RACS ASC 2021 – one with many firsts

The Royal Australasian College of Surgeons (RACS) Annual Scientific Congress (ASC), which took place between 10–14 May 2021 ended on a high note. A record 3706 delegates attending the meeting – the highest turnout in its history.

Day one at the RACS ASC 2021 ended with an evening of celebration as 158 new Fellows received their Fellowship certificates during the convocation ceremony, which was held in multiple locations around Australia and Aotearoa New Zealand.

In a first for the Congress, we created hubs across Australia, Aotearoa New Zealand and beyond, enabling those who could not attend in person to congregate in a COVID-19 safe way to virtually enjoy the program in a collegiate setting.

COVID-19 derailed the 2020 Congress but served to inspire the theme for 2021, ‘Celebrating the art of surgery - in a time of disruption’. Encouraging reflection on the changes to our lives over the last year, the

congress aimed to illustrate how we’ve been creative and agile in our response to this disruptive force in surgical practice.

We were pleased to collaborate with the Royal College of Surgeons of Edinburgh (RCSEd) on the RACS ASC 2021 and enjoyed the President’s Lecture delivered by the RCSEd President, Professor Michael Griffin OBE. We also welcomed other high-profile guests including Australian Treasurer, the Honourable Josh Frydenberg, Secretary of the Commonwealth Department of Health, Professor Brendan Murphy, who delivered the Syme Oration, and former Australian Deputy Chief Medical Officer, Dr Nick Coatsworth.

It was a week full of great presentations, fantastic speakers and engaged delegates from around the world. Here are some facts and figures we gathered on the Congress:

• 3706 registrants – the largest number ever at a RACS ASC, with 2860 attending virtually and 846 onsite around Australia, Aotearoa New Zealand, the United Kingdom and around the Pacific

• 285 sessions

• 986 posters and 1212 verbal presentations

• 1258 presenters

• 106 overseas presenters

• 153 new Fellows with 83 onsite across Australia and Aotearoa New Zealand and 70 attending virtually

• 3440 people watched the Plenary session on 13 May.

Thank you to all the delegates, speakers, sponsors and the many people behind the scenes who helped make the RACS ASC 2021 such a success. The generosity of spirit exhibited by everyone made the Congress possible and the unparalleled enthusiasm for the meeting far outweighed any technical hiccups.

We look forward to #RACS22.

Dr Tony Sparnon with a convocee at the Melbourne convocation ceremony

Attendees relax at the RACS booth

Dr Amiria Lynch and Dr Amy Touzell at the Women in Surgery breakfast

Participants at a DCAS session

Convocees in Melbourne

Dr Julie Mundy with Colonel Brett Courtenay, presenter of the Sir Edward ‘Weary’ Dunlop Memorial Lecture

Dr Kate Fitzgerald, one of the newly graduated Fellows, with her family

Dr Brendan Murphy speaks at convocation

Mr Suraj Rathnayake and Dr Mahanama Dissanayake

Fijian Health Minister Dr Ifereimi Waqainabete gives the Rowan Nicks lecture

Attendees at the Women in Surgery Breakfast

Professor Elizabeth Molloy presenting as part of the Surgical Education program

Professor Mohamed Khadra with Dr Tony Sparnon at the opening plenary

The Indigenous Health breakfast

RACS ASC Convener Professor Wendy Brown with Dr Tony Sparnon and Dr Nick Coatsworth

Dr Amanda Foster, Dr Sally Butchers and Dr Christine Lai