip Teh is a consultant Plastic and Reconstructive Surgeon.  Following 4 years of surgical experience in General and Vascular Surgery, Dr Teh commenced his specialist training in Plastic Surgery at Royal Perth, Sir Charles Gairdner and Princess Margaret Hospitals. He was awarded a Fellowship of the Royal Australian College of Surgeons (FRACS) in Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery in the beginning of 2007.

Dr Teh's special interests include cosmetic facial surgery, head and neck surgery, all aspects of breast aesthetic and reconstructive surgery, hand surgery, microsurgical perforator flaps, microfat grafting and liposculpturing. He has worked under the tutelage of the pioneers and world experts of the MACS facelift and DIEP flaps for breast reconstruction in Belgium. In addition, he has completed fellowships in hand, breast, craniofacial and cosmetic surgery at the Royal Devon and Exeter Hospital in the United Kingdom; the Universitäts Spital Zürich in Switzerland; the Mannheim Beauty Clinic in Germany; the Erasmus University Medical Center in Rotterdam and the Scheveningen Cosmetic clinic in The Hague.

Sub Specialty Interests:

• Breast Reconstruction with DIEP/SGAP free flaps
• Short scar face lifting (MACS lift), facial augmentation with fat grafting and fillers
• Breast lifting, breast augmentation and short scar breast reduction
• Body contouring surgery - arm lifts, abdominoplasty, thigh lifts and liposuction (ultrasonic and power assisted)
• Microfat grafting in replacing lost volume and correction of depressed scars
• Microsurgical perforator flaps for traumatic reconstruction
• Hand and microsurgery

Dr Teh is actively involved with the teaching of surgical trainees, hospital residents and medical students and he has been the principal investigator in a number of surgical publications. He is the regional Training Chair of Plastic Surgery for WA.

Born in England, Dr Timms attended Medical School at University College London. Upon graduating, he worked within the UK medical system, at a number of London’s top teaching hospitals while completing his Fellowship in Surgery-in-General (General Surgery).

After emigrating to Australia in 2000, Dr Timms was appointed to the Advanced Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery Training Program, where he worked in Sydney and Perth and obtained his Fellowship in Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery from the Royal Australasian College of Surgeons.

Dr Timms returned to the UK to complete an advanced medical qualification, consequently achieving a Fellowship in Cosmetic and Micro-vascular Surgery.

Returning to Perth in March 2008, Dr Timms commenced his private practice while working at Royal Perth Hospital, Sir Charles Gairdner Hospital and Princess Margaret Hospital (now known as Perth Children’s Hospital). He now works within the private sector, is a Consultant at SCGH also operating from Perth’s major private hospitals.

Alongside his extensive experience and expertise in plastic and reconstructive surgery, Dr Timms is specialised in breast and body aesthetics, with a particular focus on breast augmentation. This specialisation also gives him broad expertise in post-breast cancer reconstruction, with a deep understanding of the various techniques available and which will produce the highest level of patient satisfaction.

Dr Timms is also highly specialised in corrective surgeries. 

Professional activities:

• Member of the Operation Rainbow Cleft Lip and Palate Surgical Mission to the Philippines in 2014
• Member of the Rafiki Mission to Tanzania in 2015 and 2017
• Actively involved in teaching surgical techniques to medical students and holds suturing workshops for GPs
• Is an Examiner for Medical Students at the University of Western Australia

Dr Ward is a Procedural Surgical GP in Merredin, Westonia, Bruce Rock and Narembeen. 

Rural doctors have to maintain skills across a number of areas; including emergency, surgery, obstetrics and gynaecology, anaesthetics, and teaching.  

She has been a procedural rural GP since 1994 and was one of the first GPs in Australia to obtain a FARGP in surgery as well as in adult internal medicine. In 2020 Dr Ward was the joint winner of the Australian Medical Association's (WA) Hippocrates Award for her unwavering commitment to the profession of medicine and dedicated service to patients and the broader community. 

Professor Wood has been a burns surgeon and researcher for the past 20 years and is Director of the Burns Service of Western Australia (BSWA). She is a Consultant Plastic Surgeon at Fiona Stanley Hospital and Princess Margaret Hospital for Children, co-founder of the first skin cell laboratory in WA, Professor in the Medical School at The University of Western Australia, and co-founder of the Fiona Wood Foundation.

Professor Wood’s greatest contribution and enduring legacy is her work pioneering the innovative ‘spray-on skin’ technique (Recell), which greatly reduces permanent scarring in burns victims.

Fiona was named a Member of the Order of Australia (AM) in 2003. In 2005 she won the Western Australia Citizen of the Year award for her contribution to Medicine in the field of burns research. That same year her contribution to burns care was recognised through Australia’s highest accolade when she was named Australian of the Year for 2005.  Fiona is a Fellow of the Australian Academy of Health and Medical Science

Fiona is married to fellow surgeon Tony Kierath and is mother to four boys and two girls.