Dr Tom Bowles named a finalist for specialist of the year at the 2026 WA Rural Health Excellence Awards

An Albany surgeon has been recognised at State level for his contribution to developing the Great Southern as a training hub for rural surgeons. Long-serving general surgeon Tom Bowles is a finalist in the specialist (non-GP) of the year category at the 2026 WA Rural Health Excellence Awards. Hosted by WA Country Health Service and Rural Health West, the WARHE awards celebrate the dedication, compassion, skills and ingenuity of outstanding health professionals. Dr Bowles serves as WACHS’ clinical director and provides Statewide leadership in surgical governance, credentialing, recruitment, complex case review and service development across country WA. He said his work had taken him across the WA countryside. “I’ve lived in Albany for a bit over 19 years and for 15 years I’ve provided coverage to Esperance, where I work one week in four,” he said. “I’ve also been visiting Merredin, Katanning and Narrogin over the years at various times, and providing locum backup for Kununurra and Broome.” Dr Bowles is also the head of the Albany Health Campus surgery department and has held influential roles with the Royal Australasian College of Surgeons where he was the first country-based WA State chair. In 2019, he co-founded the Great Southern Specialist Centre, co-located with Albany Day Hospital where he also works as medical director. “I consult at the Great Southern Specialist Centre and provide public operating and emergency cover to Albany Health Campus,” Dr Bowles said. He was also the driving force behind the ASPIRE program — a two-year surgical pathway run through Albany Health Campus and Bunbury Regional Hospital that helps to prepare junior doctors to apply for the RACS General Surgical Training Program. Dr Bowles said he loved to show metro surgeons the community and opportunities that come with being a regional surgeon. “I love proving to my metro colleagues that we perform surgery just as well as they do and that care, skill and ability has nothing to do with where you choose to live,” he said. The winners of the award will be announced at a gala ceremony during the WA Rural Health Conference on Saturday, March 14.