Tauranga urologist honoured by US university invitation

Professor Peter Gilling. Photo /supplied

Being asked to be a visiting professor at a top American university is a rare honour for a New Zealand urologist.

High profile Tauranga urologist Professor Peter Gilling was invited to be this year's visiting professor at the renowned Sidney Kimmel Medical College, Thomas Jefferson University, in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania on May 8 and 9.

"It was an honour to be asked by such an esteemed institution and a very enjoyable experience," Gilling said.

Sidney Kimmel Medical College runs one of the most respected urology programmes in America and each year hosts a visiting professor. Gilling's time at the college included giving lectures, taking journal clubs (a forum in which students get an opportunity to discuss scientific papers and research-related issues), and speaking to resident students one-on-one about their research.

Gilling undertook his first visiting professorship at New Hampshire's Dartmouth-Hitchcock Medical Center 17 years ago.

In recent months Gilling has also picked up three international awards. These included two at the Urological Society of Australia and New Zealand (USANZ) conference in April: The Platinum Trophy for best endeavour presented at the meeting and the Low-Arnold Award for the best podium/poster presentation in the field of female or functional urology.

The third award was for winning a BPH (benign prostatic hyperplasia) debating contest at the American Society of Men's Health conference in Chicago earlier this month. Gilling was declared the winner following an audience vote.