Volume 21 | Issue 3 Surgical News Volume 21 | Issue 3 surgeons.org surgeons.org Pages 4–6 Spotlight on | Page 10 Welcome to our new President RACS ASC – one with many firsts and Vice President “A psychologically healthy workplace fosters employee health and wellbeing while enhancing organizational performance and productivity,” Sodexo 2017 Global Workplace Trends Flexible workplaces are happy workplaces Speak in total confidence to a Converge International consultant. Australia 1300 our eap (1300 687 327) New Zealand 0800 666 367 International +613 8620 5300 or visit convergeinternational.com.au Surgical News | Volume 21 | Issue 3 3 RACS leadership Welcome to our new president 4 Welcome to our new VP 6 Spotlight on RACS ASC 2021 RACS ASC 2021 – one with many firsts 8 Reflections on an inclusive congress 11 A memorable RACS ASC for urologists 13 From the hubs 14 Talent on display in virtual art gallery 18 The creative surgeon 24 Articles of interest Rural General Surgery in Scotland 26 The state of robotic surgery 28 A rare breed of rural surgeon 30 Gendered titles 31 Strengthening the foundation of surgical education 33 Creating safety and respect 37 Fellow profile: Dr Alpesh Patel 39 Aotearoa New Zealand restructures its health services 40 Tour de Cure 42 Scholarships and Grants Program 58 Correspondence and letters to the editor for Surgical Research News should be sent to: [email protected] Editor: Abderazzaq Noor Inspiring students and junior doctors to T: +61 3 9249 1200 | F: +61 3 9249 1219 incorporate research 44 Contributing writers: Rochel Corkery, Fleur Morrison, Saleha Singh. Case note review 56 www.surgeons.org ISSN 1443-9603 (Print)/ISSN 1443-9565 (Online). © Copyright 2021, Royal Australasian College “A psychologically healthy workplace fosters employee health Historical of Surgeons. All rights reserved. All copyright is The surgeons of Vanity Fair: Sir Morrell reserved. The editor reserves the right to change material submitted. The College privacy policy and and wellbeing while enhancing organizational performance and MacKenzie 50 disclaimer apply – www.surgeons.org. The College The value of surgical mentors 52 and the publisher are not responsible for errors or productivity,” consequences for reliance on information in this publication. Statements represent the views of the author and not necessarily the College. Information is Sodexo 2017 Global Workplace Trends Global health not intended to be advice or relied on in any particular The Pacific Island Program 41 circumstance. Advertisements and products advertised are not endorsed by the College. The advertiser takes all responsibility for representations and claims. Published for the Royal Australasian College of Surgeons by RL Media Pty Ltd. ACN 081 735 Flexible workplaces are happy workplaces Scholarship 891, ABN 44081 735 891 of 129 Bourverie St, Carlton Vic 3053 Speak in total confidence to a Converge International consultant. On a life-changing Canadian Fellowship 34 Cover image: Dr Sally Langley, RACS President Surgeon develops liquid biopsy 36 Australia 1300 our eap (1300 687 327) New Zealand 0800 666 367 Photo credit: Les O’Rourke International +613 8620 5300 or visit convergeinternational.com.au 4 RACS leadership The College welcomes its 49th president – Dr Sally Langley Surgical News spoke with the new Royal Australasian College of Surgeons (RACS) President, Dr Sally Langley, to find out more about her and her ambitions for the College. Dr Langley’s term as president commenced on 13 May 2021. Dr Sally Langley is the College’s 49th Inspired by her father, who was a Christchurch and Auckland. After gaining president. She is the second female general practitioner in Christchurch, Fellowship, she did a six-month stint in president, after Mrs Anne Kolbe (2003- Dr Langley turned to medicine, an interest Vascular Surgery, six months as a hand 2005), in the organisation’s 94 years of furthered by her childhood love of reading and microsurgery Fellow at Louisville, existence. the anatomical section of a children’s Kentucky, and one year at the Radcliffe The Christchurch-born president didn't magazine called Knowledge. Infirmary in Oxford, United Kingdom. think she would be a surgeon. Her first After graduating from Otago University, “I really enjoyed the time spent overseas,” ambition was to be a violinist and she she embarked on her medical career as said Dr Langley. “It felt like a reward doing still plays unaccompanied Bach partitas a house officer for two years. This was something special. I worked in head and and sonatas – no mean feat, as the followed by an additional two years as a neck surgery, cleft lip and palate, and famous musician’s superlative works registrar in Christchurch at Burwood and hand and microsurgery.” for violin are considered the pinnacle of Christchurch hospitals. She then started Dr Sally Langley is a well-respected achievement for any violinist. a four-year training in Plastic Surgery, in Aotearoa New Zealand plastic surgeon. Surgical News | Volume 21 | Issue 3 5 She has worked in both public and private “When I started at the College, I knew on issues such as road safety, protection surgery in Christchurch and Greymouth I had a steep learning curve, but I have of the title of surgeon, gun control and on the West Coast of the South Island for been lucky to work with a lovely group obesity as well as improving engagement more than 30 years. of people – my fellow surgeons, and the with members and other stakeholders. Her work covers the whole spectrum of staff who kindly supported me along “We’ve also got to remain financially Plastic Surgery, including craniofacial, the way. That feeling of fellowship and viable and, importantly, maintain a cleft lip and palate, head and neck, coming together as a team has been a high level of education and the delivery paediatric, reconstructive including particularly enjoyable part of my journey. of courses and examinations for microsurgery, hand surgery, skin cancer We, as surgeons, can get relatively our Fellows, Trainees and Specialist and breast surgery as well as teaching isolated in our specialties and may not International Medical Graduates in these and supervision. see other people in other specialties or COVID-19 times and beyond.” other spheres of work, so connecting “Now, with more staff than I had in earlier with others is great for broadening our When it came to opportunities for the years, I concentrate on skin cancer, perspective.” College, Dr Langley said a continued focus hand surgery, and breast surgery. My on improving surgeons’ wellbeing was department has 10 plastic surgeons, four When asked what she would like to focus paramount. to five surgical education and training on during her presidency, Dr Langley said she had a range of issues to address. “As we extend surgical services, we need (SET) Trainees in Plastic Surgery, several to train enough surgeons so that we can pre-SET registrars, post-graduate year She stressed the importance of being proactive and looking to the future for manage issues such as stress, burnout one and two junior doctors, and we and flexible working hours better.” have fourth year and sixth year medical what was most beneficial to patients and students who spend time with us at the surgical profession. Family is important to Dr Langley who clinics, operating lists and tutorials. I am “The travel restrictions and the rapid spends as much time as possible with her also an intern supervisor for the Medical adoption of virtual technology enabled husband, Don, their four children and nine Council of New Zealand.” one of my goals of achieving less grandchildren. The unassuming surgeon didn’t seek the domestic and international travel. We In her downtime, Dr Langley enjoys position of president. “Having been a were able to hold many meetings and exercising in the gym, biking, and listening Councillor at the College for several years even the RACS Annual Scientific Congress to podcasts, audiobooks (she has I knew the possibility of being elected to as hybrid events, combining face-to- more than 220 titles in her library) and a higher position was there, but I didn’t face and virtual modes. This is also great webinars during her five to 10km runs. think I’d get to be president. I am also for the environment as we expend less pleased, as a woman, to be leading this resources. illustrious College. I hope that it will “I am also passionate about inspire other women to claim their place environmental sustainability. The surgical as leaders in surgery and medicine,” said workforce needs to do much more to Dr Langley. minimise harm to the environment. I am Dr Langley’s favourite podcasts and With more than 20 years in leadership particularly interested in supporting the audiobooks roles, Dr Langley brings extensive work of our Sustainability in Health Care • The Power of Introverts, an audiobook experience to the role of president. She Working Group (SIHCWG), led by Chair by Susan Cain Professor Mark Frydenberg, and the is a former president of the New Zealand • Deep Medicine, an audiobook by Eric Environmental Sustainability in Surgical Association of Plastic Surgeons and Topol has been involved in surgical education Practice Working Group (ESSPWG), led by • This is Going to Hurt, an audiobook by and training throughout her career. Professor David Fletcher.” Adam Kay She was elected to RACS Council seven Equity is also an issue that Dr Langley years ago and served as the Chair of the rates as a key priority. • Women and Leadership, an audiobook College’s Professional Development and by Julia Gillard and Ngozi Okonjo- “We must continue to address equity in Standards Board since 2019. Dr Langley Iweala all its spheres. There are many aspects was previously the Chair of Professional we need to work on such as gender, • Elemental, Radio New Zealand Development.