Article: AMBROISE PARÉ AWARD 2013 – AWARD CEREMONY
2013 Ambroise Paré Award
Ceremony at the Trauma Innovation Conference in London
Biannually, the MCIF Award committee – consisting of the chairman of the advisory board, the editor in chief, the managing editor and the publisher – selects up to three article submissions to be considered for a prise in memory and honour of Ambroise Paré, an outstanding French barber surgeon of the Renaissance (1510–1590).
In the sixteenth century the responsibility for the soldiers’ medical treatment lay with barbers, and as such Paré began to improve the methods used for treatment of wounds. He developed and refined his own techniques, like the ligature to stop bleeding or wound dressings with herbs and disinfectants – as opposed to the usual cauterization with hot oil. His growing success helped to establish a better reputation for surgery. Many casualties of war owe their lives to Ambroise Paré.
In 1545, Paré published an important essay on the treatment of gun shot wounds. He also made a major contribution to bringing the disciplines of surgery and medicine into closer cooperation.
Furthermore, he had an important part in the development of obstetrics and forensics. His writings and instructions are known to be the foundations of modern forensic pathology.
In the spirit of this true medical pioneer, the Ambroise Paré Prize is intended to stimulate scientific thinking and action in the sphere of medicine as well as in the field of humanitarian relief.
The competition calls for the submission of articles on all fields of military medicine and military pharmacy including related areas.
Albeit making the decision – as always – a difficult one, we are very happy to have received numerous well written and highly interesting manuscripts for the 2013 competition.
After much consideration we have singled out one outstanding contribution.
It is with great pleasure that we announce Brigadier MCM Bricknell from the United Kingdom as the 2013 Ambroise Paré Award winner.
His series of articles on “Managing Medical Support to Military Operations”, written with a number of competent co-authors, was first published in the JRAMC (Journal of the Royal Army Medical Corps) and, with kind permission of the editor of JRAMC, was (and is being) reprinted in MCIF. You will find his article on “International Engagement with the Indigenous Health Sector” on page 12 of this issue.
All articles are of remarkable quality and represent an important asset to the management of international peacekeeping and humanitarian missions. At international medical conferences all over the world the readers of MCIF have responded to these articles with approval and highest praise.
The Editorial Staff of MCIF is proud and grateful to be able to distribute the ideas and suggestions of BG Bricknell to readers worldwide. We consider his articles as an extremely valuable contribution to international medical planning, decision making by military and civilian medical leaders as well as executing military and civilian medical operations.
On occasion of the 2014 Trauma Innovation Conference, held at the Royal College of Surgeons in London on 14th/15th January this year, the Editor in Chief MCIF, Rear Admiral uh (ret) Dr. Christoph Buettner, presented the 2013 Ambroise Paré Award to Brigadier Bricknell during a festive ceremony in front of the grand auditorium of the Royal College.
Admiral Buettner thanked Brigadier Bricknell for his outstanding contribution and congratulated him for this well-deserved award.
Date: 01/08/2014
Source: MCIF 1/14
