Surgical News | Volume 22 | Issue 4
RACS welcomes new councillors Introducing new councillors Associate Professor Andrew Cochrane, Dr Philip Morreau and Dr Nicola Hill Giving life and providing opportunities to others are two main themes in Associate Professor Andrew Cochrane’s professional and personal life. He has been heavily involved in teaching for the College and has travelled regularly overseas for over 20 years with cardiac surgery teams. In addition to being an active philanthropist volunteering with medical organisations, Associate Professor Cochrane also supports academic and music students through scholarships and prizes. His father, the late Professor Donald Cochrane, was Dean of the Faculty of Economics and Politics at Monash University from 1961–1981, and his mother, the late Margaret Schofield, was an eminent pianist who taught at the University of Melbourne’s Faculty of Music. They encouraged Associate Professor Cochrane towards the study of medicine after secondary school, but it was his mother who inspired Associate Professor Cochrane and his sister, Dr Fiona Cochrane, to develop a passion for providing opportunities for others. After their parents’ deaths, the siblings established the Cochrane-Schofield Charitable Fund, which awards academic scholarships to secondary school and university students (through Monash University) and provides funds for musical events and prestigious musical performance competitions.
countries in South America such as Peru and Ecuador. Under the Rotary Oceania Medical Aid for Children Program (ROMAC), Associate Professor Cochrane has helped to bring patients, mostly children and young adults, to Australia for surgery. He notes that this has been difficult over the last few years, due to hospital financial restrictions and now COVID-19 restrictions. More recently, Associate Professor Cochrane has been involved as a Board member with Maluk Timor, a not-forprofit organisation providing medical training and healthcare in tuberculosis, HIV, malnutrition, rheumatic heart disease and other fields. He has been a Board member of East Timor Hearts. “It gives me great satisfaction to do a lot of good in these developing countries,” Associate Professor Cochrane said. “And it’s equally important to teach and train their local surgeons.” This year, Associate Professor Cochrane felt it was an appropriate time for him to join the Royal Australasian College of Surgeons (RACS) Council. “After focussing on performing surgery over many years, then spending time in education and training, I now feel I am more interested in, and would like
Cardiothoracic Surgery appealed to Associate Professor Cochrane as a student and young doctor because he felt that he could do more for patients as a surgeon. Associate Professor Cochrane has donated many surgical hours and his expertise as a medical teacher and Board member, starting, over 20 years ago, with Open Heart International. He has made many overseas medical trips to the Pacific Islands, East Timor and more recently to
Associate Professor Andrew Cochrane enjoys kayaking.
to contribute to, the direction of the College,” he said. Associate Professor Cochrane has taught the ASSET, CCrISP and CLEAR courses for the College and he ran the annual Cardiothoracic Trainees Course 2011–2018. He said that, while he has no major reforms or agendas to bring to Council, he would like to explore how the College could better recognise its teachers, particularly those surgeons who give much of their own time and weekends delivering courses and training. Another area he would like review is the College’s engagement with Trainees and Younger Fellows. “Sometimes the messaging of what the College does to support these members could be improved,” he said. “But I’m also a gradual change person. I think overall the College is in a good place and doing a good job.” It is difficult to imagine Associate Professor Cochrane has any spare time but when he does, he enjoys distance running and kayaking. He has been involved more than 10 times in the Murray Marathon canoe race relay. Has he inherited any musical talents from his mother? “I used to play the flute and I keep meaning to pick it up again,” he said. “Maybe one day!”
23
