The SA MET Unit expresses sincere gratitude to everyone who attended the third annual South Australian Prevocational Medical Education Excellence Awards on Friday, 26 September 2025, at SkyCity Adelaide. It was incredible to see everyone from across the Local Health Networks, the Department for Health and Wellbeing, and those involved in prevocational education come together to connect, share, and celebrate! Huge congratulations to all the nominees and well done to all the winners. We extend our sincere gratitude to the generous sponsors of the 2025 South Australian Prevocational Medical Education Excellence Awards. Your support plays a vital role in recognising and celebrating outstanding contributions to medical education and training.
Click here to view this year’s nominees.
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CELEBRATING THE 2025 AWARD WINNERS
Dr Hugo Keller, Women’s and Children’s Health Network, accepting his award from the Hon Chris Picton, Minister for Health and Wellbeing.
Dr Luke Vater, Northern Adelaide Local Health Network, accepting his award from Dr Robyn Lawrence, Chief Executive for Health and Wellbeing.
Department of General Medicine, Women’s and Children’s Health Network, accepting their award from the Hon Chris Picton, Minister for Health and Wellbeing.
Dr Nadee Assiriyage, Flinders Upper North Local Health Network, accepting her award from the Hon Chris Picton, Minister for Health and Wellbeing.
RAH ICU Governance Team, Structured Judgement Reviews, Central Adelaide Local Health Network, accepting their award from the Hon Chris Picton, Minister for Health and Wellbeing.
Kaylee Brown, Eyre and Far North Local Health Network, accepting her award from Dr Robyn Lawrence, Chief Executive for Health and Wellbeing.
Mobile Simulation Team, Women’s and Children’s Health Network, accepting their award from Dr Robyn Lawrence, Chief Executive for Health and Wellbeing.
Professor Gregory Crawford AM, Northern Adelaide Local Health Network, accepting his award from Dr Robyn Lawrence, Chief Executive for Health and Wellbeing.
Professor Paul Worley, Riverland Mallee Coorong Local Health Network, accepting his award from Dr Robyn Lawrence, Chief Executive for Health and Wellbeing.
SA Minister for Health Award: Excellence in Advancing Prevocational Medical Education
Dr Hugo Keller
Dr Keller is a consistently positive, empathetic prevocational doctor who exceeds PGY2 expectations with calm, adaptable communication, and strong procedural skills. He prioritises patient-centred care, from routine tasks to comforting anxious families. A natural leader, Dr Keller fosters teamwork, supports colleagues, and inspires a positive culture. Trusted by all staff, he is reliable, approachable, and generous with knowledge. Committed to equity, he actively applies learnings from anti-racism training to promote inclusive, culturally sensitive healthcare.
SA HEALTH CHIEF EXECUTIVE RECOGNITION AWARD
Dr Luke vater
Dr Vater demonstrates outstanding leadership in simulation-based education and workforce development. He is pursuing a PhD on reflective learning in simulation and has pioneered the integration of EMR into simulation, an SA first, boosting fidelity and digital safety. Dr Vater co-developed interprofessional programs for interns and RNs, led support for IMG doctors, and created near-peer simulations for final-year students. His initiatives promote psychological safety, equity, and system improvement. Dr Vater’s inclusive, learner-centred approach aligns education with clinical excellence and strengthens SA’s healthcare workforce.
TEAM CULTURE AWARD
Department of general medicine, Women’s and children’s health network
The Department of General Medicine offers a highly supportive and well-structured training environment, led by an engaged head of unit. Trainees receive a thorough orientation, daily minilectures, and access to comprehensive resources via SharePoint. Strong camaraderie, approachable consultants, and a fair workload foster teamwork and psychological safety. Protected teaching time, regular feedback, and supervision ensure continuous development. Trainees are encouraged to participate in clinical discussions, research, and education. The Department of General Medicine’s inclusive, collaborative culture is consistently praised in end-of-term feedback as a model of educational excellence.
SUPPORT AND DEBRIEF OF CHALLENGING CASES award
Joint winner
Dr nadee assiriyage
Dr Nadee Assiriyage exemplifies compassionate, reflective leadership by embedding structured, inclusive debriefing into clinical practice. She fosters a psychologically safe environment where all team members, regardless of role, can reflect, learn, and grow from challenging cases. Dr Assiriyage models empathy, encourages open dialogue, and supports early career doctors with one-on-one sessions when needed. Her leadership turns critical incidents into learning opportunities, driving practical improvements, enhancing team cohesion, and promoting a culture of continuous reflection, respectful communication, and professional development across the multidisciplinary team.
SUPPORT AND DEBRIEF OF CHALLENGING CASES award
Joint winner
RAH ICU Governance team
The RAH ICU Governance Team has embedded Structured Judgement Review (SJR) into weekly education sessions for trainee doctors, creating a psychologically safe and inclusive environment with opportunities to reflect. Freed from clinical duties, trainees critically review challenging cases, including those involving mortality, across all phases of care. The SJR framework promotes objective, balanced analysis focused on system improvement, not individual blame. Reflections lead to documented actions and real practice changes, empowering prevocational doctors to actively engage in clinical governance, continuous learning, and patient safety improvement.
OUTSTANDING SUPPORT IN RURAL AND REMOTE ENVIRONMENTS award
Kaylee brown
Kaylee provides outstanding orientation and ongoing support for early career doctors in the rural setting, combining clinical education, simulation training, and individualised pastoral care. Drawing on her nursing background, she tailors tutorials to rural challenges, advocates for early career doctors, and builds community connections. She fosters a culture of safety, respect, and empowerment through clear escalation pathways, after-hours support, and regular check-ins. Her work in simulation, IMG support, and customised rotations demonstrates her deep commitment to developing confident, well-supported rural doctors and strengthening the rural medical workforce.
INTERPROFESSIONAL MEDICAL EDUCATION AND TRAINING award
Mobile simulation team, Women’s and children’s health network
The WCHN SIMS Team delivers high impact, in-situ simulation training without a formal lab, bringing practical, scenario-based education into real clinical settings. Their simulations, often based on actual incidents, enhance safety, interprofessional teamwork, and confidence, especially for TMOs new to paediatrics and O&G. They champion psychological safety, mentor advanced trainees, and adapt swiftly to clinical demands. Their rollout of Paediatric Intermediate Life Support (PILS) training, collaborative approach, and responsive design make them an invaluable asset to the hospital, fostering a culture of continuous learning and system improvement.
LIFETIME ACHIEVEMENT IN PREVOCATIONAL MEDICAL EDUCATION AWARD
Joint winner
professor gregory crawford am
Professor Crawford AM has dedicated over 30 years to medical education, spanning undergraduate to specialist training with leadership in curriculum design, clinical supervision, and national governance. He chaired the Medical Professional and Personal Development Committee for 15+ years, integrating professionalism, communication, and Indigenous health into curricula. A pioneer in simulation-based and interprofessional learning, he expanded palliative care education through innovative clinical attachments and rural video tutorials. Renowned for mentorship, research supervision, and teaching excellence, Professor Crawford’s work profoundly shapes medical education and practice.
LIFETIME ACHIEVEMENT IN PREVOCATIONAL MEDICAL EDUCATION AWARD
Joint winner
Professor paul worley
Professor Worley former Dean of Medicine at Flinders University, and inaugural National Rural Health Commissioner, has over 40 years of transformative leadership in rural medical education and workforce policy. A dedicated rural practitioner and academic, he champions learner centred education and sustainable rural health workforces. His extensive roles include clinical innovation leadership, board directorships, and editorial duties. Awarded nationally and internationally for excellence in teaching and service, Professor Worley’s impact shapes health education and rural care at local, national, and global levels.
THANK YOU TO THE 2025 SPONSORS
PLATINUM SPONSOR
SILVER SPONSOR
RURAL TRAINEE SPONSORS
CERTIFICATE / AWARD SPONSOR
FINALIST SPONSOR
