‘We owe it to our patients to be the best that we can be’

Said Winthrop Professor Fiona Wood to healthcare graduates after collecting her honorary award.  Professor Wood received the award of Honorary Doctorate of the University for services to medical science

PROFESSOR Fiona Wood is one of Australia’s most admired surgeons and her roster of honours and tributes include the title Australian of the Year and five years topping a magazine poll as the most trusted Australian.  But she is Yorkshire-born and has paid a return visit to her home county to receive an Honorary Doctorate of the University of Huddersfield.

It was bestowed at one of 17 ceremonies taking place during the week, and after her award was bestowed, Professor Wood – a world-leading plastic and reconstructive surgeon and burns specialist whose research team developed spray-on skin technologies used around the world – told her audience of graduates in a wide range of healthcare disciplines that they had amazing opportunities ahead of them.

“There are not many places in this world that take your education and training as seriously as this university.  It achieves excellence, because it cares,” she said.

“I see no mileage at all in being average.  We owe it to the patients that we treat to be the best that we can be,” continued Professor Wood, who also told graduates that they needed to contribute to the body of knowledge in their fields.

“Collectively, we learn today to make tomorrow a better place for us and for everyone across the world.”

Born in Hemsworth and schooled in Pontefract, Professor Wood began her career in London and began to specialise in the treatment of burns.  She moved to Australia in 1987 and is now a leading figure in plastic and reconstructive surgery.

An oration describing her life and achievements was delivered by Karen Ousey, who is the Professor of Skin Integrity at the University of Huddersfield, and who herself has teaching and research links with Australia.

“I was fortunate enough to be able to visit Fiona at the Royal Perth Hospital,” said Professor Ousey.  “It was fascinating to see the team at work managing a range of extensively burned patients.

“These burns were on a scale that we would rarely see in the UK.  The team, led by Fiona, were calm and compassionate.  Importantly, many patients still visited the unit years after their accidents to simply say hello to the team.”

Professor Ousey listed many of Professor Wood’s achievements and honours.

“As Director of the WA Burns Service of Western Australia she is consultant at Perth Children’s Hospital and Fiona Stanley Hospital.  In her role of director of burns research, she leads an interdisciplinary team with broad collaboration focused on translation to improve clinical outcomes.  She has been the recipient of the 2003 Australian Medical Association’s Contribution to Medicine’ Award and an Order of Australia Medal for work with Bali bombing victims.”

Fiona Wood holds the chair of Winthrop Professor at the University of Notre Dame in Western Australia.