Brian Williams award

About the Brian Williams award

The Brian Williams Award is presented by RACGP Rural to commemorate the work of Dr Brian Williams, a rural GP and medical educator.

Dr Williams was a staunch advocate for rural general practice, rural medical education at all levels, and the need for rural GPs to provide support to their peers in order to advance rural general practice.

The aim of this award is to acknowledge medical practitioners whose mentoring and support enables rural GPs to safely dedicate themselves to their patients, their families and their communities.

The award is in the form of a medal, presented at the RACGP’s Annual Awards Ceremony for General Practice by the President of the RACGP and the Chair of RACGP Rural. The prize also includes:

• registration to attend the College's annual conference
• presentation of a commemorative trophy at the RACGP Rural annual member event.

Nomination process

The Brian Williams Award is open to all RACGP Fellows.

Nominees must be current financial members of the College and hold unconditional medical registration with the Australian Health Practitioner Regulation Agency.

Nominations can be made by two RACGP Fellows, or one Fellow and one member of the RACGP. A separate form is to be completed for each nominee. All information on the nomination form will be kept confidential from the nominee.

Nominations for the 2020 RACGP Rural Awards are now closed.

2020 winner

The 2020 Brian Williams Award was presented to Dr Lorri Hopkins.

_{Dr Lorri Hopkins}

Dr Lorri Hopkins spent most of her professional life as a Rural GP in Albany, Western Australia. Prior to settling in Albany where she was a GP Obstetrician, she undertook GP training via the Western Australian Centre for Remote and Rural Medicine (WACRRM) and its Rural Training Unit. At the time, WACRRM was under the leadership of non-other than Dr Brian Williams the inspiration for this eponymous award. It is that positive experience that inspired her to ensure that other rural GPs received the same level of comprehensive rural specific training that she enjoyed with WACRRM.

Lorraine is an outstanding rural GP mentor and educator who has made a significant contribution to hundreds of rural and remote doctors not only assisting them to gain fellowship qualifications but equipping them with skills needed to serve their communities.