Award just what the doctor ordered
Professor Jeffrey Rosenfeld AM OBE
One of Australia’s most distinguished neurosurgeons has been awarded an Officer of The Order of the British Empire (OBE).
Professor Jeffrey Rosenfeld AM OBE, Head of Monash University’s Department of Surgery and Director of the Department of Neurosurgery at The Alfred hospital, received the honour from HM The Queen and the Governor-General of Papua New Guinea earlier this month for services to neurosurgery and the University of Papua New Guinea’s School of Medicine.
During a career spanning more than four decades, Professor Rosenfeld has become a leader in his field developing an international profile for his work treating and managing neurotrauma.
He is best known for devising an operation in the 1990s to remove hypothalamic haematomas from the brains of children. He is currently clinical leader of the team working on the development of a bionic eye that could restore sight to millions of blind people around the world.
Professor Rosenfeld has spent much of his career building up specialist medical services for developing nations. He has visited PNG, Fiji, and the Solomon Islands multiple times to perform neurosurgery and to teach.
“I am very honoured to be awarded the OBE,” Professor Rosenfeld said.
“Developing neurosurgical services in the developing nations has been a passion of mine ever since I became a doctor.
“I feel very privileged to have been able to help the people of PNG over the last 30 years – I feel I am part of their nation.”
In addition to his OBE, Professor Rosenfeld received a Member of the Order of Australia in 2011 for ‘services to medicine through clinical leadership and academic roles, particularly in the field of neurosurgery as a researcher and author, and to professional associations’. His other awards include the Rotary Club of Melbourne’s Monash Medal, Victorian of the Year, the King James IV Professorship and the Syme Professorship from the Royal College of Surgeons of Edinburgh.
Professor Rosenfeld is also a Major General in the Australian Defence Force and as one of Australia's most senior and experienced military surgeons has undertaken tours of duty in Rwanda, Bougainville, Solomon Islands, East Timor and Iraq.