The Women’s tonight celebrated the 50th anniversary of the Tracy Maund Lecture and Medical Student Awards. The prestigious awards are named in honour of two of the founders of the Women’s, Richard Tracy and John Maund.
The Chief Executive Officer of the Women’s, Dr Sue Matthews, said the Awards appropriately celebrated the outstanding achievements of medical students as the hospital has been a teaching hospital from its foundation in 1856. Dr Matthews told guests at a special event held to celebrate the anniversary of the Awards that Dr Richard Tracy was also the inaugural lecturer in diseases of women and children at the University of Melbourne.
“Today the Tracy Maund Awards recognise outstanding University of Melbourne Medical School students who trained at the Women’s in the areas of reproductive biology, neonatal paediatrics and women’s health,” Dr Matthews said.
The event also hosts the Tracy Maund lecture. The oration this year was delivered by guest speakers Prof Lex Doyle, Director of the Women’s Clinical Research Development; Prof Shaun Brennecke, Director of the Women’s Perinatal Medicine and Prof Michael Quinn, Professor in the Department of Obstetrics & Gynaecology, University of Melbourne.
They were introduced by the Chair of Senior Medical Staff, Mr C. David Wrede. A/Prof Leslie Reti, the Women’s Clinical Director, Governance and Cancer Services delivered a history of the Awards before the oration.
Dr Matthews also announced the winners of the University of Melbourne Medical School awards in reproductive biology, neonatal paediatrics and women’s health.
The University of Melbourne Medical School Prize for Reproductive Biology was awarded to the best student in medicine who trained at the Women’s in 2013, Shireen Bhatt.
The University of Melbourne Medical School Prize for Neonatal Paediatrics was awarded to the best student in neonatal paediatrics who trained at the Women’s in 2013, Zaid Shihab.
The University of Melbourne Medical School Prize for Women’s Health was awarded to the best final year student in obstetrics, who trained at the Women’s in 2013, Dana Forcey.
Dr Matthews also presented the Rex Betheras Prize in Neonatal Services. The Rex Betheras Prize was introduced in 2003 in honour of the late Dr Rex Betheras, an esteemed neonatologist with a particular interest in ultrasound imaging. Dr Gytha Betheras, an esteemed clinician at the Women’s in her own right, established the award in memory of her husband’s commitment to neonatal care, and to the development of neonatal services at the Women’s.
The Rex Betheras Prize is awarded annually to the best doctor training as a neonatal specialist, who has contributed the most to the clinical or academic achievements of the intensive and special care nurseries. The recipient of the Rex Betheras Prize this year was Dr Rocco Cuzilla.
Related information
Read more about the founders of the Women's - the Ladies' Committee (including Mrs Frances Perry and Mrs Elizabeth Tripp) and the two doctors who joined the Ladies' Committee to found the 'Melbourne Lying-in Hospital and Infirmary for Diseases of Women and Children' (now the Royal Women's Hospital).