RCSI awarded its highest honour of Honorary Fellow to the eminent Professor Wilfred Goodman of the University of Toronto for his outstanding contribution in the field of rhinoplasty.

The conferring was made at the European Academy of Facial Plastic Surgery Meeting, which was held in RCSI from 4-6 September.

Wilfred Goodman graduated in medicine at the University of Manitoba in 1945, and began his career as an army medical officer in the Royal Canadian Regiment. After a year he went to Porcupine Plains, Saskatchewan as a general practitioner.

He later joined the otolaryngolgoy training programme at The University of Toronto. In 1956 he became the first overseas Fellow to Oxford, where he spent a year at the Radcliffe Infirmary. There with Esme Hadfiled, they identified the high incidence of adenocarcinoma in hardwood workers; a memorable milestone in UK clinical research.

On his return home, Dr Goodman became a fellow of the Royal College of Surgeons of Canada, and was appointed to Faculty of the University of Toronto and Toronto General Hospital. He soon became Director of Postgraduate Education, a position which he held until his academic retirement.

Together with Dr Douglas Bryce he raised the department of otolaryngoloy to preeminence in North America, and indeed worldwide. Otolaryngolgoy/head and neck surgery is now the most sought after surgical residency. As well as teaching, organisation and clinical work, Professor Goodman authored dozens of peer-reviewed scientific papers. He made a major contribution to facial plastic surgery in the development of external approach rhinoplasty.

This technique allows accurate diagnosis, binocular vision and precision surgery in complicated congenital and acquired defects of the nose. Many such cases occupied major sessions at this conference. The external rhinoplasty technique is now used throughout the world.

In his citation, Laura Viani, RCSI council member said: "Wilfred Goodman is an unassuming person of high achievement. He is a prophet in his own country. He has been honoured by the Canadian Academy of Facial Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery, and he is regarded there as one of the giants of otolaryngology. As a doctor, teacher, and friend, Dr Goodman has always lived up to and beyond his name. He is a most worthy recipient of the Fellowship of the Royal College of Surgeons in Ireland."