RACS appoints new leaders for the surgical College

MedTech News: The Royal Australian College of Surgeons (RACS) has announced its incoming president and vice president. Associate Professor Kerin Fielding and Professor Owen Ung will take up office in early May 2023.

A/Professor Fielding was the first female orthopaedic surgeon in NSW and only the third in the country. She has worked in the Riverina city of Wagga Wagga for the past 30 years specialising in hip, knee and spine surgery and trauma Care.

A/Prof Fielding is cognisant how health outcomes for people in rural areas are impacted by the lack of facilities and medical professionals. Using her own experience as an example, she inspires everyone to know how country areas are uniquely rewarding for surgeons and their careers, as well as being great places to live.

“I’ve got a good life, a great practice and lifestyle, which I get to show off to inspire the younger doctors to come to regional areas,” she said.

A/Professor Fielding has been a councillor for the Royal Australian College of Surgeons since 2015 and is currently chairing the RACS priority Rural Health Equity Strategy. She was awarded the College of Surgeons medal for service to education and Rural Surgery in NSW in 2012 and the RACS NSW educator of merit award in 2021.

The Australian Orthopaedic Association (AOA) congratulated A/Professor Fielding “on this honour. We’re looking forward to your continuing leadership at RACS”.

Professor Owen Ung is a breast and endocrine surgeon at the Royal Brisbane and Women’s Hospital (RBWH) UQ clinical school. He is a council member for RACS and Chair of the Qld RACS Regional Committee. 

Professor Ung has obtained extensive administrative and management experience through his various clinical leadership roles. He is a founding director of a private specialist medical group though his professional activity is now largely directed towards public administrative and academic activity. In this way, he feels he can have the greatest impact on innovating improved treatment pathways for women diagnosed with breast cancer, conducting clinical research that will better inform and pursue cutting edge translational research that will revolutionise the treatment paradigm.

He said “Thanks for all the messages I have received – I’m blown away but humbled. VP is an incredible honour and I don’t underestimate the responsibilities ahead.”

RACS thanked outgoing president Dr Sally Langley and vice president Professor Chris Pyke “for their fantastic contributions”.

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