Featured Image: Dr Patricia Ellis AM

Occasionally in life one is privileged to meet with contemporary fellow professionals of outstanding merit. Dr Patricia “Trish” Ellis was such a person.

Citation: Patricia Ellis AM University of Melbourne

Acknowledge:

Dr Brian H. Anderson BVSc, MVSc, MS, MACVSc, Diplomate ACVS Registered Specialist in Equine Surgery

Patricia Ellis graduated with First Class Honours in Veterinary Science from the University of Melbourne in 1968 with the Australian Veterinary Association – Victorian Division Prize for best aggregate score in all years of the course and since then has been a trail blazer in the profession and an inspiration to many of her colleagues.

Since graduation, Patricia’s career has been a fine blend of academic achievement, successful private practice in Australia, Ireland and the Middle East, and a long influential stint of public practice. Patricia graduated at a time when women were a small minority of the veterinary profession, however, she was soon recognised more for her intellectual rigour and comprehensive understanding of veterinary science than for her gender.

Time spent in practice in Ireland and in the United Arab Emirates gave Trish an understanding of the political machinations behind international movement of animals and her keen interest in equine medicine soon saw her applying her skills and scientific knowledge in the area of international movement of horses to ensure that while the horses could move, their diseases did not. Patricia has been heavily involved in the horse industry both as a participant and as an equine veterinarian for many years and has been recognised for her service with numerous awards.

She was recognised by the Wakeful Club in 2004 when she received the Jo Miller Award for outstanding contribution to the equine industry and by Thoroughbred Breeders Victoria as the recipient of their Industry Contribution Award in the 2005/6 season.

Patricia has been a leader in the veterinary profession and a cherished mentor for many veterinarians over the course of her career. Patricia was the first woman president of the Australian Equine Veterinary Association in 1992 and her pioneering work as a woman in a male dominated part of the profession was recognised in 2006 with the award of a Belle Bruce Reid Medal for Outstanding Women Veterinary Science Graduates.

The veterinary profession has recognised her achievements by awarding her an AVA Meritorious Service Award, the AEVA Award for Veterinary Excellence, the Equine Veterinarians Australia Award for Services to the Horse Industry. In 2009 Patricia delivered the Pascoe Oration to the annual Equine Veterinary Conference to a standing ovation.

Patricia’s contribution to the Australian horse industry and the Australian veterinary profession were rewarded in the 2013 Queen’s Birthday Honours with the award of the Order of Australia for significant service to veterinary science, particularly through the development of quarantine and biosecurity protocols in the equine industry.

Dr Ellis has always made herself available to give back to the University, the institution which set her on her professional path. Patricia has served on many working parties, advisory committees and she taught undergraduate veterinarians about the horse industry for many years. In addition, Patricia has served her graduating year well as the long-serving liaison with the faculty, organising reunions and keeping our alumni informed about developments at the University and the faculty.

In summary: a veterinarian of the highest professional integrity, who has used her veterinary training to benefit the wider community as well as the profession, Dr Patricia Ellis is a true role model for all veterinarians and is a worthy recipient of the degree of Doctor of Veterinary Science honoris causa.

In Memoriam: Dr Patricia Ellis AM (1946 – 2022)

Equine Veterinarians Australia (EVA)

The veterinary community and the Australian horse industry has lost a brilliant veterinarian, a pioneer, a leader, a mentor and a wonderful friend with the passing of Dr Patricia Ellis in Healesville on 7 May 2022.

The daughter of a soldier settler in south-west Victoria, Patricia decided on a career in veterinary science after realising that librarians did not spend all day reading books; and what a ground breaking career it was! Matriculating as Dux of Geelong High School, Patricia Ellis graduated with First Class Honours in Veterinary Science from the University of Melbourne in 1968 with the Australian Veterinary Association – Victorian Division Prize for best aggregate score in all years of the course.

Patricia graduated at a time when female veterinarians were a minority in the veterinary profession, with even fewer going into private equine practice. Never one to be afraid of the path less travelled, Trish set out to blaze her own trail. After a short stint in dairy and mixed practice, Trish completed a Masters degree in Veterinary Science at the University of Melbourne in 1971. Patricia’s veterinary journey saw her work as an ambulatory clinician at the Melbourne Veterinary School, before heading to Newmarket in 1974.  Patricia broadened her experience by practising on the Curragh in Ireland and at Epsom in Surrey until 1978. Not content with breaking through gender barriers in Australia and UK/Ireland, Patricia had two periods of practising in the United Arab Emirates (1978-80 and 1993-95), where she met her husband, Gary. Trish’s AVA conference presentation describing her time in the Emirates, Vet in a Veil, was inspirational and gave the audience an insight into Patricia’s considerable intellectual rigour, adventurous spirit and personal resilience. Patricia’s time overseas ultimately led to an interest in international movement of animals and the politics that surround this activity. Her interest in the quarantine problems ensuing from the burgeoning use of aeroplanes for the international transport of horses saw her move into public practice, where her clinical knowledge and persuasive skills helped guide policy development for the movement of horses around the world.

Horses were central to Trish’s life, not only as an equine veterinarian, but as a keen competitor and member of various equine regulatory bodies. Trish was the first female President of the Australian Equine Veterinary Association, now Equine Veterinarians Australia, and her pioneering work as a woman in a male dominated part of the profession was recognised in 2006 with the award of the Belle Bruce Reid Medal for Outstanding Women Veterinary Science Graduates. The veterinary profession has recognised her achievements by awarding her an AVA Meritorious Service Award, the AEVA Award for Veterinary Excellence and the Equine Veterinarians Australia Award for Services to the Horse Industry. In 2009 Patricia delivered the Pascoe Oration to the annual Equine Veterinary Conference to a standing ovation. Shortly before her death Trish was notified by the AVA that she was to be elevated to Fellow of the AVA at the upcoming conference. Although she was ultimately unable to attend the conference to receive this honour, it is a fitting tribute for her lifetime of achievements as an equine veterinarian.

Patricia was integral to developing the protocols that enabled horses like Vintage Crop to come to race in Australia and her work for the horse industry was celebrated by the Wakeful Club in 2004 when she received the Jo Miller Award for outstanding contribution to the equine industry and by Thoroughbred Breeders Victoria as the recipient of their Industry Contribution Award in the 2005/6 season.

Dr Patricia Ellis has been a leader in the veterinary profession and a cherished mentor for many veterinarians across the globe over the course of her career. Patricia was a Foundation member of the Australian Equine Veterinary Association in 1971, and an individual member of the Australian Horse Industry Council since its establishment.  Dr Ellis has served on many working parties and advisory committees, providing expert advice on both biosecurity and welfare matters.  Trish has served as a member of the International Group of Specialist Racing Veterinarians since 1993, the International Movement of Horses committee since 2003 and was a long time Director of Racing Analytical Services Ltd. Most recently she served as Harness Racing Australia’s representative on the technical committee coordinating the Japanese Encephalitis Virus outbreak, attending teleconferences and a variety of meetings between chemotherapy and radiation appointments.

Patricia’s contribution to the Australian horse industry and the Australian veterinary profession were rewarded in the 2013 Queen’s Birthday Honours with the award of the Order of Australia for significant service to veterinary science, particularly through the development of quarantine and biosecurity protocols in the equine industry. In 2014 Dr Patricia Ellis was honoured by the University of Melbourne when she was awarded the degree of Doctor of Veterinary Science honoris causa, for her work within the veterinary profession and wider equine industry.

Dr Ellis was a veterinarian of the highest professional integrity, who has used her veterinary training to benefit the equine community and veterinary profession. The trail she blazed cleared a path for female veterinarians to follow. With her passing, the world is a little dimmer and although many of us are richer for knowing her, we are all poorer for her loss.

She was dearly loved and will be sorely missed by friends and colleagues around the world.

Funeral details are not yet available. EVA wishes to thank Drs Meredith Flash and James Gilkerson for this obituary.

Rest in peace Trish.

With love and best wishes to all.

Jeffrey Wilkinson

EVA Executive Officer