News
Retired surgeon aims to pave the way for future students at Greenslopes
Jul 09, 2020
After a 44 year history with Greenslopes Private Hospital, respected Plastic and Reconstructive Surgeon Professor Hugh Bartholomeusz has retired.
However this won’t be the end of his association with Greenslopes, as the Professor is keen to strengthen ties with Ramsay Health Care for future generations of medical students in his new role as Dean for Australia within Oceania University of Medicine.
“What I love about this online University is that we are training Australian students at a very reasonable cost to be Australian doctors in Australian hospitals, and I’m really passionate about that,” Prof. Bartholomeusz said.
“I’d like to get students into placements at Ramsay Hospitals all around the country. I’ve been to the CEO, Danny Sims, and I’m very thankful to him for being so positive in his response. These discussions were prior to COVID-19, so we’re just rekindling those conversations now”.
Professor Bartholomeusz started at Greenslopes Private Hospital in 1976 as a final year medical student. It was here he fostered his love, not only for surgery, but in life - meeting his future wife, Helga, who was studying nursing at the time.
“We met at Greenslopes in 1978, we were married in 1979 and we went on to run my practice together for more than 35 years. I believe we really are a great partnership.” he said.
“I’ve always loved Greenslopes. I love the Ramsay Way, and I have an enormous respect for Paul Ramsay. His philosophy, that if you always put the patients, staff and VMOs first, everything else will follow, was the basis for the group’s success.
Professor Bartholomeusz also holds the rank of Air Vice-Marshal (Retd) in the Royal Australian Air Force. He is a former Surgeon General of the Australian Defence Force Reserves and was invited to recite the Ode at Anzac Day services at Greenslopes Private Hospital for several years.
“I was really so pleased to recite that Ode. I just think it’s the most solemn part of the service, and to perform it in uniform at Greenslopes, a hospital with such strong military links, is an honour.”
Looking back on his exceptional career at Greenslopes, Prof. Bartholomeusz said the hospital’s positive culture is what he’ll miss the most.
“The camaraderie, I’ll miss my colleagues, I’ll miss the nursing and ancillary staff that I’ve got to know very, very well,” he said.
In addition to his part-time role with the University, Prof. Bartholomeusz will continue as a Deputy Director of the Commonwealth Government Professional Services Review, and as a Board Member of the Australasian Foundation for Plastic Surgery.
But on the days when it is time to finally kick back, the retired Hugh and Helga Bartholomeusz will be hitting the hiking tracks and golf course, and travelling to the holiday home they built in Queenstown, New Zealand.