Dr Michael Short next to his plaque denoting the award of Fellowship of the Royal College of Physicians of Ireland.
Dr Michael Short next to his plaque denoting the award of Fellowship of the Royal College of Physicians of Ireland.
Pic 2: BTG141220MS2 Caption: How Dr Short's Induction was announced in the Virtual Graduation Ceremony October 15, broadcast on You Tube.
Pic 3: BTG141220MS3 Caption: The plaque outside the surgery says it all.
Pic 4: BTG141220MS4 Caption: Four generations of the Short family at the Charter Parade on Saturday. Dr Short, his son Captain Richard, grandson James and mother-in-law Olive Bayly.
By Dave Murdoch
Dr Michael Short of Dannevirke was awarded the most prestigious category of membership of the Royal College of Physicians of Ireland in a virtual graduation on October 15, when he gained a Fellowship of the College. It is recognised as an international benchmark of professional excellence.
The Royal College of Physicians of Ireland dates back to 1654 and was established by Queen Elizabeth I.
The plaque outside the surgery says it all.
He joins a current fellowship of 11,000 worldwide, barely 10 of whom are New Zealanders, and on October 15 he was one of nearly 50 to be inducted in a very impressive ceremony at which the leading members of the college spoke - including the Dean Professor Emer Shelley and President Professor Mary Horgan.
President Mary Horgan said: "As a Fellow you are joining a committed group of physicians operating in the forefront of medicine in Ireland and internationally."
The broadcast continued to explain that "fellowship was awarded to doctors who in the opinion of the college have made substantial contributions to their speciality/area of expertise or are senior members of the medical profession and whose published works and attainments are of such distinction to justify election".
In the ceremony, Fellows were exhorted to work with other physicians interested in developing the very best training, medical care and health policies.
For Dr Short, this honour was not sought by him, being requested by President Professor Mary Horgan to apply both in late 2019 and again in January 2020. Dr Short said: "I gratefully accepted the invitation in January 2020 and forwarded my application and credentials for consideration receiving confirmation of the fellowship on March 27."
When they found out Dr Short had been awarded, Michael and wife Andrea decided to attend the graduation in Ireland April 30 but changed their minds with the pandemic looming. When the virtual graduation was offered, they accepted.
This is the fourth fellowship Dr Short has received in his career - gaining a fellowship in the Faculty of Occupational Medicine at the Royal College of Physicians of Ireland in 2015 after a gruelling flight, six exams and a two-hour practical within 12 hours of landing and a thesis studying the effects of wool fibres on respiratory systems using NZ woolspinners as his case study.
Subsequent further research into sports medicine gained him fellowships of the Royal College of General Practitioners of New Zealand and its equivalent in Australia.
Dr Short says it is important that people are aware of the honours and qualifications held by health professionals. For this reason, the plaque outside his surgery lists his four fellowships.
He still practices in a very busy week - two days at Linton Military Camp and two-and-a-half days in Dannevirke. He says the practice has changed a lot since he took over from Dr Hunter in 1980, a major threat to males in particular then being smoking, and now thanks to better technology and public knowledge his patients are living longer.
