Unsung medical teaching trust gives $300,000

It is typical of low-key Dunedin that the work and good deeds of a 51-year-old medical teaching trust fly under the radar, Dunedin Basic Medical Science Trust chairman Richard Bunton says.

As with seeking publicity, the trust is unaccustomed to giving away large sums of money, with the $300,000 it gave the neuro-surgery fundraising campaign by far the biggest in the 20 years Mr Bunton has been involved.

The trust runs an annual six-week surgery training preparation course, established by the late thoracic surgeon Associate Prof John Borrie.

Dunedin academics John Heslop and Emeritus Prof Barbara Heslop helped Prof Borrie develop the course.

Each year the course takes 60 to 70 postgraduate medical students, mostly from Australia.

Proceeds from the coursesupported medical education and endeavour, usually related to surgery.

Funds were mainly distributed through scholarships, but were also used for other purposes, such as assisting academics to write papers and attend conferences.

Mr Bunton, who is also the Southern District Health Board's Otago chief medical officer, said establishing the Neurological Foundation Chair in Neurosurgery was the "last brick" in maintaining the specialty in Dunedin.

It also strengthened ties between Dunedin Hospital and the University of Otago.

The grant was a way for the medical profession to support the campaign, and not just leave it to the public.

"I think the trust and its endeavours are a really good example of the medical ethos that I was brought up with, in terms of putting something back into the system that you grew up in and making a positive contribution to surgery education within Australasia."

The trust had always been low profile.

"It's a bit like a lot of things we do in Dunedin.

"We're not really very good at self-promotion and talking about the good things we might do," Mr Bunton said.

 

 

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