‘I thought it was spam’: GP receives honour for COVID work

‘A fantastic surprise’: that’s how Melbourne GP Associate Professor Magdalena Simonis characterises the news of her Member of the Order of Australia award in the new King’s Birthday Honours.
 
In fact, it took her aback so much that her first reaction was disbelief.
 
‘I thought it was spam,’ Associate Professor Simonis told newsGP. ‘I actually did ring them to confirm that it was a valid letter.
 
‘My initial feeling was “why me?”. I know so many brilliant clinicians and doctors and that’s how I sincerely feel.’
 
She is listed in the King’s Birthday COVID-19 Honour Roll in 2023, among other names with deep links to general practice.
 
These include the Deputy Chief Medical Officer Professor Michael Kidd, a former RACGP President, who becomes an Officer of the order of Australia, along with Professor Jane Gunn, an RACGP Fellow and the Dean of the Faculty of Medicine at the University of Melbourne.  
 
Each has been contributed to the COVID-19 response in different ways, with Associate Professor Simonis recognising the dangers of misinformation early on.
 
‘I really felt that it needed to have a voice of someone that understood … the sort of conversations that were being aired in social media, and also information that was coming from overseas,’ she said.
 
‘And I just connected immediately with our Greek media here and spoke to them and said, “Listen, you know, we need to address this, do you mind if I just write a few articles initially?”’
 
Associate Professor Simonis also took a hands-on role at a very successful vaccination clinic run at the St George Greek Orthodox Church in Thornbury.
 
In an interview with newsGP at the time, she explained her motivation.
 
 ‘To me, it’s a really special part of giving back to the generation that came here and took all the risks,’ she said.
 
‘Their youth was really overtaken by a pursuit to create a better life for their offspring; they worked in a country where they didn’t know the systems, the language, and they left their loved ones behind with the desire and selflessness to build something for the next generation.
 
‘I see myself as a beneficiary of all the effort and sacrifice that they’ve made. I really felt like this was giving back.’
 
Perhaps that background goes some way to explain why the news of the award the Associate Professor Simonis off guard.
 
‘You don’t do anything for acknowledgement,’ she said. ‘You do what you do, and that’s it.
 
‘Acknowledgement comes as a huge, huge surprise. Kudos to everybody in the community who really did do their bit.
 
‘Certainly, here in Victoria, what everybody did was just heroic, every single person who really made that effort was amazing.’
 
Full list of GPs in The King’s Birthday 2023 Honours List 

Officer of the Order of Australia (AO)
 
Professor Jane Gunn, Vic
For distinguished service to medical administration in leadership roles, to tertiary education and research, and to the community.
 
Professor Gunn became Dean of Medicine, Dentistry and Health Sciences at University of Melbourne in 2021, the first woman to be appointed a dean of the faculty at the university. 
 
Read a previous newsGP profile of Professor Gunn. 
 
Professor Michael Richard Kidd, NSW 
For distinguished service in medical administration and community health, to primary care leadership, and to tertiary education.
 
A former RACGP President, Professor Kidd has held one of the most prominent official positions in the response to the COVID-19 pandemic as the Federal Government’s Deputy Chief Medical Officer. 
 
Member in the military division of the Order of Australia (AM)

Royal Australian Navy Commodore Nicole Moyneen Curtis 

For exceptional service to the Australian Defence Force in operational health, policy and capability.

Member of the Order of Australia (AM)
 
Associate Professor Rosanna Capolingua, WA
For significant service to patient care, to medicine, and as a role model to women. A former AMA President, Associate Professor Capolingua is also a life member of the RACGP.
 
Dr Caroline Jane Elliott, SA
For significant service to medicine, and to women’s health.

Associate Professor Gary Kilov, Tas
For significant service to medicine, particularly diabetes research and advisory roles.
 
Professor Danielle Mazza, Vic
For significant service to medicine and to medical research, particularly to women’s health.

 Dr Danielle Mazza 

Dr Elizabeth Dell Rickman, NSW
For significant service to medicine through women’s health, and to the community.
 
Clinical Associate Professor Magdalena Simonis, Vic
For significant service to medicine through a range of roles, and to women’s health.
 
Dr Robert Michael Whitby, Qld
For significant service to medicine in the field of infectious diseases, and to tertiary education.

Professor Simon Mark Willcock, NSW
For significant service to primary health care, and to tertiary education.
 
Medal of the order of Australia (OAM)
 
Dr Margaret Joy Beavis, Vic
For service to the community through a range of roles.
 
Dr Virendra Kumar Berera, Vic
For service to the Indian community of Victoria.
 
Dr William Ian Cameron, NSW 
For service to medical administration, and to rural and Indigenous health.

Dr Paul Christopher Collett, NSW 
For service to medical administration.
 
Dr Diana Elizabeth Coote, NSW 
For service to medicine.

Dr Andrew Davies, Perth
For service to medicine, and to the community.
 
Dr Mary Louise Dunne, Qld
For service to medicine through a range of roles.
 
Dr Clement Joseph Gordon, NSW 
For service to medicine, and to the community.
 
Dr Clive Anthony Hume, SA 
For service to medicine.
 
Dr Stephen James Jamieson, ACT
For service to medicine through a range of roles.
 
The late Dr Philomene Joshua Tenni, formerly of Box Hill Vic
For service to community health.
 
Dr Frank Olaf Meumann, Tas
For service to medicine.
 
Dr Micheal Monsour, Qld 
For service to medicine.
 
Dr Stephen John Morris, NSW 
For service to medicine.
 
Dr Gerard Quigley, SA 
For service to medicine.
 
Dr Norman Roth, Vic
For service to sexual health medicine.

The late Dr Michael Leo Simpson, formerly of Montville Qld 
For service to the community of Montville.
 
Dr Keith Henry Skilbeck, Vic 
For service to the communities of Croydon and Mooroolbark.
 
Dr Dennis William Sundin, NSW 
For service to medicine, and to hockey.

Editor's note: This article was amended on 12 June to include additional names that were initially omitted.
 
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general practice King’s Birthday Honours