RACP International Medal
Nominations for 2026 closed 31 August 2025.
The RACP International Medal recognises a member of the College who has provided outstanding service in developing countries.
This prestigious prize is awarded annually at the RACP College Ceremony.
Dr R. Kishore Kumar | 2025 recipient
Dr Kishore Kumar has made significant contributions to the healthcare of pregnant women, premature babies, and children in India. After earning his MD in Paediatrics with a Gold medal from the prestigious Mysore University in India in 1989, he obtained MRCP (Paed), FRCPCH, and FRACP, working across India, the UK, and Australia.
His notable work in Australia includes serving as a-neonatologist at the remote North West Regional Hospital in Burnie, Tasmania between 1997 and 2001, where he played a crucial role in the establishment of the Rural Medical School and the Commonwealth’s Pilot project of rural postings for University Medical Students with the Late Prof. Alan Carmichael.
Dr Kumar decided to move back to India in 2006 with the aim of reducing maternal & neonatal mortality. Dr Kumar founded Cloudnine Hospitals, which has since grown into a trusted network of 40 hospitals across India. Cloudnine is renowned for its excellence in maternal & newborn healthcare, clinical governance, education and research, and has achieved what is considered nearly impossible in India, maintaining maternal mortality rates below 3 per 100,000 over the last 18 years, despite delivering more than 300,000 babies to date, and achieving the highest intact survival rates of preterm infants.
Dr Kumar has pioneered the implementation of holistic care of pregnant women, improving breastfeeding rates to 95% in Cloudnine Hospitals. Dr. Kumar is now firmly focused on enhancing healthcare access for disadvantaged communities in India through the Cloudnine Foundation.
See our past RACP International Medal recipients.
Eligibility
A nominee must be a Fellow of an RACP Division, Faculty and/or Chapter and be:
- a resident or undertaking significant work in 1 or more developing countries*
OR
- working for an international aid organisation, providing assistance to those deemed in crisis.
A nominee must not:
- submit a nomination on their own behalf
- be a current RACP Board member
- be a current RACP staff member
- have held the office of President of the RACP
- be a past recipient of the RACP International Medal
All RACP Fellows or trainees can nominate an eligible Fellow.
* The term ‘developing countries’ includes those identified by the United Nations Human Development Index.
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 completed nomination form addressing the selection criteria to foundation@racp.edu.au together with:
- CV of the nominee
- 2 letters of support
- other relevant supporting documentation (optional)
Note: a nomination isn't complete and can't be progressed unless all required documentation is received.
The College Conflicts Of Interest Policy (PDF) and Privacy Policy apply to the prize nominees and recipient.
Selection criteria
The assessment of the nominee's contribution in relation to others is an essential part of nomination. Please detail how your nominee has addressed all of the selection criteria:
1. Contribution to clinical and public service
How has the nominee made a significant and sustained contribution to clinical and public service?
2. Professional leadership
Demonstrate the nominee's outstanding leadership in developing and promoting initiatives to improve available clinical service available.
3. Advocacy
What significant advocacy has the nominee performed on behalf of international communities in health policy, health research or other areas of health importance?
4. Mentoring and training
How has the nominee proven their commitment to mentoring and training future and current physicians, medical graduates, and health practitioners?
Selection process
The College Council will review all eligible nominations received and select an RACP International Medal recipient.
The College Council reserves the right not to select a recipient if all nominations received don't meet the high standards required for this award.
For more information about the RACP International Medal, contact the RACP Foundation.
Related content
Terms and conditions
College and Congress prize recipients
College Meritorious Awards and Prizes
International grants