Professor Robert Jackler – As e-cigarettes continue to capture new markets around the world, their uptake raises many questions for health professionals. The e-cigarette phenomenon has been closely followed by Professor Robert Jackler, leading neuro-otologist from Stanford School of Medicine in California, who’s speaking at the Australian Society of Otolaryngology Head and Neck Surgery 2017 Annual Scientific Meeting in Adelaide on March 23-26, 2017.

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Michael Gorton AM, Principal, Russell Kennedy Lawyers — Spam is often viewed as an irritating by-product of internet use. But legal issues around the use of spam are now becoming an issue for surgeons too. Medico-legal expert Michael Gorton offers timely warnings for all medical practitioners whose entrepreneurial zeal may take them over the spam line.

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Heather Cleland, BRANZ – Despite the complexities around burns care, history has produced little evidence-based data to assess consistencies around burn management practice and patient outcomes. That's changing now as a result of BRANZ – the Burns Registry of Australia and New Zealand. As the first four years of data from the Registry is analysed, BRANZ Steering Committee Chair Heather Cleland, discusses the findings and the value of ongoing burns data registration.

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Michael Gorton, College Solicitor — International medical graduates have watched with close interest a recent case of alleged discrimination to come before the courts in the Australian Capital Territory. And the findings of the court in this case, now handed down, have implications for all jurisdictions and for medical Colleges, warns medico-legal expert and College Solicitor, Michael Gorton.

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A recent pilot project in New Zealand is proving that the teacher-learner experience in medicine can be more harmonious, respectful and certainly more effective by moving away from the rigid structures of the past. The CAPLE Project has lessons for anyone in the teacher-learner environment as Lynley Anderson and Althea Blakey, from the Department of Bio-ethics at Otago University discuss.

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Associate Professor Peter Nottle – A recent study in Victoria shows that the public health system would benefit from high volumes of weight-loss surgery. That’s according to Assoc. Prof. Peter Nottle, Director of Upper Gastric Intestinal Surgery at The Alfred Hospital in Melbourne. Assoc. Prof. Nottle was a key member of a research team which examined 6 years of data from increased public bariatric surgery from 2007.

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Assoc. Prof. Stephen Tobin, Dean of Education, RACS — To ensure the basic standards of RACS surgical educators are maintained, the College has established The Foundation Skills for Surgical Educators Course. This one-day introductory training program has been well received from those who have already participated in cities and regional centres across Australia and New Zealand. The College’s Dean of Education, Associate Professor Stephen Tobin, explains the importance of the course and the topics covered.

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Tony Bongiorno, Bongiorno National Network — As the government and other parties debate on winding back tax breaks on superannuation, how does a busy surgeon keep pace with all the proposed changes? What exactly is under discussion and what’s likely to be implemented in the near future? There’s a lot to consider and to give us clarification is Tony Bongiorno, Founding Partner of the Bongiorno National Network. Tony explains where the rules currently stand so that surgeons can start planning their contributions to best advantage.

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Professor Ian Harris - Despite the great intentions of surgeons, thousands of surgical procedures may be unnecessary, with some operations doing more harm than good. That’s according to Professor Ian Harris, who’s written a book on the subject titled ‘Surgery, The Ultimate Placebo’. In many cases, he argues, there is little or no evidence that performing an operation is better than doing nothing. Professor Harris explains why there is an over-estimation of the benefits of surgery and an under-estimation of the potential harm. Prof Ian Harris will be presenting the GJ Royal Memorial Lecture on Surgery as a Placebo at the Victorian Annual Surgical Meeting in Melbourne on Saturday 22 October.

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Justin Dimick – We can all appreciate the importance of providing a high level of care to patients during and after surgery. To get a better understanding of how to incentivise and empower surgeons on improving quality care, we hear from prominent American surgeon in this field, Dr Justin Dimick. Among his many roles in the US, Dr Dimick is the University of Michigan’s George D. Zuidema Professor of Surgery, Chief of the Division of Minimally Invasive Surgery, and Associate Chair for Strategy & Finance.

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