A multiple award-winning consultant surgeon who has dedicated much of his career to the education and training of surgeons has been elected vice president at UK’s oldest surgical Royal College, the Royal College of Surgeons of Edinburgh.
Professor Rowan Parks is revered for his work in medical education and training, and his work in hepatobiliary and pancreatic surgery; he has been recognised with multiple awards, distinctions and fellowships. Alongside becoming vice president of the 500 year old Royal College of Surgeons of Edinburgh, Prof Parks is also professor of surgical sciences at the University of Edinburgh, president of the Association of Surgeons of Great Britain and Ireland, and deputy medical director of NHS Education for Scotland.
Prof Parks said: “I am delighted and truly honoured to be elected vice president of the Royal College of Surgeons of Edinburgh, alongside Pala Rajesh – the College’s first Indian vice president. I have now been a Member of the College for two decades, and I am thrilled to have the privilege of taking the next step in moving forward the College’s vision and strategy; ensuring high standards in the delivery of education and training, as well as in the provision of high-quality surgical care.”
Prof Parks – who has won awards from a diverse range of bodies, including Royal Australasian College of Surgeons, Royal College of Surgeons in Ireland, and British Medical Association – undertook all his surgical training in Northern Ireland, having grown up in Belfast. He qualified from Queen’s University in Belfast in 1999. As a consultant in liver and pancreatic surgery, he has contributed heavily to training of undergraduates and postgraduates in this area.
Two vice presidents are elected each term, remaining in their positions for three years. They are nominated by Fellows and voted in with a ballot. Their role includes taking the chair at meetings at which the president is unable to attend, and supporting the president in their role, alongside their own duties within the College.
The college’s new president-elect, Professor Michael Griffin, said: “The College is delighted to have elected to appoint such a respected and applauded vice president. The honour is ours, and we very much look forward to the work Prof Parks will undertake towards continuing the promotion of high standards in surgical practices, education and assessment.”
