The Surgical Research Society of Australasia.

Background: The Surgical Research Society of Australasia (SRS)was established in 1961. The main intent was to promote surgicalresearch, especially by young surgeons. The 50th Scientific Meetingof the SRS is due to be held in 2002. Methods: Selected information was extracted from the programmebooks for the scientific meetings of the SRS, while historical materialwas retrieved from the Records and Archives Unit of the Royal AustralasianCollege of Surgeons. Results: There have been 48 scientific meetings of the SRS between1962 and 2000 inclusive, which have included the presentation of1627 free papers. Forty-one percent of the presenters (325/784)have done so on more than one occasion. The content of the presentationsreflects the changing nature of surgical research during the lastseveral decades. Conclusions: The SRS has achieved its original intent of promotingsurgical research. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]