Seven doctors recognised for outstanding service to the medical profession and AMA

AMA Roll of Fellows 2020

Two current State AMA Presidents, two past State Presidents, the Medical Journal of Australia editor, and a married couple have been inducted into the AMA Roll of Fellows today, in recognition of their outstanding contributions to medicine, the medical profession, and the AMA.

Four of the seven are from Tasmania – a major achievement for the island State.

The new inductees are:

• AMA Tasmania Past President and anaesthetist, Dr Stuart Day;
• AMA ACT President and GP, Dr Antonio Di Dio;
• AMA NSW Immediate Past President and GP, Dr Kean-Seng Lim;
• AMA Tasmania President and occupational physician, Dr Helen McArdle;
• Medical Journal of Australia editor and neurogastroenterologist, Laureate Professor Nicholas Talley;
• Tasmanian representative on the AMA Federal Council of General Practice and GP, Dr Anne Wilson; and
• AMA Tasmania State Council representative and GP, Dr Don Rose.

Outgoing AMA President, Dr Tony Bartone, announced their addition to the Roll at the AMA National Conference, held via videoconference today.

“These seven outstanding doctors demonstrate the extraordinary range and professionalism of the AMA membership,” Dr Bartone said.

“Dr Anne Wilson and Dr Don Rose have devoted close to 70 years of service to their community in northern Tasmania and to the AMA, while raising a family of four.

“Professor Nick Talley has combined his work as a world-leading neurogastroenterologist with his role as editor of one of the world’s most influential medical journals, the Medical Journal of Australia.

“Dr Helen McArdle, who last month became the first female President of AMA Tasmania, is a senior medical administrator and an occupational physician, who is committed to diversity and equity within the profession, and to doctors’ wellbeing.

“Dr Stuart Day has shown tremendous dedication to the AMA for the past quarter-century, representing hospital doctors and serving in a variety of roles, including as AMA Tasmania President.

“Dr Antonio Di Dio has been the driving force behind the doctors’ health service in Canberra, and provided countless hours of his own time to review medical transfer requests for asylum seekers in offshore detention.

“Dr Kean-Seng Lim is committed to providing integrated care, where doctors, nurses, and other health professionals work together for their patients, and helped develop a schools-based obesity prevention program now in use in 24 schools.

“All of these doctors have excelled not just in their medical specialties, but in their roles as advocates for the profession.

“They have made real contributions at the State and Federal level to improve working conditions for doctors, to improve safety for patients, to train the next generations of medical practitioners, and to make the Australian health system work more effectively for patients and communities.

“I commend them for their service.”

Each new AMA Fellow has an impressive record of achievement, as these edited excerpts from their citations show:

Dr Stuart Day

Dr Stuart Day has shown tremendous dedication in his commitment to the AMA and the profession throughout his 24-year membership, holding roles including AMA Tasmania President (2016-2018) and Federal Councillor, as well as more than 10 years as head of Australian Salaried Medical Officers Federation (ASMOF) Tasmania.

He continues to be an active member of the AMA, and is generous in the giving of his time and advice to all who seek it.

Dr Helen McArdle

Dr Helen McArdle, the first female President of AMA Tasmania, is a long-standing AMA member, a highly respected AMA Federal Councillor, a senior medical administrator, and Occupational Physician and medical leader.

Dr McArdle has contributed to the work of the AMA at all levels of the organisation since 1990. A Federal Councillor since 2012, she has made landmark contributions as a member of the AMA Ethics and Medico Legal Committee, including the development of the AMA Position Statement on Euthanasia and Physician Assisted Suicide 2016, and as inaugural Chair of the AMA Equity, Inclusion and Diversity Committee.

Dr McArdle contributes at the highest level to her profession as a clinician, educator, leader, and policy maker.

She is a role model for Australia’s doctors and most deserving of the award of Fellow, Australian Medical Association (FAMA)

Dr Anne Wilson and Dr Don Rose

Dr Anne Wilson and Dr Don Rose have given outstanding service to the AMA for more than three decades, supporting each other in both their AMA endeavours and their marriage, raising four children while working as GPs in northern Tasmania.

They are active members of the AMA Tasmania Northern Division, State Councillor, and Tasmanian delegates to the AMA National Conference for many years.

Dr Wilson has been the Tasmanian representative on the AMA Council of General Practice for the past six years.

Dr Rose has represented the AMA on various bodies, including as the current AMA representative member of Primary Health Tasmania.

Both Dr Wilson and Dr Rose have been tireless in their efforts to ensure GPs remain at the centre of patient care in policy development and health service delivery in the public and private domains.

While each nomination was considered independently and on its merits, Dr Rose and Dr Wilson are a true partnership and one cannot be mentioned without speaking of the other.

AMA ROLL OF FELLOWS

FULL CITATIONS

Dr Stuart Kenneth Day

It is with great pleasure that the Board of AMA Tasmania recommends Dr Stuart Day for consideration as an AMA Fellow. Dr Day has shown tremendous dedication in his commitment to the AMA, while holding various vital roles throughout his 24 year membership including a term as President of AMA Tasmania 2016 - 2018, a seat on Federal Council as well as more than ten years serving as head of ASMOF Tasmania.

He continues to be an active member of the AMA and is generous in the giving of his time and advice to all who seek it.

Extremely intelligent, quietly spoken and confident, Dr Day is well-liked and respected by his peers. He has shown he can work collaboratively on a team with other doctors and is popular among the nurses for his energy and positive attitude.

Patients would no doubt find his easy-going bedside manner to be appealing, as well as his ability to quickly grasp and carefully explain complex concepts.

Dr Helen McArdle

Dr Helen McArdle is a long-standing member of Australian Medical Association, a highly respected member of AMA Federal Council, a senior medical administrator and Occupational Physician and medical leader.

Dr McArdle holds Fellowships from both the Australasian College of Occupational and Environmental Medicine and the Royal Australasian College of Medical Administrators, and has played an active role in the conduct of the affairs of these Colleges.

Since becoming a member in 1990, she has contributed to the work of the AMA at all levels of the organisation. In 2012, she was elected to AMA Federal Council where she has made landmark contributions, as a member of the AMA Ethics and Medico Legal Committee, whose work included the development of an AMA Position Statement on Euthanasia and Physician Assisted Suicide 2016, and as inaugural Chair of the AMA Equity, Inclusion and Diversity Committee in 2018.

Her contributions to discussions and policy development at AMA Federal Council are considered, clear, and listened to. She works with calm dedication as a highly-valued presence on the Councils, Committees and Boards of which she is a member, always being the one to help steer deliberations towards consensus and practical, implementable and principled ways forward. Her opinion is sought as a voice of reason and the level of respect for her is such that her contribution will often be the one that breaks a deadlock.

Helen has been a Director of AMA Tasmania since 2012 and of AMA Ltd (Federal) since 2012, where she also serves as a member and now Chair of the Audit and Risk Committee. Her evident skills in managing risk build on her career in risk management in her other professional roles, and her clear understanding of process and governance have greatly assisted the Chairs and the other members of the newly formed Board of AMA Ltd.

Dr McArdle’s other board roles include Chair of the Board of the Tasmanian Postgraduate Medical Education Council for the last 10 years, and long-standing Director and now Deputy Chair of Southern Cross Care, a major provider of aged care residential and support services in Tasmania. She is a Past President of the Tasmanian Medical Women’s Society and Vice Commodore of the Sandy Bay Sailing Club.

Dr McArdle contributes at the highest level to her profession as a clinician, educator, leader and policy maker.

Dr McArdle has provided exemplary and faithful service to the AMA and has brought credit to the Association through her strong leadership in the practice of medicine. She is a role model for Australia’s doctors and most deserving of the award of Fellow, Australian Medical Association (FAMA)

Dr Anne Heather Wilson

It is with great pleasure that the Board of AMA Tasmania recommends Dr Anne Wilson for consideration as an AMA Fellow. She has given outstanding service to the Association during her 34 years of membership.

Dr Wilson is an active member of the Northern Division, a State Councillor since 2011, a Tasmanian delegate to the AMA National Conference for many years and the Tasmanian representative for the AMA Council of General Practice for the past six years. She is a contributor at AMA meetings and always willing to take on responsibility and follow through on actions outside of meetings.

Dr Wilson is tireless in her efforts to ensure GPs remain at the centre of patient care in policy development and health service delivery in the public and private domains. She willingly gives of her time to meet with government officials, stakeholders and colleagues in order to ensure GPs have a voice at the table on health matters. She supports the efforts of staff in the State office and is always willing to go the extra mile to ensure positive outcomes are achieved in each arena she is involved in. She is forthright in her advocacy, passionate about her work and cares greatly for the welfare of her patients. Her dedication and commitment to the AMA and her vocation as a GP is second to none.

While it is important to consider each nomination independently and, on its merits, Dr Don Rose and Dr Anne Wilson have supported each other’s endeavours to participate in AMA activities and advocate for general practice throughout their married life and raising of four children. They are a true partnership and one cannot be mentioned without speaking of the other. It would be fitting for both to be awarded the Fellowship together.

Dr Donald Frederick Anthony Rose

It is with great pleasure that the Board of AMA Tasmania recommends Dr Don Rose for consideration as an AMA Fellow.

After 32 years as a member of the AMA Tasmania branch, Dr Rose continues to work tirelessly to represent the interests of doctors and their patients within the AMA and as a representative of the AMA on other bodies. He has been a State Council Representative for over 20 years, been an active member of the Northern Division, holding the office of Secretary since 2004, been a Tasmania delegate to the AMA National Conference for over a decade and represented the AMA outside the organisation on various bodies, including as the current AMA representative member of Primary Health Tasmania. He is a loyal and hard-working member of the AMA.

Dr Rose’s contribution to the work of the AMA is significant. He will go out of his way to drive campaigns that support general practitioners and advocate for rural and regional GP practices. He is always well considered in his views and is highly regarded by his peers. Dr Rose has strong networks within and outside the medical fraternity, including politically, which has helped to ensure the agenda of the AMA is clearly understood at the local and national level through elected representatives.

While it is important to consider each nomination independently and, on its merits, Dr Rose and Dr Wilson have supported each other’s endeavours to participate in AMA activities and advocate for general practice throughout their married life and raising of four children. They are a true partnership and one cannot be mentioned without speaking of the other. It would be fitting for both to be awarded the Fellowship together.