Fellowship

The Australian Academy of Health and Medical Sciences elects the best and brightest minds in the field of medical and health sciences as Fellows.

Fellows are elected in recognition of their outstanding achievements and exceptional contributions to the sector. The Fellowship are acknowledged for their clinical, non-clinical, leadership, industry and research contributions.

About Fellowship with AAHMS

Find Fellows of the AAHMS

To find Fellows of our Academy either use the search form below or download the full list of current Fellows here.

Name

Position

Level

Elected

State

Director, Pancreatic Research Group
Ingham Institute for Applied Medical Research
2019
NSW

Professor Minoti Apte is internationally renowned for her pioneering work on pancreatic stellate cell biology which opened up a whole new area of research into pancreatic fibrogenesis, a prominent feature of chronic pancreatitis and pancreatic cancer. The quality of work has been recognised comprehensively, including via >$14.5M in competitive funding and numerous prestigious awards.
She has an extensive track record of leadership at both an institutional and discipline level, including Membership of the NSW Cancer Council Research Committee and serving as Editor-in-Chief for Pancreatology. Furthermore, she has a strong performance history of promoting public awareness of health and medical science.

Distinguished Scientist
Hudson Institute of Medical Research
2019
VIC

Professor Jock Findlay is internationally recognised for research in reproductive biology, making novel contributions to understanding regulation of the ovary and endometrium, relevant to fertility, infertility and ovarian cancer, and by prestigious awards and appointments by national and international societies. He has given conspicuous service through leadership at Research Institutes, Universities, the World Health Organisation, Commonwealth and State Government Committees, and Societies in Australia and the USA. His contributions have been recognised by the award of Officer of the Order of Australia (AO). He continues to contribute to medical and health science through publications, mentorship, leadership of review panels and Chair of a Research Institute Advisory Board.

Head, School of Chemistry and Molecular Biosciences
The University of Queensland
2019
QLD

Professor Paul Young is currently Professor of Virology at the University of Queensland. For over 40 years, his virus research has been focused on three over arching themes; gaining a clearer understanding of how viruses cause severe disease, the development of improved diagnostics and the discovery of new therapeutic and vaccine control strategies. He is internationally recognised for his work on the dengue viruses, translating basic research into a commercial diagnostic assay that is now the global standard for early diagnosis of dengue infection. His group has also discovered a viral protein that is key to the
pathophysiology of severe dengue disease and targetable for drug design and has developed a patented vaccine platform technology that is about to go into clinical trials.

President and Vice-Chancellor
UNSW Sydney
2019
NSW

Professor Ian Jacobs, for the last 30-years, has headed a research team working on early detection and risk prediction of cancer with a particular focus on screening for ovarian cancer, leading to grants valued at >$80M, over 400 publications and an H-Index of >75. In addition to leading large scale research programs, Jacobs is the Vice-Chancellor of UNSW and holds leadership roles in organisations focused on health and medical research, education and advocacy, including Board membership of Research Australia and Chairmanship of the Sydney Partnership for Health Education, Research and Enterprise.

NHMRC Senior Principal Research Fellow
The University of Queensland
2019
QLD

Professor Paul Hodges is a world leader in rehabilitation of musculoskeletal pain. His unique comprehensive research approach from molecular biology to brain physiology and human function has made fundamental shifts in our understanding of why people move differently in pain. His innovative research has identified modified neuromuscular function across a diverse range of conditions from back pain to incontinence, and revealed the underlying mechanisms. These observations have been translated into effective tailored exercise treatments that have been tested and implemented internationally. His discoveries have improved outcomes for people in pain, particularly back pain, the world’s leading cause of disability.

Head of Rheumatology
Monash University
2019
VIC

Professor Flavia Cicuttini is Head of Rheumatology, Alfred Health, Professor and Head of the Musculoskeletal Unit, Monash University. She is an international authority on novel approaches to treatment and prevention of musculoskeletal disease. Her research has influenced the management of a range of musculoskeletal diseases, globally. She has made, and continues to make, important contributions to the health and quality of life of those with musculoskeletal disease, as a researcher, clinician and educator.

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Professor of Biomedical Engineering
The University of Sydney
2019
NSW

Professor Hala Zreiqat has developed a novel class of ceramic biomaterials for musculoskeletal regeneration, pioneering new cell, molecular biology and nanoscience techniques to produce ceramics that combine high strength and bioactivity. She also developed the technology to fabricate these biomaterials as 3D-printed patient-specific implants. She is Director of the ARC Centre for Innovative BioEngineering, Chair of the international Alliance for Design and Application in Tissue Engineering, and Founder of the IDEAL Society, an international network to improve opportunities for women. In 2018, she received the prestigious NSW Premier’s Woman of the Year Award, for scientific achievement and mentorship of women.

Professor of Neurology
UNSW Sydney
2019
NSW

Professor Mark Parsons is an internationally recognised leader in Stroke Medicine, and a highly sought-after speaker, instructor and mentor, both nationally and internationally, in all aspects of clinical neuroscience. He is an international authority in Stroke clinical trials, and brain imaging, and has translated much of his research into clinical practice change. Professor Parsons has published in all major neurology specialty journals, as well as the highest impact general clinical journals, with >250 articles in peer-reviewed journals. He is recognised by his peers nationally and internationally.

Clinical Head, Breast Medical Oncology
Peter MacCallum Cancer Centre
2019
VIC

Professor Prue Francis is an internationally renowned breast cancer clinician researcher. She is the Clinical Lead of Breast Medical Oncology at Peter MacCallum Cancer Centre. She is Chair of the Scientific Advisory Committee for the Breast Cancer Trials group which is the largest cancer collaborative research group in Australasia. She developed and led the international SOFT randomised trial that resulted in improved overall survival for young women with early breast cancer and resulted in changes to international breast cancer treatment guidelines. In 2015 she was awarded the prestigious Medical Oncology Group of Australia Cancer Achievement Award.

Director of Intensive Care
The Wesley Hospital
2019
QLD

Over a 20-year career, Professor Bala Venkatesh has played a major role in the development and establishment of academic intensive care medicine in Australia through outstanding contributions to education and research. He is recognised as a leading basic science and clinicianresearcher in intensive care medicine, and led international clinical trials that have had a substantive impact on patients. He was instrumental in establishing the College of Intensive Care Medicine. As President of the College, he led the agenda in addressing various social issues relevant to training such as bullying and harassment, gender balance and tackling capacity to train.

Our Fellows sit at the heart of everything we do. They represent Australia’s leading minds in health and medical sciences, having been recognised for their clinical, non-clinical, leadership, industry and research contributions.

To be considered for election to the Academy’s Fellowship, a candidate must show exceptional professional achievement in a field related to health and/or medicine.

Fellows contribute to the projects and activities of the Academy and must be willing to be active participants.

Successful Fellowship candidates will have shown:

  • Outstanding leadership in their field.
  • Significant and ongoing involvement with issues of health care, prevention of disease, education, research, and health services policy and delivery.

Candidates for Fellowship should meet the following criteria:

  • National and International recognition for excellence in health and medical science
  • Significant, sustained and ongoing contributions to advance health and medical science in Australia (relative to opportunity)
  • Contribution to the profession through leadership and mentorship
  • Raised public understanding and promoting health and medical science in the broader community

Download criteria for Fellowship

Each year, current Fellows of the Academy are invited to nominate up to four new candidates who meet the criteria and fulfil the required expectations.

Nominations by a Fellow of two new candidates must ensure that at least one nomination is a woman. Nominations by a Fellow of four new candidates must ensure that at least two nominations are women.

How to make a nomination

Fellows wishing to nominate a candidate for Fellowship should contact the secretariat to confirm candidate eligibility and receive and instructions on how to submit the completed nomination documentation online. 

Fellows wishing to nominate a candidate for a Corresponding Fellowship should contact the secretariat for more information.

Secretariat contact details
Email: [email protected]

Phone: 07 3102 7220

Nomination guidelines for ordinary Fellowship

October 2023
Newly elected Fellows of 2023 are inducted at the Annual Meeting.

18 September 2023- 30 November 2023
Nominations are invited from existing Fellows until the closing date of 30 November.

December 2023
Nominations allocated to Selection Committees.

January – April 2024
Referees’ reports sought.

Early May 2024
Selection Committees meet to consider nominations and provide final recommendations to the Council.

Early-to-mid-July 2024
Council meets to finalise recommendations.

Late July 2024
Full Fellowship invited to comment on recommended new fellows.

August 2024
Election results are shared with proposers and candidates (under embargo).

October 2024
Newly elected Fellows of 2024 inducted at the Annual Meeting.

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