Name: David Henry McConnel, AM 

QUALIFICATIONS:
MB BS, University of Queensland (1963)
FRCA, 1991 (FFARCS, 1969)
FANZCA, 1992 (FFARACS, 1970)

Date of Birth: 22 April 1939

David Henry McConnel was born in 1939 in Toowoomba, Queensland. He completed his primary and secondary education locally, and studied medicine at the University of Queensland, graduating MB BS in 1963. In 1970 he gained his FFARACS (Fellowship of the Faculty of Anaesthetists, Royal College of Surgeons), and was elected to the Board of the Faculty in 1984. He stayed on the Board until 1992, making him a member of the last Board of the Faculty, and the first Council of the newly formed Australian and New Zealand College of Anaesthetists.

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David Henry McConnel was born on 22 April, 1939 in Toowoomba, Queensland. He attended primary school at Bulimba, Dutton Park and Junction Park State Schools. McConnel’s secondary schooling was undertaken at Brisbane State High School, following which he enrolled in medicine at the University of Queensland, and graduated MB BS in 1963.

After graduation, McConnel was the Resident Medical Officer at Cairns Base Hospital for two years. In January 1966, he became a Registrar in Anaesthetics at the Royal Brisbane Hospital, following which he moved to England where he took up the position of Registrar in Anaesthetics at the London Hospital (now Royal London Hospital), until June 1969. His next position was as a Staff Anaesthetist at the Groote Schuur Hospital in Capetown, South Africa, by which time he had already gained his FFARCS (Fellowship of the Faculty of Anaesthetists, Royal College of Surgeons).

McConnel returned to Australia in 1970 and took up the position of Visiting Specialist Anaesthetist at the Royal Children’s Hospital in Brisbane. At the same time he also held the position of Visiting Specialist Anaesthetist at the Royal Brisbane Hospital.

In 1970, the year he gained his FFARACS (Fellow of the Faculty of Anaesthetists, Royal Australasian College of Surgeons), McConnell was appointed Senior Visiting Anaesthetist at the Royal Brisbane Hospital, a position he held until [year]. In 1974 he became a member of the Queensland Regional Committee, taking on a variety of roles over the next 10 years, including Committee Chair from 1980 to 1983. This was the beginning of 18 years of direct involvement with the Faculty and, later, the Australian and New Zealand College of Anaesthetists.

In 1976, McConnel became a member of the Panel of Examiners of the Faculty, a position he held until 1988. During that time he also took on the role as a member of the Final Examination Committee (1983 – 1988), Deputy Chair (1985 – 1986), and Committee Chair (1986 – 1988).

Mc Connel was elected as President of the Australian Society of Anaesthetists in 1978.

McConnell was elected to the Board of the Faculty in 1984 and, again, took on a number of roles for the Faculty during this time. These included Protocol Officer (1984 – 1991), Pharmaceutical/Technical Officer (1988 – 1989), General Scientific Meeting, Faculty Convenor (1998), and General Scientific Meeting Officer (1989 – 1992). From 1989 to 1991, McConnel was a member of the Executive Committee, taking on the position of Chair, Workforce Committee from 1992 to 1996.

In 1992, the Faculty separated from the Royal Australasian College of Surgeons and became the Australian and New Zealand College of Anaesthetists (ANZCA). McConnel was a member of the last Board of the Faculty, and the first Council of the newly formed ANZCA. He continued on the ANZCA Council until 1996.

While serving on the Board and Council, McConnel continued to pursue his clinical career, working at Senior Visiting Specialist at the Royal Brisbane and Women’s Hospital (1990 – 2004), as Relieving Visiting Specialist at the Princess Alexandra Hospital (1995 – 2000) and from 2004 to 2013, as Relieving Visiting Specialist at the Royal Brisbane and Women’s Hospital.

During this time he was also a member of the Anaesthetic Industry Liaison Committee (1992 – [year]) and the Joint Consultative Committee on Anaesthesia (1992 – 1996).

During 1994, he became Clinical Associate Professor at the University of Queensland, holding this position until 2000.

McConnel also worked as an Accredited Specialist Anaesthetist at the Brisbane Private Hospital, Wesley Hospital, Mater Private Hospital, Spring Hill Specialist Day Hospital, Dr PY Lai Dental Surgery and Dr V Linnett Dental Surgery.

David Henry McConnel retired in 2013.

OTHER AWARDS AND HONOURS

ANZCA Medal (2003)
ANZCA Citation (2003)
Order of Australia Medal (General Division) (2012)

REFERENCES

The information in these biographies has been researched via the ANZCA Archives with the assistance of the individual Fellows.

IMAGES

  1. David Henry McConnel, 1992