The AMA recognises Professor Nick Talley’s Gold Medal performance

Professor Talley’s award was made at the Annual National Conference of the AMA.  There were also six admissions to the AMA Roll of Fellows.

AMA President Dr Omar Khorshid said the Gold Award was presented for exceptional service, which was recognised by the winner’s medical peers in recognition of his or her advancement of the practice of medicine.

Professor Talley is a Distinguished Laureate Professor at the University of Newcastle. He is considered to be one of the world’s leading gastroenterologists and an outstanding clinician and educator.

Dr Khorshid said Professor Talley’s outstanding contribution to medicine included oversight of the AMA’s Medical Journal of Australia (MJA), as Editor-in-Chief, which had adapted to the urgency of the COVID-19 pandemic by reorienting the peer review process and adopting pre-press publication to ensure emerging evidence of COVID-19 was presented in a timely way.

Under Professor Talley’s leadership, the MJA had achieved a very high impact factor with the number of citations of articles published to make it one of the top 17 medical journals globally.

Dr Khorshid said: “As a result of Professor Talley’s leadership and drive, the latest vital information about the novel and emerging COVID-19 pandemic was presented in a scientifically rigorous way to inform clinicians so we could take up the fight on the frontline armed with the latest insights.”

The Roll of Fellows recognises outstanding contributions to the profession of medicine from AMA members. Six AMA colleagues have been admitted as AMA Fellows following consideration by the AMA Federal Council.

• Professor John Burgess for his contribution as Tasmanian President in the early stage of the pandemic, following service in multiple AMA positions over 31 years of membership.

• Dr Suzanne Davey, who has held multiple AMA positions in the ACT, in General Practice forums and in service to doctors’ health programs over 24 years of membership.

• Associate Professor William Tam for his service as South Australian President, his membership of the South Australia and Federal AMA Boards and his role in establishing and leading the Australian Chinese Medical Association.

• Dr Dilip Dhupelia, who has been a consistent voice for rural medical practice and has served as President AMA Queensland until this time last year.

• Dr Danielle McMullen, who as NSW President is the AMA voice in that State as it works through its response to the Delta strain of COVID-19. She also served as an AMA Federal Board member with particular distinction, showing astute governance skills as a Director.

• Dr Andrew Miller, the immediate past President of AMA WA, who has taken medical advocacy to a new level of cut through, for his long career of medical leadership and, in particular, for his extraordinary contributions to the voluntary assisted dying debate in WA and the management of the pandemic.

(Amended 2 August 2021)