RACP Mentor of the Year Award
Nominations for 2026 open 15 May to 31 August 2025.
The RACP Mentor of the Year Award recognises a Fellow who has made an outstanding contribution to mentoring or has provided a high level of support and guidance throughout training.
This prestigious prize is awarded by the RACP annually at the College Ceremony.
Associate Professor Catherine Quinlan | 2025 recipient
Associate Professor Catherine Quinlan is an Irish academic paediatric nephrologist at the Royal
Children’s Hospital, Murdoch Children’s Research Institute and the University of Melbourne.
Dual-trained in general paediatrics and nephrology, she holds multiple postgraduate qualifications
including an MD(Res), MSc in Medical Education and an MBA. Her research spans kidney genomics,
early disease detection, cardiovascular disease and implementation science. She established
Victoria’s state-wide kidney genetics service and currently leads the Kidney Flagship at MCRI.
A passionate educator, Catherine sees research and teaching as twin pillars of progress in child health, deeply intertwined with clinical care. Mentoring is not just part of her professional ethos—it’s part of her self-definition and one of the most meaningful aspects of her career. She has walked alongside students, trainees and PhD candidates, celebrating their successes as deeply as her own.
For Catherine, mentoring is an act of care and belief in others, rooted in trust, empathy and the
quiet joy of helping someone grow—combined with the infectious energy of shared discovery, purpose and possibility.
See our past RACP Mentor of the Year Award recipients.
Eligibility
A nominee must be a Fellow from any RACP Division, Faculty and/or Chapter.
A nominee must not:
- submit a nomination on their own behalf
- be a past recipient of the RACP Mentor of the Year Award
- have previously received any other major Fellow awards from the RACP
Any RACP Fellow or trainee can nominate an eligible Fellow for this Award.
Nominate
Read the Terms and Conditions for College meritorious awards and prizes by nomination before submitting a nomination.
Inform the nominee of your intent to submit a nomination.
Email a complete nomination form addressing the selection criteria to foundation@racp.edu.au together with:
- CV of the nominee
- two letters of support
- other relevant supporting documentation (optional)
Note: A nomination is not complete and cannot be progressed unless all required documentation is received.
Download nomination form (DOC)
The College Conflicts of Interest Policy (PDF) and Privacy Policy apply.
Selection criteria
The RACP Mentor of the Year Award recipient is someone who has demonstrated an outstanding and lasting impact in the education and training of trainees.
The assessment of the nominee's contribution in relation to others is an essential part of the nomination.
In your nomination, detail how the nominee has meaningfully impacted the College and trainee development against the selection criteria:
1. Contribution
Detail the nominee's contribution to mentoring over a sustained period and their significant impact to the College and trainee development.
2. Leadership
How has the nominee demonstrated significant leadership, mentoring and support of trainees?
3. Advocacy
What significant involvement or impact has the nominee had in policy development and advocacy?
4. Education and training
What important contributions to education and training has the nominee has made?
Selection process
When reviewing all nominations, the RACP Fellowship Committee takes into consideration whether nominees have:
- provided mentoring over a sustained period of time
- provided a training environment conducive to good practice, including:
- intellectual and tangible support for development of research projects
- attention to the concerns of trainees
The Fellowship Committee reserves the right to not award the RACP Mentor of the Year Award if all nominations received do not meet the high standards required for this award.
For more information about the RACP Mentor of the Year Award, contact the RACP Foundation.
Related content
Terms and conditions
Past prize recipients
College and Congress Prizes
Division, Faculty and Chapter Awards & Prizes