Convenors

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

Professor Krishna Boddu is currently working as senior consultant in the Department of Anaesthesia & Pain Medicine at Royal Perth Hospital, Perth, Australia. He holds administrative position as Director of Regional Anaesthesia. He is also an adjunct Professor of Anesthesiology of McGovern Medical School, University of Texas Health Sciences at Houston, Texas, USA

The Department of Anesthesiology, University of Washington, Seattle, recognized his talent in teaching early in his career and awarded him Golden Apple Seed award for Excellence in Teaching.  He received formal training to be awarded the title of a Teaching Scholar at the Department of Biomedical Informatics and Medical Education at University of Washington, Seattle, USA.

As a Professor of Anesthesiology & Head of Acute Pain & Regional Anesthesia, Professor Boddu introduced acute pain service with a goal to improve functionality at Memorial Hermann Hospital, Houston.  Professor Boddu also worked as Director of Acute Pain and Regional Anesthesia at MD Anderson Cancer Center (MDACC), Houston and established the Regional Anesthesia Service and enhanced Acute Pain Service which received national and international recognition. He contributed to the development of electronic databases and electronic medical records for acute pain at University of Washington, Seattle, MD Anderson Cancer Center and Memorial Hermann Hospitals, Houston, Texas.

In an effort to teach and promote the use of ultrasound and continuous regional anesthesia by insertion of catheters (a superior method for providing regional anesthesia), he developed multi-screen, multi-media hands on regional anesthesia workshop which was received very well by anesthesiologists and soon it became the most popular regional anesthesia workshop. He also introduced the concept of Acute Pain Nurse Expertise at Point of Care by developing Path to Pain Championship program, and trained several hundred nurses. He conducted several pain and regional anaesthesia workshops across the world. He also published original articles in the field of regional anesthesia and acute pain.

In Australia, he introduced regional anaesthesia and acute pain workshops for rural doctors in collaboration with Rural Health West. He was member of several committees in the hospital, and was also on the board of several national and international committees. He was also on editorial board for journals in the field of pain and regional anesthesia.

Throughout his career, Professor Boddu has lectured extensively and taught numerous advanced regional anesthesia and acute pain management courses to residents and faculty, locally, nationally and internationally. Professor Boddu has contributed significantly to clinical care, education, research and administration.  The introduction of new structured programs such as acute pain, regional anesthesia service, and development of a multiscreen multi-media ultrasound guided regional anesthesia teaching structure, Path to Pain championship for nurses are some of his significant achievements.

In 2024 Professor Boddu was recognised as a CTEC Gold Convenor for his outstanding, long-term contributions to CTEC's The Cutting Edge: Peripheral Nerve Block Workshop.

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 Tim Cooney graduated from the University of Queensland with honours. He won several prizes in his undergraduate years including the William Nathaniel Robertson Medal, the H.J. Windsor prize and the Memorial Prize of the Australian Medical Association. Dr Cooney trained in Otolaryngology, Head and Neck Surgery in Queensland and completed a fellowship in Nose and Sinus surgery with Professor Nick Jones at the University Hospital Nottingham, UK.

Dr Cooney works at Perth Children's Hospital and several other institutions in Perth. His special interests include paediatric otolaryngology, sinus disorders and surgery of the anterior skull base.  He is a Platinum Convenor of CTEC's Core Skills: ENT Sinus Surgery and Facial Plastic Surgery workshop.

Dr Cooney is a Consultant Specialist in Otorhinolaryngology at:

• Perth Children's Hospital
• St John of God Hospital Subiaco
• St John of God Hospital Murdoch
• Subiaco Private Hospital

Dr Robert Davies' surgical interests are in uro-oncology, management of stone disease, rural surgery, overseas surgical aid projects (Vietnam and Myanmar) and in surgical education. He has an undergraduate medical degree from the University of Western Australia, and postgraduate training in general practice in Dampier and Karratha.

Other information:

• Postgraduate training in urological surgery in Perth, Ireland and the United Kingdom
• Fellow of the Royal Australasian College of Surgeons (RACS)
• Examiner in Urology for RACS
• Past Chairman, RACS WA Branch
• Past Chairman, Australian and New Zealand Surgical Skills Education and Training Committee RACS
• Member RACS Academy of Surgical Educators
• Board member West Australian Urologic Research Organisation
• Previous appointment as sessional urological surgeon at Sir Charles Gairdner Hospital 2000 - 2015

Memberships:

• Royal Australasian College of Surgeons
• Urological Society of Australia and New Zealand
• Australian Medical Association
• Australian and New Zealand Urogenital and Prostate Cancer Trials Group
• West Australian Urologic Research Organisation board member
• Honorary member Myanmar Medical Association

Dr Davies also provided rural urological surgical services to Northam Regional Hospital on a fortnightly basis.

His interests outside medicine include aviation (licensed pilot), climbing, motorcycling and piano.

Dr Helen Douglas is an award winning, fully qualified Specialist Plastic Surgeon specialising in burns, scarring and laser treatment. Dr Douglas works in public and private practice; she is a Consultant Plastic Surgeon in both Fiona Stanley Hospital and Perth Children's Hospital Burns Units and has extensive experience in reconstructive surgery and laser treatment of scars.  

Dr Douglas is an award-winning Plastic Surgeon - she graduated in medicine in 2004, started her specialist plastic surgery training in the UK in 2011 and completed it in Perth, WA.  Dr Douglas is a Fellow of the Royal Australasian College of Surgeons and the Royal College of Surgeons in England and was awarded the prestigious Ian McGregor Gold Medal for outstanding performance in her Specialist examinations in 2015. 

She has undertaken laser fellowships in the UK and WA and continues to publish and present her research on scarring, laser and trauma and burn surgery.

Dr Douglas is Senior Lecturer at The University of Western Australia and a Clinical Tutor at Cardiff University where she undertook her Master's degree in Laser and Wound healing.

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.

His 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.

Professor Ee 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 co-authored current national guidelines (NHMRC-endorsed) for colorectal cancer screening and colonoscopic surveillance.

After graduating from the University of the Basque Country in Spain, Jose underwent general surgical training in the UK before completing a Doctorate in Medicine thesis degree in breast cancer genetics with the University of Nottingham in 2006. He has presented his research at scientific meetings in Australia and Europe, and published over twenty articles and abstracts, including a book chapter in familial breast cancer.

In 2007 Jose came to Perth to undertake sub-specialty fellowship training in Oncoplastic Breast Surgery, then worked as a Consultant Surgeon at the Royal Perth Hospital until January 2020. Whist at RPH he was Head of the Multidisciplinary Breast Service from 2009 to 2011 and Head of Department of General Surgery during the years 2013-2018.

Since February 2015 he is a staff Consultant at Fiona Stanley Hospital, and he also holds an appointment as Clinical Senior Lecturer at the Medical School, UWA. He maintains his commitment to both the public system and to the education of medical students and doctors in WA.

In recent years Jose has broadened his knowledge and skills with visiting attachments to Breast Units in Scotland, Nottingham, Paris, and USA, bringing back new surgical skills to WA. He is a founding member of Breast Surgeons Australia and New Zealand and remains actively involved in clinical trials and research.

As well as offering expertise in the management of all aspects of benign and malignant breast conditions, Jose has a special interest in the latest innovations in oncoplastic breast surgery, notably in the areas of: partial breast reconstruction with chest wall perforator flaps, fat grafting correction of developmental and postoperative breast deformities, and primary and revisional breast implant augmentation and reduction surgery.

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.

Dr Karim Ghanim specialises in breast cancer surgery, oncoplastic and reconstructive surgery.  Completing subspecialty fellowship training in New South Wales, he returned to Perth with world-class experience in the latest Breast/Oncology and minimally invasive surgical techniques.  

Dr Ghanim is a Fellow of the Royal Australasian College of Surgeons, with extensive training in all fields of General Surgery.  He completed his advanced training in General Surgery in Perth in 2008.  In 2009, he was appointed as a Breast and General Surgeon at Royal Perth Hospital.  He then went for further advanced training in General Surgery at Wollongong Hospital which included Breast/Oncology and Laparoscopic Surgery, melanoma and skin cancer as well as thyroid surgery.

Dr Ghanim dedicated his practice and training to establish a full service to a Breast and Oncology Surgery knowing this focus of minimally invasive surgery will lead to the best outcomes for his patients.  This approach extends to sentinel lymph node biopsy in breast and melanoma surgery and laparoscopic surgery.  His subspecialty training focused on the latest breast conserving techniques as well as on aesthetic breast surgery.

Professional memberships:

• Royal Australasian College of Surgeons
• Royal Australian College of Surgeons/Surgical Oncology section
• Breast Surgeon of Australia and New Zealand Society
• Academy of Surgical Educators
• Accredited Diagnostic Imaging Service. 

Dr Owen Gray is a specialist anaesthetist who undertook anaesthesia training throughout all of Perth's major adult, obstetric and paediatric hospitals.  He has subsequently completed subspecialty fellowships in regional anaesthesia and education at Royal Perth Hospital.

Dr Gray is currently employed as a consultant anaesthetist at Royal Perth Hospital where he continues his interest in the education and training of junior colleagues.  He has experience across a wide range of surgical specialties including orthopaedics, obstetrics, trauma, plastic, general and urological surgery.

In 2023 Dr Gray was accorded the status of CTEC Gold Convenor in honour of his outstanding and long held contributions to CTEC's JDocs Suite of workshops for Junior Doctors.

Professor Hamdorf graduated from The University of Western Australia’s Medical School and soon after undertook studies contributory to a Doctor of Philosophy in Surgery. He completed surgical training and was awarded the Fellowship of the Royal Australasian College of Surgeons in 1993.

Surgical training was undertaken through Sir Charles Gairdner Hospital, Royal Perth Hospital and Fremantle Hospital. Post Fellowship training in upper gastrointestinal surgery was undertaken at the University of New South Wales with clinical privileges at the Prince of Wales and Prince Henry Hospitals.

Academic interests include management of upper gastrointestinal malignancies as well as more recently a prominent interest in surgical education, in particular skills training.

Professor Hamdorf has an active involvement in the affairs of Royal Australian College of Surgeons (RACS).  He has been Director of CTEC since 2010, and is a past Head of the School of Surgery at The University of Western Australia.  Professor Hamdorf is a Consultant General Surgeon and has designed and lead numerous courses and workshops at CTEC in general and bariatric surgery, including its Core Skills: Advanced Bariatric and Roux-en-Y Laparoscopic Surgery workshop.

In 2019 Professor Hamdorf's significant service to medical education, and to medicine, in the field of bariatric surgery was recognised when he was appointed as a Member (AM) in the General Division of the Order of Australia. 

Dr Joe Hockley is a Vascular and Endovascular Surgeon with over 10 years of clinical experience in the field. He graduated medicine from the University of Newcastle in 2002 and went on to complete his FRACS – Vascular, from the Royal Australasian College of Surgeons in 2014. His clinical training included positions at RPA Hospital Sydney, Sir Charles Gairdner Hospital, Royal Perth Hospital, The Royal Infirmary Edinburgh and The Princess Alexandra Hospital Brisbane.

Dr Hockley is currently a Consultant Vascular and Endovascular surgeon and Supervisor of Training at Sir Charles Gairdner Hospital, and consults privately at the Hollywood Specialist Centre. He is accredited at Hollywood Private Hospital, St John of God, Subiaco and The Mount Hospitals. He provides the Vascular Surgery service to Perth Children’s Hospital and King Edwards Memorial Hospital.

He has extensive experience and an interest in the minimally invasive (endovascular) treatment of complex aortic and peripheral vascular disease, along with a particular interest in foot ulcers and diabetic feet. He is also very experienced in the treatment of Thoracic Outlet syndrome.

Dr Hockley provides comprehensive care for all venous disorders. He has extensive experience in endovenous and open management of venous disease as well as endovascular management of chronic pelvic venous disease.

He is a member of the State Sarcoma Service based at SCGH and performs most of the major arterial and venous reconstructions for soft-tissue tumours. He also recently completed a mini-fellowship in Paediatric Vascular Surgery at Great Ormond St Hospital, London and works at Perth Children’s Hospital.

Dr Hockley is regularly invited to speak at national and international conferences and heavily involved in vascular research at the Heart Vascular Research Institute at the Harry Perkin’s Institute. He is also an Adjunct Clinical Senior Lecturer at Curtin University and teaches and examines medical students.

Clinical interests include:

• Foot ulcer / Peripheral Arterial Disease management
• Open and Endovascular
• Aortic Aneurysm and Dissection Management
• Open and Endovascular
• Treatment of thoracic outlet syndrome
• Venous disease
• Open and Endovenous
• Renal access surgery
• Extracranial carotid artery disease

Professor Shirley Jansen is Head of the Department of Vascular and Endovascular Surgery at Sir Charles Gairdner Hospital, a busy quaternary unit overseeing 900 in-patients per year. She was awarded a PhD in 1999 and The Sustained Overall Clinical Excellence Award from Sir Charles Gairdner Hospital in 2016. She has run over 30 government and industry sponsored clinical trials, the majority as PI/site PI. She supervises 6 PhDs and 4 Masters and numerous other projects covering a wide range of vascular pathologies.  She is Director of the Heart and Vascular Research Institute, Harry Perkins Medical Research Institute and has led her unit to great success in first in man, pharmacological and device related trials in vascular disease. Her main research interests since PhD are in the clinical management of carotid, peripheral vascular disease, diabetic foot disease and venous leg ulcers, as well as the interface with bioengineering and innovation.

Professor Jansen has wide experience in all aspects of vascular, endovascular surgery, perioperative care and prevention and health outcomes. She has published over 60 research papers and 5 chapters and given over 50 presentations at national and international meetings. She has received 8 travelling fellowships in her career. She is also an inventor, and convenor of 2 national/international vascular surgical training workshops. Professor Jansen is actively engaged in cross-disciplinary collaborations locally and internationally in the areas of imaging, treatment modalities and outcomes for vascular diseases.

In addition, Professor Jansen also holds positions with the following bodies:

• Australian Health Research Alliance, National Wound Care Initiative. WAHTN Project Working Group
• Member of ASSET Faculty Royal Australasian College of Surgeons
• Advisory Panel, Thrombosis Australia
• International Advisory Panel Diabetic Foot Disease - URGO

Professor Jansen has been awarded the status of CTEC Diamond Convenor in recognition of her long term outstanding contributions to CTEC's training programs in Vascular Surgery. 

Dr Robyn Leake is a gynaecologist who is the 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.

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 Steve McCombie is a urologist with subspecialty interests in robotics, bladder cancer, prostate cancer, and kidney cancer. He grew up in Hong Kong before moving to the UK to complete his Medical Degree at the University of Southampton in 2008. He moved to Western Australia in 2012, where he completed his FRACS in Urology before completing further subspecialty training in uro-oncology and robotics in New South Wales, and subsequently on a Fellowship at Fiona Stanley Hospital.

Dr McCombie is passionate about research, an active member of the Australian and New Zealand Urogenital and Prostate Cancer Trials Group (ANZUP), and a Clinical Senior Lecturer at the University of Western Australia. He holds Consultant positions at Perth Urology Clinic and Fiona Stanley Hospital and is a visiting Specialist to Geraldton.

He enjoys spending time with his wife and three boys, exercise, travel, and watching soccer.

Ms Amanda Nitschke is a senior Western Australian Theatre Nurse and a Co-Convenor of CTEC's Core Skills: Microsurgical Skills for Theatre Nurses Workshop.  Ms Nitschke has a long held interest in nurse education, specialising in microsurgery. The workshop emphasises a team based approach to microsurgical procedures and aims to enhance participant knowledge and skills in setting up for microsurgical procedures and anticipating the procedural requirements of the surgeon. 

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.

Dr Pham 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.

He 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

Dr Jeremy Rawlins is a fully qualified and accredited Specialist Plastic Surgeon working in Perth, Western Australia.   He has specialist plastic surgery fellowships from the UK (FRCS(Plast)) and Australia (FRACS(Plast)) – both obtained following higher surgical training and examinations in the UK and Australia. He is an AHPRA Specialist Plastic Surgeon and is on the GMC Specialist Register for Plastic, Reconstructive and Aesthetic Surgery. He is a full member of the Australian Society of Plastic Surgeons (ASPS) and the British Association of Plastic Surgeons (BAPRAS).

Dr Rawlins undertook undergraduate and postgraduate training in plastic surgery in the UK and Australia.  Prior to specialist training he was granted Master of Philosophy from the University of Bradford for his research into burn scars.  He undertook his specialist plastic surgery training in hospitals throughout Yorkshire, with fellowships in France, the USA and Australia. Dr Rawlins works as a specialist plastic surgeon at Royal Perth Hospital, Fiona Stanley Hospital, and at private clinics and hospitals across the Perth metro area.  He continues to be involved in research and audit, surgical education and burns management training.

He has a busy public and private practice.  His specialist interest areas include Plastic Surgery Trauma and Burns  – an area of plastic surgery he has been involved in since his undergraduate days); Skin cancer (including Melanoma); Head and neck cancer; Body contouring; Scar improvement; and Cosmetic surgery.  Dr Rawlins has a particular interest in reconstructive microsurgery and the use of ‘free flaps’ and ‘perforator flaps’ in his plastic surgery practice.

Dr Rawlins is a Platinum Convenor of CTEC's Core Skills: Plastics Workshop.

Dr John Rosser Davies is a rural General Practitioner, the Co-Convenor of CTEC's 2022 The Cutting Edge: Practical ED Skills workshop and a long standing faculty member for a number of CTEC's workshops. Dr Davies has been instrumental in many health initiatives in the rural community of Manjimup, Western Australia.  In 2017 his contributions to rural WA were honoured with the Rural Health West Award for Above and Beyond - Community First.  The Award recognised his contributions to the PROBE initiative to encourage people to support new drivers gaining more experience behind the wheel, the Arch to Arch Fun Run, and the RISK Program to show adolescents the impact of drug and alcohol on driving ability.  

Dr Aroosha Safari is a final year Trainee in General Surgery. She recently successfully completed her Fellowship Examination with the Royal Australasian College of Surgeons (RACS). She plans to further sub-specialise in Breast and Oncoplastic Surgery and will shortly be commencing an exciting Academic Fellowship with OncoRes Medical and Professor Christobel Saunders in this field. 

Dr Safari has been heavily involved with clinical education and trainee advocacy throughout her training. She was elected by her peers to serve as the WA Trainee Representative for all nine RACS surgical specialities for a two year term. Thereafter, she was selected by the Royal Australasian College of Surgeons Training Association (RACSTA) to serve within their executive committee as the Support and Advocacy officer for Australia and New Zealand. During her time with RACSTA she’s been involved with multiple working groups tackling parental leave, flexible training, trainees in financial hardship, women in surgery, indigenous health and the trainee feedback survey which highlights challenges in surgical training. 

Dr Safari has pursued roles in medical education since she completed her Medical Degree in 2011 in United Kingdom. This started by securing competitive Clinical Educator roles as a junior doctor with Queen’s University in Belfast and University Hospital of Wales in Cardiff. It has continued here in Perth within CTEC as a facilitator and convenor of multiple surgical courses. She also enjoys dedicating her time to her roles as a surgical mentor and an OSCE examiner for UWA. 

Dr Safari is passionate about teaching clinical and surgical skills, with the hope of instilling good bedside manner, safe technical skills and holistic clinical decision making. Her desire to mentor and teach is fuelled by the thrill of watching her juniors thrive in all clinical settings, inside and outside of the operating theatre. 

Dr Susan Sharpe is an Emergency Medicine consultant and a Clinical Skills teacher at the Medical School at Notre Dame University in Fremantle.  She also teaches on the JDocs: Emergency Procedures workshop at CTEC, and in Adult and Paediatric Advanced Life Support courses nationally.

Susan has also served in the Royal Australian Navy as a doctor in the Persian Gulf and at the Submarine and Underwater Medicine Unit in Western Australia, as well as in humanitarian work in Samoa and Tonga following the tsunami in 2009.  As well as medical teaching, she has interests in diving and hyperbaric medicine and disaster medicine. 

Dr Anand Trivedi is a Senior Lecturer with CTEC and a Consultant General and Acute Care Surgeon, with extensive experience gained working in various WA public hospitals.  Dr Trivedi convenes a number of CTEC's surgical workshops including the Core Skills workshops in Intermediate Laparoscopic Surgery, Acute Care for General Surgeons, the Abdominal Wall and Hernia Workshop and the General Surgery Gastrointestinal Endoscopy Workshop.

Dr Trivedi arrived in Australia from India in 2008 where he had completed his early medical training. Initially Dr Trivedi worked as a fellow in the Acute Surgical Unit at Fiona Stanley Hospital, Perth. After finishing two years of post-fellowship training in acute care surgery he also works as a consultant surgeon at Fiona Stanley and Fremantle Hospital Group. He also gained valuable experience at Rockingham Hospital and Bunbury Hospital and also spent time at various WA Country Health Services Hospital as a Consultant Surgeon.

Before commencing General Surgery training, Dr Trivedi spent time in various surgical sub-specialties like Plastic Surgery, Vascular Surgery, Cardiothoracic Surgery and Neurosurgery as an unaccredited registrar. These specialties helped Dr Trivedi gain invaluable experience adding to his overall expertise as a General Surgeon.

Recently Dr Trivedi helped found Hollywood Urgent General Surgeons (HUGS) at Hollywood Private Hospital to coincide with the opening of Hollywood Private Hospital’s ER department in late 2021.

In 2024 Dr Trivedi was awarded CTEC Gold Convenor status for his outstanding contributions to CTEC. 

Additional Roles:

• Surgical Examiner at Royal Australasian College of Surgeons (RACS) for Clinical Examination, UWA and Notre Dame University
• Recipient of “Excellence in Surgical Teaching” award by General Surgeons Australia (GSA)
• State teaching conveyor of surgical teaching of all surgical trainees in Western Australia
• Member of AusPEN (Australian Society of Parenteral and Enteral Nutrition) with a special interest in preoperative nutrition of surgical patients
• Member of the ANZ Hernia Society, with a special interest in complex hernia management
• Member of Australia and New Zealand Association for Surgery of Trauma (ANZAST)

Clinical Associate Professor Dieter Weber is a Trauma and General Surgeon at Royal Perth Hospital and a CTEC Platinum Convenor. He convenes CTEC's The Cutting Edge: Emergency Procedures workshop.

Dr Allen Yeo is a long-standing Co-Convenor of CTEC's workshops in General Surgery and Emergency Procedures.  He is a Specialist Consultant in Trauma and General Surgery at Sir Charles Gairdner Hospital.