Observing National Reconciliation Week and its theme "Be a Voice for Generations", we would like to reflect on recent events at the ASC.
The 91st Royal Australasian College of Surgeons Annual Scientific Congress (RACS ASC) held on 1-5 May 2023 at the Adelaide Convention Centre in Adelaide, on Kaurna Country, was a success, particularly the Indigenous Health section
Present were Dr Ben Cribb, Chair of the Indigenous Health Committee, Professor Kelvin Kong, Chair of Mina Advisory Group and Professor Jonathan Koea, RACS Maori Trainee Liaison Lead. Professor Nadine Caron from the University of British Columbia was the distinguished visitor.
The Congress was attended by Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander and Māori recipients of the ASC Award and the Peer Support Award. These included Dr Sarah Bormann, Dr Sara Lai and Dr Emily Mason, Dr Emma Espiner, Dr Selwyn Te Paa, Dr Samuel Lloyd, Dr Nasya Thompson, Dr Hinewaiora McCleery, Dr Emma Espiner and Dr Christina Gordon.
We are proud that the Indigenous Health section at this year's ASC is the largest ever gathering of Indigenous surgeons. It also had the most diverse, numerous and engaged topics, presenters and talks we have seen. We look forward to the 92nd Annual Scientific Congress to be held in Christchurch, AoNZ, in 2024, to on the successes of the Congress in 2023.
