Admissions to the AMA Roll of Fellows

The new AMA Fellows were admitted to the Roll during the opening ceremony of the AMA National Conference in Melbourne. They are:

DR CHRISTOPHER CAIN (SA)

Dr Cain has been a member of the AMA for 21 years, and is active at both State and Federal levels.

He's been on the AMA Federal Council in various capacities for five years, and is a director of the commercial arms of the Association.

Dr Cain has played a significant part in shaping the reform of medical indemnity - work that he continues in his role as Chair of the national Risk Management Working Party.

As the President of AMA South Australia, Dr Cain has earned a reputation over the past two years as a tireless, innovative, and passionate leader.

As an orthopaedic spinal surgeon, Dr Cain has been recognised for his research into spinal cord injury, and is involved in both the private and public sector.

DR MICHAEL CLAXTON (TAS)

Dr Claxton joined the AMA upon arrival in Tasmania from the United Kingdom, in 1965.

A GP and anaesthetist, Dr Claxton taught junior doctors in Tasmania for more than 17 years.

Before his retirement in 2005, he worked in rural and urban Tasmania in general practice, as an anaesthetist in hospitals and dental surgeries, and as a District Medical Officer and Medical Officer of Health.

Since 1992, Dr Claxton has been active in the AMA on a range of committees and State and Federal councils.

He's also negotiated better terms and conditions of employment for the profession in Tasmania.

DR PETER GARCIA-WEBB (WA)

Dr Garcia-Webb first joined the AMA in 1974, and has been a federal councillor since 2002.

He has delivered outstanding service to the AMA in a variety of State and Federal roles, including Chair of the Expert Advisory Committee on Information Technology; director of AMA's commercial arm and of AMPCo; member of the Finance Committee; and federal representative of the pathology craft group.

He also spearheaded the AMA's involvement in e-health.

In 2004 Dr Garcia-Webb received the President's Award for his work on the AMA Medical Professional Indemnity Taskforce and his ongoing commitment to addressing the medical indemnity crisis.

Outside the AMA, he has held many prominent positions within the profession - on professional boards, committees and other bodies, and as an esteemed teacher and clinician.

DR STEVE HAMBLETON (QLD)

Dr Hambleton has been a dedicated and active member of the AMA since he first joined on graduation in 1984.

He's filled a number of roles at both State and Federal levels, including Queensland State President.

In that capacity, Dr Hambleton broke new ground for salaried doctors, negotiating a watershed pay agreement that has restored Queensland doctors' faith in the public health system.

Nationally, Dr Hambleton sits on the AMA Council of General Practice, and is the AMA's representative on the Practice Incentive Payments and Enhanced Primary Care Review Advisory Group, and the National Immunisation Committee.

He's a vocal advocate for more efficient registration for overseas-trained doctors, and a passionate proponent for improvements in Indigenous health.

DR ROBERT HOUSE (VIC)

Dr House has long championed the cause of doctors in Victoria, both as a regional and State representative at AMA Victoria.

A radiologist with a keen sense of medico-politics and fiscal responsibility, he has served the AMA well in improving the financial and political strength of the AMA in Victoria.

As Treasurer of AMA Victoria, Dr House has worked with other AMA treasurers and chief executives to develop better approaches to membership recruitment and service development.

DR CHARLES HOWSE (ACT)

During his two years as President of ACT AMA, Dr Howse was a key player in Visiting Medical Officer negotiations and tort law reform following the medical indemnity crisis.

Among other initiatives, he was also a passionate advocate of a long-term care scheme for the severely injured, argued against role substitution, and faced up to the club and pub industry to lobby for better anti-smoking legislation.

On a Federal level, Dr Howse has served on the Information Technology, and Public Health and Ethics Committees.

In the community and in medicine, he has enjoyed a long involvement as a physician with the Australian Rugby Union, the Commonwealth Games, and the national men's volleyball team.

Dr Howse has worked tirelessly to raise the profile of the profession in a positive way.

ASSOCIATE PROFESSOR STEPHEN LEE (NSW)

Associate Professor Lee is the founding craft group representative for his speciality, dermatology, at the AMA.

He continues to represent dermatologists on the AMA Federal Council, and plays a prominent role in the Australasian College of Dermatologists.

Over the past five years, Associate Professor Lee has also served the AMA on a number of committees, including Ethics and Medico-Legal, Constitution and Policy Review, and Public Health.

Associate Professor Lee has been a clinical teacher for more than 25 years, and a dedicated mentor of junior doctors.

Over his long career, he's mentored doctors in China, Sydney, and Hong Kong.

DR GEORGE TIPPETT (VIC)

Dr Tippett's career in anaesthetics has taken him around Beirut, England, Asia, and metropolitan, regional, and remote locations in three Australian States and Territories.

He's worked hard for AMA Victoria in a number of roles, and has devoted considerable time and effort to other non-profit and voluntary organisations.

Dr Tippett established the Aerial Medical Service at Alice Springs and has been President of the Royal Flying Doctor Service in Victoria.

He's also represented the Victorian Medical Benevolent Association on the council of AMA Victoria.

DR IAN WOODFORTH (NSW)

Dr Woodforth has served the AMA at Federal and State levels for the past decade -first through five years as an AMA NSW councillor and, for the last five years, on the AMA's Federal Council.

He's been a member of the board of the AMA Health Fund - serving as company secretary for some of that time - and has also served on the Audit and Economics, and Workforce Committees.

In his work as an anaesthetist, Dr Woodforth is Chairman of the Department of Anaesthetics at Prince of Wales Private Hospital, a VMO at Prince of Wales Hospital, and a past VMO at Manly District Hospital.

He's also authored and co-authored many scientific papers on diverse aspects of anaesthetics.

DR MARK YATES (VIC)

Dr Yates has served as the President of AMA Victoria for the last two years, and has also represented the State on the Federal Council since 2002.

Federally, Dr Yates has served on a range of AMA committees, including Care of Older Persons, Public Health, and Therapeutics.

He's also represented the profession on the Commonwealth Pharmaceutical Benefits Advisory Committee and the Federal Health Minister's Dementia Health Priority Taskforce.

As President of AMA Victoria, Dr Yates has promoted the interests of members and the profession with vigour, enthusiasm and resilience.

Most recently, he led the successful negotiation of a breakthrough Enterprise Bargaining Agreement for doctors in Victoria.