Congratulations to Associate Professor Indi Rasaratnam on 25 years of service!

A/Prof Indi Rasaratnam receiving his service award from the
Monash University Chancellor, Mr Simon McKeon AO.

Congratulations to Associate Professor Indi Rasaratnam, who has been recognised for his 25 years of service by the Vice Chancellor's Service Award in a presentation ceremony held on 21 November this year.

Prof Rasaratnam said, "I remember 25 years ago, delivering lectures in the old Monash Building Lecture Theatre at the Alfred near the helipad, using 35 mm slides on a carousel that would get stuck half-way through the lecture and having to run to the back of the lecture theatre to fix the projector!  We have come a long way since - delivering lectures via Zoom!"

He reflected on the last 25 + years, "My first contact with medical student teaching came when I took a year off after my Basic Physician Training (BPT) 2 to travel overseas for a year.

"The Gulf war broke out and the travel plans were abandoned. Sharon Lewin [Professor and Director of the Doherty Institute] who was a year ahead of me had accepted the Professorial Medical Registrar job for that year but then decided to move to Royal Melbourne Hospital, so Prof Barry Firkin, whose intern I had been two years prior, then offered me that job! 

"I felt the shoes were too big to fill as a BPT 3. Barry then kindly asked me to help Dr Hilary Hunt with coordinating the Year 5 MBBS program (I had not even done my FRACP written exams at this time!). I thoroughly enjoyed my year with the students and then continued in a tutor role whilst finishing off my Basic and Advanced Physician training and was then formally employed by Monash University in 1995. I was fortunate to be able to do this - as I did all my training at The Alfred and A/Prof Peter Ryan had me for all 3 years of advanced rheumatology training.

"I am blessed to be able to have this job and it is my break from my clinical days at the rooms - I look forward to my teaching days of Wednesdays and Fridays!

"It is the students who continue to drive my passion and enthusiasm to teach!

He thanked Associate Professor Laila Rotstein for the privilege of working with her over the years, saying "You have taught me many things in the role of education. You are amazing!" He also thanked Associate Professor Fiona Bodey, head of Central Clinical School's Medical Education program, especially for her support (including timetables and student rosters!) over the last year, saying how much he had enjoyed working with her.

Indi thoroughly enjoyed the 3 years.of serving at Epworth in a Clinical Dean's role for which he thanked Professor Steve Jane. He also thank Associate Professor Anne Powell, saying, "You were most supportive when I carried out my Clinical Dean's role at Epworth and I could not have done it without that - you are gifted!"

Indi saw the opportunity for service as a privilege and a gift. He thanked Professor Terry O'Brien for "having me back at The Alfred CCS where my journey began. I do not for one minute take it for granted!" 

Prof O'Brien said, "This is a wonderful recognition of your 25 years of outstanding service to teaching medical students at Monash/CCS – congratulations! It is absolutely wonderful to have you back a the Alfred where your Monash journey began all those years ago. Looking forward to the next 25 years!

Indi is now hoping for another 25 years, he said, so that "I can be like Prof John Spicer (whom I have always looked up to since being a medical student) who continued to teach well after official retirement and clocked 50 years of teaching medical students in 2020!"

Associate Professor Indi Rasaratnam
Consultant Rheumatologist, The Alfred and Epworth Healthcare
Undergraduate & Postgraduate Teaching, Central Clinical School, Monash University & The Alfred