Arthur E Mills Memorial Oration

The Arthur E. Mills Oration promotes and encourages medical education and general culture, and the dissemination of knowledge.

The Oration acknowledges the late Prof Arthur E. Mills (1865–1940) who died less than two years after the inauguration of The Royal Australasian College of Physicians, of which he was a Foundation Fellow.

The Arthur E Mills Medal is awarded at the RACP Convocation Ceremony and isn't given every year, underscoring the importance and honour of those invited to speak.


Life and achievements

Photo of Arthur E MillsArthur Edward Mills was born and educated in Mudgee, New South Wales. Entered Sydney University in 1885 as a student of arts and medicine. He was awarded second class honours at graduation in 1889.

He became a resident medical officer at Royal Prince Alfred Hospital which had been opened in 1882 for the reception of patients. He became demonstrator in anatomy at Sydney University in 1890 – the first Sydney graduate to hold this appointment.

Later he went to Picton in general practice. In 1894 he moved to Strathfield where he practised for 14 years. In 1910 he moved his practice to Macquarie Street. He rejoined the University teaching staff and became an assistant physician at Royal Prince Alfred Hospital. He served for a short time in the Australian Imperial Force.

Arthur Mills became professor of medicine in 1920, a position he held until he retired in 1930, and from 1920 to 1925 he was also Dean of the Faculty of Medicine. He was a fellow of the University Senate and from 1937 to 1939 was deputy Chancellor. In these positions he earned the respect of many persons of influence both within and outside the University. He was cultured, strong in argument, but kindly and never without humour. Those who responded to his teaching methods (and most did) became his friends for life, and his influence on medicine in New South Wales was great.

Arthur Edward Mills died, at the age of 75, less than two years after the inauguration of The Royal Australasian College of Physicians of which he was a foundation Fellow.

He married Ida Cecilie Archibald early in his career and they had four children. She died many years before him and in 1932 he married Helen Garvan, who after his death endowed the Mills Oration and the Mills Library Fund in his memory.


Past orations

Explore a full list of recipients and their lectures from 1951 to today. 

View all past recipients

Year Recipient Topic
1951 Professor Joseph Burke, O.B.E., M.A. The future of the humanist
1952 Dr L.W. Pennycuick, D.Sc. The secret of living
1953 The Rt. Hon. Sir Owen Dixon, P.C., G.C.M.G., M.A., LL.B., Q.C. Roosevelt and Hopkins
1954 Professor A.D. Trendell, M.A., Litt.D., F.S.A. The medicine man and the medical man
1955 The Rt. Hon. R.G. Menzies, P.C., C.H., LL.M., Q.C., M.P. Medicine, politics and law
1956 Dr George F. Strong, B.S., M.D. (Minnesota), F.A.C.P., F.R.A.C.P. (Long), F.R.C.P. (C) The changing aspects of medicine
1958 Professor M.L. Rosenheim, C.B.E., M.D., F.R.C.P. The physician in training
1959 Professor Sir Mark Oliphant, K.B.E., F.R.S., M.A., Ph.D. (Cantab.), D.Sc. (Melb.), LL.D. (St. Andrews), D.Sc. (Toronto) A scientist looks at nature
1960 Dr J.A.L. Matheson, M.B.E., Ph.D. (Birm.), M.Sc. Engineering and medicine
1961 Hon. Frank S. Wise, M.L.A. Australia’s empty spaces
1963 Professor Sir Macfarlane Burnet, O.M., M.D., F.R.S., F.R.C.P. (Lond), F.R.C.P., F.A.A. The evolution of bodily defence
1964 His Excellency Sir Bernard Fergusson, G.C.M.G., G.C.V.O., D.S.O., O.B.E. The doctor and the soldier
1965 The Hon. Sir Henry Winneke, O.B.E., LL.M., Chief Justice of Victoria Significant trends of Australian federalism
1966 Professor R.N. Robertson, F.R.S. From the temples of Aesculapius to the genetic code
1967 Professor S.W. Carey, D.Sc. 2000 A.D. – Prognosis
1968 Professor Zelman Cowen, C.M.G., B.C.L., M.A. (Oxon.), LL.M. (Melb.), LL.D. (Hong Kong) Balance in the law: The competing claims of free press and fair trial
1969 Sir Edward Ford, O.B.E., M.D., F.R.C.P., F.R.A.C.P. Neil Hamilton Fairley
1970 The Right Honourable Sir Richard Wild, K.C.M.G., E.D., LL.M., Q.C., Chief Justice of New Zealand The problem of violence
1972 Professor R.F. Whelan, M.D., Ph.D., D.Sc., F.R.A.C.P.L., F.A.A. The role of the university in medical education
1975 Dr Edward C. Rosenow, Jr., M.D., F.A.C.P. The maintenance of standards in internal medicine
1976 Dr Morton D. Bogdonoff, F.A.C.P. Speaker in symposium on ‘physician teach thyself – How?’
1980 Sir William Liley, K.C.M.G. A day in the life of the fetus
1984 The Hon. Justice Michael Kirby, C.M.G. Negligence and the physician
1985 Professor L.M. Birt The doctors’ dilemma: Some issues concerning medical educators
1986 The Hon. Sir Guy Green Legal techniques and medical value judgements
1987 The Hon. Neal Blewett, M.P. Politics and medicine
1988 The Hon. Dr D McCaughey Medical ethics
1989 Dr H.J.H. Hiddlestone The physician as an internationalist
1990 Professor Robert Porter The physician and research
1991 Chief Justice David Malcolm Self-regulation and the professions
1992 Dame Roma Mitchell The right to live and the right to die
1993 Dame Leonie Kramer Shakespeare in daily life
1994 Dr Brendan Nelson The social conscience and obligations of physicians in contemporary Australia
1995 Bill Hayden Perspectives of a liberal humanist
1996 Professor Allan W Snyder Shedding light on creativity
1997 Sir Michael Hardie Boys Te Tiriti O Waitangi – The Treaty of Waitangi
1998 Dr Lowitja O’Donoghue First world nation; third world health: Aboriginal health in Australia
1999 Dr Peter F Carnley Sound, sense and silence
2000 Dr Jonathan Phillips Medicine at the crossroads
2001 Dr John Yu Whose children, whose responsibility?
2002 Khun Mechai Viravaidya The fizz in the doctor’s wine
2003 Sir Guy Green Professionalism and the limitations of information technology
2004 Professor John Watson Funder The meaning of a profession
2005 Professor Jane Elizabeth Harding Science and serendipity in the art of medicine
2006 Mr Noel Pearson Our vision for the future of Cape York Peninsula
2007 Professor Judith Whitworth Health policy: Ideology or evidence
2008 Professor Don Roberton What will the future hold?
2009 Professor David J. Tiller How lucky we are
2010 Sir Anthony Mason Professionalism and the professional ideal in the modern world
2011 Professor Dr Marcia Langton Aboriginal custom and tradition: their relevance in improving indigenous health outcomes
2012 Professor John Mattick The genomic revolution and the genomic programming of human development
2013 Professor Ron Paterson The good doctor
2014 Professor Sir Peter Gluckman Science and Public Policy – Reconciling Two Cultures
2015 Dr Ranjana Srivastava In the shadow of giants
2016 Professor Edward Byrne UK and Australian health systems: a personal view
2017 Professor David Le Couteur Our challenges: The evidence, the elderly
2018 Professor Harriet Hiscock Be curious, give back – the life of a paediatric clinician researcher
2019 Professor Juliet Ann Gerrard Ten things I wish someone had told me
2020 Simone Wilkie (Major General, Retired) Speech not delivered due to COVID-19
2021 Professor Andrew (Bod) Goddard Do Royal Colleges still have any relevance
2025 Professor Jaquelyne Hughes, FRACP Culture practiced in medicine

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