As you will no doubt all be aware, the Royal Australian College of Surgeons will be holding the Annual Scientific Conference in Adelaide at the Adelaide Convention centre this year from Monday May 1st to Friday 5th of May. As the convenors of the Surgical History Section of the meeting, Philip Game and I invite you all to attend and experience the beauty and convenience of Adelaide as well as participate in a fascinating scientific program in what is expected to be the first ASC in 3 years where face to face involvement is very much preferred.

We have a number of distinguished speakers for the Surgical History program. The ASC visitor in Surgical History is Susan Neuhaus from Adelaide who has a distinguished career in surgical oncology and reconstruction as well as in military surgery.  Per Heden, an International renowned surgeon from Stockholm, is the Special Scandinavian Visitor in Surgical History He will give a number of keynote presentations, especially on the history of breast reconstruction and evolution of breast implants.

Professor Wayne Morrison from the O’Brien Institute Melbourne will deliver the Sir Rupert Downes lecture on the early history of grafting from Medawar to the current time. Mr Peter Burke renowned surgical historian will present the Herbert Moran lecture and Bill Gibson will talk about the History and impact of the Cochlear Implant.

There are combined sessions with Plastic Surgery, Military Surgery, Neurosurgery and also with Women in Surgery, and sessions on the Adelaide Anatomists, Adelaide’s contribution to surgery (Howard Florey and Penicillin) and on the controversial subject of Plagiarism in Surgery.

 There is a Master Class from experts on how to write a paper and prepare it for publication in a surgical journal and /or presentation at a scientific meeting.

The combined Surgical History / Military Surgery dinner will be held on the Wednesday evening at the famous South Australian Museum located on the North terrace cultural precinct just a stone’s throw from the Adelaide Convention Centre. It will be a fabulous event in the unique Pacific Cultures Gallery and tickets are limited to 80 persons. Fellows are advised to book your ticket early.

Fellows and trainees are invited and encouraged to submit abstracts for free papers and posters on a Surgical History subject. There are 2 prizes to be awarded; the Donald Simpson memorial prize and the Stille Surgical prize for the two best papers delivered by a trainee. 

Submission of abstracts is via the College here and the closing date is 8.00am Friday 27 January 2023.

We look forward to welcoming Fellows and trainees to Adelaide for what will be an amazing meeting and please consider stay a little longer to visit our cultural institutions and enjoy the nearby wine country in McLaren Vale and Adelaide Hills just 40 minutes from Adelaide.

Registration is opening very soon.

Best regards

Richard Hamilton and Philip Game
Convenors, Surgical History
ASC Adelaide 2023