Prof Wilma Beswick AM

Professor Wilma Beswick is a woman of immense capacity. She has given and continues to give exceptional service to St Vincent's, her profession, her colleagues, her patients and the public healthcare sector. Wilma served as the Clinical Dean of the Clinical School of the University of Melbourne, Faculty of Medicine at St Vincent's for over 23 years prior to her current position as Chief Medical Officer at St Vincent's Hospital Melbourne. She was also the Director of Physician Training for the Royal Australasian College of Physicians.

Wilma is renowned as being the pre-eminent educator in the field of clinical education of medical undergraduates at St Vincent's and in the rigorous basic training of candidates at St Vincent's for the Royal Australasian College of Physicians (racp). Alongside her role as Dean and teacher, Wilma has continued her contact with and care of patients as a physician in St Vincent's general medicine unit, and was co-director of the department of General Medicine from 2004-2008. Her practice of medicine is characterised by respect for patients and colleagues, wisdom, compassion, a sense of humour and good practical sense.

In 'The History of Medicine at St Vincent's Hospital', Ivo Vellar wrote of Wilma: "(She) has organised a training program that is the envy of every teaching hospital in Australia... These exceptional pass rates are due solely to Beswick's enthusiasm for the task on hand, her organisational ability and the assistance she has had from the physicians at the hospital... she will be remembered for the vision she displayed, backed by intelligence, a steely determination and, with the cooperation of the clinical staff at the hospital, she succeeded in making St Vincent's the leading hospital in Australia for undergraduate and postgraduate teaching and training."

Wilma was awarded a Member of the Order of Australia (aM) in 2012 for service to medical education and research.