The Australasian College of Tropical Medicine

The Australasian College Of Tropical Medicine

The Australasian College of Tropical Medicine (ACTM) is an Australasian medical association.

It was founded on 29 May 1991 at a meeting of 10 interested clinicians, scientists and researchers at the Anton Breinl Centre in Townsville, Australia. Professor Peter A. Leggat, the College's Inaugural Honorary Secretary (1991–96), and Professor Rick Speare, the College's Inaugural President (1991–96), are generally acknowledged as the founder and co-founder of the College, respectively. Rick Speare passed the presidency on to Professor Peter A. Leggat (1996–98), who went on to serve a further two terms as President (2002–04 and 2006–08). Other Presidents of the College have included Professor John M. Goldsmid (1998-2000), Dr. John L. Heydon (2000–02), Dr. Ken D. Winkel (2004–06), Associate Professor Tim Inglis (2008–10), and Associate Professor David Porter (2010–12).

Since that time, more than 600 of the most distinguished clinicians, scientists and researchers in the field of tropical medicine coming from more than 30 countries have become Fellows, Members, Associates or Affiliates of the College. It has become the preeminent professional organisation in tropical medicine in the Australasian region. Formerly, The Royal Society of Tropical Medicine and Hygiene (RSTM&H) was the only professional organisation representing the professional interests of those working in tropical medicine in Australasia. The RSTM&H still has approximately 100 members in Australasia and the ACTM and the RSTM&H have co-hosted joint activities in recent years, including a joint Scientific Meeting in 1997 and the RSTM&H Centennial Lecture series commemorating the Centenary of the RSTM&H in 2007 and the Centenary of Tropical Medicine in Australia in 2010. The ACTM is affiliated with the International Federation for Tropical Medicine (IFTM) and now represents member organisations of the IFTM in Australia.