AMA (NSW)

09/06/2026

VALE: It is with great sadness we acknowledge the death of Professor Richard Scolyer.
Being a doctor carries an enormous responsibility, one that often extends well beyond the clinical space.
Many say it is a calling; a deep drive to improve the world for others, often requiring great innovation, curiosity, persistence and courage.
In Professor Scolyer’s final few years, he never relinquished that desire, using his own illness to seek light for others.
“Having dedicated my 35-year working life to patient care, cancer research and improving lives, I wanted to keep contributing, even in my darkest hour.”

07/06/2026

TODAY IN HISTORY: It’s the first test we all undergo when we arrive in the world - the APGAR.
The APGAR assess a newborn’s health one minute after birth and again at five minutes, resulting in a score out of 10.
American anaesthesiologist Virginia Apgar, born on this day in 1909, developed the test in 1952 to combat infant mortality.
And yes, she matched the categories tested to her name - Appearance, Pulse, Grimace, Activity, and Respiration.
In addition to her hospital work, Dr Apgar, known as the founder of perinatology, made stringed instruments, flew planes, gardened, golfed, fly-fished, collected stamps, and played the violin.
But she never married, claiming: “I haven’t found a man who can cook.”

31/05/2026

TODAY IN HISTORY: Hospital food has never had a great rap.
But did you know that Cornflakes were an accidental discovery by a doctor looking to create a bland meal for his patients to aid digestion and deter them from any "sinful, sexual urges".
Dr John Kellogg was a Seventh Day Adventist running a health spa in Michigan with his brother Will.
On this day in 1894, they set out to create their new food by boiling wheat, but were unexpectedly called away.
When they returned, the wheat had gone stale.
Instead of throwing it away, they ran the softened, tempered grains through rollers, to find they emerged as thin flakes.
When toasted, the brothers discovered it made a crispy, palatable cereal.
They later swapped the wheat for corn and added sugar for the mass market.

25/05/2026

GET IN QUICK: Our last Practice Managers’ Masterclass in Sydney sold out, but you can secure your spot now at our next class in Wollongong in July.
These interactive workshops are run by our expert Workplace Relations team and industry partners, and cover everything from cyber security to staff management.
To register, please visit: https://amansw-pmm-wollongong.eventsair.site

21/05/2026

PRIVATE PRACTICE: As a doctor, running a medical practice comes with responsibilities that go well beyond seeing patients.
Join AMA (NSW) on Saturday, June 13 at the Parkroyal Hotel, Parramatta for a practical one-day conference designed for doctors starting out or already working in, private medical practice.
Led by the AMA (NSW) Workplace Relations team, the program will cover the key non-clinical issues doctors need to navigate, including financial management, cyber risk, compliance, medico-legal risk, hospital appointments and managing practice staff.
The conference will provide practical advice on how to set up, manage and protect your practice, while also offering the chance to hear from experts and connect with peers facing similar challenges.
Further details, including registration, are available below.

Join AMA (NSW) on Saturday 13 June 2026 at the PARKROYAL Hotel, Parramatta for a practical, one‑day conference focused on the non‑clinical aspects of private medical practice.

18/05/2026

OUT NOW: The Autumn edition of The NSW Doctor is out now.
In this edition, we mark a changing of the guard at AMA (NSW), farewelling outgoing president Dr Kathryn Austin and long-serving CEO Fiona Davies after years of service to the medical profession.
We unpack AMA (NSW)’s landmark VMO arbitration, examine the rise of artificial intelligence in workplace disputes, and look at illegal to***co and voluntary assisted dying processes in NSW.
And we profile Dr Christopher Farag, former AMA (NSW) Medical Student of the Year, on the quiet moments that shape a young doctor’s sense of purpose.
You can read the latest edition here: https://www.amansw.com.au/the-nsw-doctor-autumn-2026/

14/05/2026

NEW CEO: After a robust recruitment process, Dominique Egan has been appointed as the next Chief Executive Officer of AMA (NSW), replacing Fiona Davies.
Dominique joined AMA (NSW) six years ago as the Director of Workplace Relations and in-house legal counsel.
She has led the Workplace Relations team in supporting doctors across a wide range of complex matters from hospital issues and investigations to medico-legal matters, employment disputes and regulatory processes.
Her work has focused on ensuring doctors are supported and represented at all times.
Dominique has also played the lead role in AMA (NSW)’s landmark arbitration for visiting medical officers. This case, the first of its kind in almost 20 years, is critical to securing fair and sustainable arrangements for VMOs across the public hospital system.
Prior to joining AMA (NSW), Dominique built extensive experience in private legal practice, acting predominantly for medical practitioners, medical associations and their members.
Her experience includes representation before NCAT and the Medical Council of NSW, HCCC investigations, matters in the NSW Industrial Relations Commission and Fair Work Commission, as well as medico-legal and commercial advice for doctors in private practice.
Dominique’s appointment comes at a critical time for the profession, with increasing pressure across the health system and the need for strong, informed advocacy for doctors across NSW, particularly in the lead up to the state election in March next year.
She will begin her new role on July 2, 2026.

10/05/2026

MEMBER FOCUS: What does a surgical registrar and a quokka have in common?
Apparently, quokkas are excellent at listening to doctors practise their presentations for major conferences.
Last week, Adrian Siu, the 2022 AMA (NSW) Doctor-in-Training of the Year, presented research on pelvic exenteration patients at the Royal Australasian College of Surgeons annual scientific congress in Perth.
His research will help refine, shape and improve cancer care, and he is very grateful to his new Western Australian friend for listening to his talk "far too many times".
Adrian has been an AMA (NSW) member for four years.

28/04/2026

BOOKS OPEN: A grassroots campaign to attract doctors to the state's central west has claimed victory today with medical centres able to open their books to new patients for the first time in 18 months.
The Doctors 4 Mudgee campaign, run by Kate Day, was featured in the Spring edition of NSW Doctor and has now attracted four general practitioners and six registrars to the region thanks to community support and funding.
But, as noted by AMA (NSW) president Dr Kathryn Austin in our article, the responsibility to ensure equitable access to healthcare should not fall on the shoulders of the community.
Kate Day agrees.
"Rural communities deserve the same equitable and timely access to healthcare as their city counterparts and are tired of being overlooked."
Congratulations to AMA (NSW) members Dr Spun Kongsirituwong, Dr Nathan Heijstee and Dr Peta O'Brien for joining the ranks in Mudgee.

27/04/2026

MEMBER FOCUS: Sarah Blackwell is a junior doctor at Dubbo Base Hospital.
She's also a proud Wiradjuri woman from the lower Blue Mountains and one of the first in her family to pursue higher education.
"Given my background, school and area that I was from, I honestly thought it would be impossible to get into my degree," she says.
But succeed she did, graduating from the University of Sydney with a double degree in science and medicine.
She's now keen to specialise in obstetrics and gynaecology to improve indigenous maternal and infant health.
"While I can't change the world as just one person, I can help educate those I work with, even if it's one patient at a time."