Surgical Interest Association - Surgia 2.88

The Gold Coast is one of the fastest growing health regions in the country. The opening of the Gold Coast University Hospital, the largest public health infrastructure in Australia, the expansion of medical teaching facilities at Griffith University, and the new Gold Coast Private Hospital, opening in early 2016, demonstrate that the Gold Coast is becoming a centre of advanced health care in Australia. As a result, this region will require an increase in health care workforce, especially with regards to surgical services.

SURGIA is a student-run not-for-profit incorporated association based out of Griffith University on the Gold Coast. Now in its fifth year of operation, we currently have over 1000 members, with over 200 professional members and alumni. We are committed to increasing student interest and education in surgery through providing opportunities to gain knowledge and skills outside of the normal curriculum. Through this, we aim to enhance future surgical care and access in the community by creating and inspiring the surgical leaders of tomorrow.

SURGIA not only targets the Griffith Medicine cohort of 600 students, but also the thousands of students across other health-based degrees such as Dentistry, Biomedical Science, Medical Science and Nursing. In 2017, SURGIA will also continue to provide activities to hospitals and campuses located in Logan and Brisbane, to ensure that students from all of South-East Queensland have access to our exceptional opportunities and events.

In addition to our student activities, SURGIA also gives medical professionals and Griffith University alumni the opportunity to achieve personal goals by providing an avenue to contribute positively to medical education and workforce development. We are privileged to have both Professor Emeritus Errol Maguire, the Clinical Lead in Surgery for the School of Medicine, and Professor Ward Massey, Head of the School of Dentistry and Oral Health, as our Patrons again this year. With their assistance and extensive experience in the surgical field, SURGIA will be well equipped to achieve our goals.