Tony Egan, a stalwart of ANZAHPE and previous editor of the ANZAHPE Bulletin for six years died on 5 September 2021.  

Tony received the ANZAHPE Award 2012 and was awarded life membership in 2018. He attended his first ANZAME (as it was then) conference in 1989 and regularly attended thereafter.  He joined the committee of management in 2000.  He was editor of Focus on Health Professional Education from 2007 to 2015.

He grew up in the north of England but spent most of his life in or near Dunedin, New Zealand.  He registered as a Psychologist in 1975 and worked for the University of Otago. His work for the Royal New Zealand College of General Practitioners was recognised by them awarding him an Honorary Fellowship in 2003.

He was the person that encouraged new ANZAHPE members, in particular those who were first time presenters, by attending their presentations and actively seeking them out over tea breaks.  He was notable for nurturing Otago students to undertake projects about education and submit them for the student awards.  The spontaneous waiata sung by his Aotearoa colleagues, at the time he was awarded ANZAHPE life fellowship, moved him (and many others).

For me, Tony always made you think.  He maintained a focus on the student and patient experience.  He was always keen to implement innovations that brought long lasting change. He questioned current practice, listened thoughtfully and brought perspectives that others hadn’t considered.  You would always want him in a group.

An obituary will also be published in FoHPE.  Please send me any memories you have of Tony that you think would be nice to include.

Tim Wilkinson
(tim.wilkinson@otago.ac.nz)