Nearly two dozen specialists have been recognised for their achievements in the Australia Day Honours list, with names across the ranks of the Order of Australia.

Doctors from multiple specialties were represented including gastroenterology, neurology, rheumatology, cardiology, respiratory medicine and oncology.

The 2024 list also included a COVID-19 Honour Roll, with 49 Australians recognised for their contribution to the national response to the pandemic.

This featured high-profile names, including vaccine researcher Professor Julie Leask and GP Professor Charlotte Hespe, with honours also going to former Australian of the Year Professor Fiona Wood.

Read a list of some of the big names below:

Officer of the Order of Australia (AO)

Dr Brett Sutton, Victoria

For distinguished service to the people of Victoria through public health administration and governance, and to medicine.

Member of the Order of Australia (AM)

Professor Kirsten Auret, Western Australia

For significant service to palliative care medicine, and to tertiary education.

Conjoint Professor Jacqueline Close, NSW

For significant service to medical research, and to medicine as an orthogeriatrician.

Professor Stephen Faux, NSW

For significant service to rehabilitation medicine, and to medical research.

Professor Julian Gold, NSW

For significant service to medicine as a clinical epidemiologist and researcher, and to community health.

Associate Professor Carmel Hawley, Queensland

For significant service to kidney medicine as a researcher, clinician and mentor.

Emeritus Professor Christian Lueck, ACT

For significant service to neurology and neuro-ophthalmology through medical research and clinical practice.

Clinical Associate Professor Judith Kirk, NSW

For significant service to medicine, and to medical research, particularly in the field of cancer genetics.

Dr Matthew O’Sullivan, NSW

For significant service to medicine, particularly in the field of infectious diseases.

Professor Paul Roach, NSW

For significant service to nuclear medicine, and to medical research.

Clinical Associate Professor Kathleen Tymms, ACT

For significant service to rheumatology, and to professional associations.

Emeritus Professor John Wark, Victoria

For significant service to medicine, particularly endocrinology, as a clinician, educator, and mentor.

Order of Australia Medal (OAM)

Professor Barbora de Courten, Victoria

For service to medical research, and to healthcare.

Dr Peter Fredrickson, NSW

For service to dermatology.

Professor Michelle Giles, Victoria

For service to medicine.

Dr Ramananda Kamath, NSW

For service to paediatric gastroenterology.

Clinical Associate Professor Jenny Hynson, Victoria

For service to palliative care medicine.

Dr Anne Knight, NSW

For service to medicine through a range of roles.

Associate Professor Zarnie Lwin, Queensland

For service to medicine in the field of neuro-oncology.

Dr Alan Soward, Victoria

For service to cardiology.

Public Service Medal

Associate Professor David Cartwright, Queensland

For outstanding public service to Queensland in the field of neonatal medicine.

Dr Revle Bangor-Jones, WA

For outstanding public service through strategic leadership of the public health response to COVID-19, including the management of COVID-19 outbreaks on vessels in Western Australian waters.

Each year, the limbic scours the lists for specialists joining the Order of Australia honours. If you believe someone has been overlooked, please get in touch at [email protected]