Respiratory physician Dr Barry Peter Hickey has been honoured for his outstanding contribution to thoracic medicine, being awarded the Medal of the Order of Australia (OAM).

The Brisbane-based specialist, a past president of the President Thoracic Society of Australia and New Zealand (Queensland branch), was the given the honour on Australia Day (January 26).

Dr Hickey, a consultant respiratory and thoracic physician since 1995, was involved in establishing the respiratory unit, a respiratory laboratory and the respiratory rehabilitation program at Greenslopes Private Hospital Ramsay Health Care (formerly Repatriation General Hospital).

He was also an Associate Professor at the School of Medicine at the University of Queensland and an Associate Professor of Medicine at the University of North Carolina in the US between 1974-1976.