Surgeon Receives International Fellowship

DATE: 18 July, 2007

SUBJECT: Surgeon Receives International Fellowship

A Christchurch surgeon has been awarded a special fellowship that recognises the contribution leading surgeons from throughout the world have made to their fields.

Canterbury District Health Board Oral and Maxillofacial Surgeon Mr Leslie Snape, who works at the Oral Health Centre in Tuam St, Christchurch, was awarded a Fellowship Ad Eundem by the Royal College of Surgeons of England at a ceremony in London on 10 July.

Mr Snape was one of 11 surgeons from around the world and across different specialities, who were awarded the fellowship without examination. It is bestowed each year on a small number of international or UK surgeons whom the College regards as leaders in their fields.

Mr Snape, who has a particular interest in the treatment of people with facial injuries, jaw deformities and mouth and jaw diseases, says he was “extremely flattered” to be awarded the fellowship. “To be honoured by one’s peers is very special. It’s nice to have something tangible where people recognise the work we do.”

Mr Snape, who was the first maxillofacial surgeon in New Zealand to be trained both medically and dentally, has been instrumental in developing training programmes for trainee surgeons across Australasia.

He has been a member of the faculty of AO International, a global non-profit surgeons’ research and education network, for the past eight years.

During this time, he has been involved in taking practical workshops and courses for trainee surgeons, surgeons and other health professionals to help them to keep up to date on the latest oral and maxillofacial surgical techniques. He has also taken courses for surgeons who want to become trainers on these courses.

His teaching often takes him to places all over the world. Next week, he will travel to Sydney where he will spend a week lecturing and taking practical workshops for nurses and surgeons before heading to Kota Kinabalu in Malaysia to instruct on a course for surgeons who wish to become involved in teaching on these courses.

He is currently a member of the Board of Studies for the Australasian College of Surgeons, Chairman of Examiners for the speciality in Australia and New Zealand and Director of the New Zealand Training Unit in Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery.

ENDS

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