The Jan Edwards Prize is awarded for the best research-based abstract oral presentation by a registered Australasian Chapter of Sexual Health Medicine (AChSHM) trainee.

The Prize is named in honour of Dr Jan Edwards, the long-serving Executive Secretary of the former Australasian College of Sexual Health Physicians (ACSHP). Dr Edwards served 19 years with the ACSHP and oversaw its transition into the current AChSHM of the Royal Australasian College of Physicians.

 

2025 Recipient | Dr Benjamin Misan

Dr Benjamin ‘Ben’ Misan is an advanced trainee in sexual health medicine, currently working at the Adelaide Sexual Health Centre and SHINE SA in South Australia. Before becoming a doctor, he worked as a registered nurse, including in the infectious disease unit at the Royal Adelaide Hospital, where he cared for people living with HIV. This experience strongly influenced his decision to pursue a career in medicine. After qualifying as a GP, he developed a strong interest in sexual health and LGBTQIA+ health, leading him to undertake specialist training in sexual health medicine.

Dr Misan is passionate about HIV and STI prevention, as well as providing high-quality, inclusive, and affirming care for the LGBTQIA+ community. He is committed to empowering people living with HIV and LGBTQIA+ individuals to access safe and respectful sexual health services. Following completion of his training, he aims to continue delivering expert and compassionate care while advocating for equitable access and improved health outcomes, particularly for marginalised communities

Eligibility

An applicant must be a registered AChSHM trainee.

Previous Jan Edwards Prize recipients are ineligible to apply again.

Prize

The recipient will receive a cash prize of $1,000.

Apply

• Read the terms and conditions before applying.
• Follow the abstract guidelines
• Submit your application form and abstract to Foundation@racp.edu.au

The College Conflicts of Interest Policy (PDF) and Privacy Policy apply.

Download application form (DOC)

Selection process

Abstracts submitted for this award will be reviewed by an Award Review Panel consisting of members of the AChSHM.

Those of sufficiently high standard will be selected for oral presentation at the AChSHM Annual Scientific Meeting.

Your research-based abstract should be about original and unpublished observations made by you.

Judging criteria of the presentations will take into account:

• scientific merit
• quality of data
• research-based abstract
• contribution to knowledge
• presentation and adherence to time
• response to questions

Presentation length: 12 minutes maximum, with an additional 3 minutes for questions.

The Review Panel reserves the right not to award a prize if none of the presentations are of a sufficient standard.