Professor Milton Cohen awarded Robert Orton Medal

06 July 2020

Professor Milton Cohen has been awarded ANZCA's most prestigious award, the Robert Orton Medal.

The Robert Orton Medal is awarded at the discretion of ANZCA Council, the sole criterion being distinguished service to anaesthesia, preoperative medicine and/or pain medicine. 

Professor Cohen, the latest recipient of the Robert Orton Medal, has made significant and lasting contributions to the Faculty of Pain Medicine and ANZCA, and the discipline of pain medicine in Australia and internationally as a leader, clinician, teacher, researcher and mentor.

He made major contributions to the recognition of pain medicine as a medical specialty in Australia in 2005 and as a scope of practice in New Zealand in 2012. Professor Cohen was appointed as a Member of the Order of Australia in the 2019 Australia Day Honours.  

Professor Cohen was a foundation board member and third dean of the Faculty of Pain Medicine from 2004-06. He has served the faculty in many roles including as the chair of the Education Committee that developed the foundation curriculum in 1998 establishing the faculty as a world leader in pain medicine. He has been the Director of Professional Affairs since 2010 and chair of the faculty’s Learning and Development Committee. 

The citation can be read in the latest issue of the ANZCA Bulletin.