The Maddison Medallion – Dr Alisha Vara

The Maddison Medallion – Dr Benjamin Williams

The Connell Werry Prize – Dr Daniel Mirmilstein

The Connell Werry Prize is awarded to an Advanced Trainee in Child and Adolescent Psychiatry for the most outstanding paper or poster presented at the Faculty of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry conference.

Dr Daniel Mirmilstein’s presentation ‘Factors associated with the involuntary treatment of children: Use of the Mental Health Act in an inpatient child psychiatry unit’ impressed the judges and secured him the award during the 2023 conference.

The Faculty of Psychiatry of Old Age Basic Psychiatric Trainee Prize – Dr Nandita Hely

This prize recognises originality, scientific merit and contribution to the knowledge base of psychiatry of old age by a psychiatry trainee.

The selection panel thought Dr Hely’s paper ‘SQiD talks: A qualitative study about starting conversations with the single question in delirium’ read well and was a good qualitative analysis of the SQiD, which was very relevant to the field of Old Age Psychiatry.

The Medlicott Award – Dr Laura Dalzell

The Medlicott Award honours Emeritus Professor Reginald Medlicott, a leading forensic psychiatrist in New Zealand and inaugural president of the RANZCP, following its incorporation in 1963. The award seeks to encourage achievements and excellence in research in forensic psychiatry.

The selection panel thought Dr Dalzell’s article ‘Gender affirmation and mental health in prison: A critical review of current corrections policy for trans people in Australia and New Zealand’ was well written with a well-considered discussion.

The Addiction Psychiatry Prize – Dr Muhammad Bilal Raza

The Addiction Psychiatry Prize is awarded to a psychiatric trainee or a Fellow who has recently completed the Certificate of Advanced Training in Addiction Psychiatry, to encourage achievements and excellence in Addiction Psychiatry. 

The selection panel thought Dr Raza’s Scholarly Project ‘Impact of Long-Acting Buprenorphine Injection on Methamphetamine use: a retrospective cohort study’ was comprehensive and well written, with clearly presented methodology and an insightful discussion of results.

The Pirika Taonga – Dr Claire Paterson

The Pirika Taonga is in memory of Poiti Arama-karaka Pirika, the RANZCP’s Kaumātua from 2008 to 2017. It recognises noteworthy contributions in Māori mental health and addiction in Aotearoa New Zealand. The award may be given to a Māori member of the RANZCP (Fellow, Affiliate or trainee), or a member of the Māori community, who has contributed to increasing Māori relationships across the New Zealand mental health sector including noteworthy contributions (which may include service provision, leadership, research) in Māori mental health and addictions in Aotearoa New Zealand. The individual’s commitment to Te Reo Māori me onā tikanga in practice is one of the noteworthy principles underpinning the award. 

The selection was very impressed with Dr Paterson’s significant contribution to the improvement of cultural competence and safety at the College as well as her contribution to the Māori mental health sector. They highlighted that her humility and engagement with others has been a key to her success and her dedication to the prioritisation of care and recognition for Māori whanau has not gone unnoticed.

The Faculty of Psychotherapy Essay Prize – Dr Radhika Palepu

The Faculty of Psychotherapy Essay Prize is given for the best essay submitted by a psychiatry trainee or recent Fellow on a psychotherapy topic.

The selection panel felt that Dr Palepus’ essay ‘Epistemic Trust and its Utility in Psychotherapy’ was a well written and thought-out essay with a clear relevance to Psychotherapy.