Richard Lewandowski | |
|---|---|
| Born | 1957or1958(age 66–67) [1] Brisbane, Queensland, Australia |
| Education | University of Queensland Royal Australasian College of Surgeons Eastern Virginia Medical School |
| Occupation | craniofacial surgeon |
| Known for | Being the founder of Operation Smile (Australia) |
| Awards | Queensland Great (2004) UQ VC's Diversity Award for Almuni (2012) |
Richard Andrew Lewandowski FRACS (born 1957 or 1958) [1] is an Australian plastic and reconstructive surgeon.
He is best known for performing reconstructive craniofacial surgery for children and young adults with such issues as cleft lips, cleft palates and facial deformities. [1] [2] [3]
In 1999, Lewandowski founded the Australian chapter of Operation Smile which was established to provide accessible surgery for patients from developing countries. [4] [3]
Lewandowski attended Nashville State High School and then studied medicine at the University of Queensland, graduating with a Bachelor of Medicine, Bachelor of Surgery in 1981. [1] [5]
He then became a Fellow of the Royal Australasian College of Surgeons in 1990. [5]
After completing his plastic surgery training in Australia, Lewandowski relocated to Virginia in the United States to study craniomaxillofacial surgery where he met William P. Magee Jr., the founder of Operation Smile who asked Lewandowski to accompany him to a surgery in Colombia. [1]
In 1995, Lewandowski achieved a Fellowship Diploma in Craniomaxillofacial Surgery from the Eastern Virginia Medical School. [5]
Throughout his career, Lewandowski has held numerous senior positions including: [6]
As the head of the Australasian College of Surgeons' state trauma committee, Lewandowski regularly spoke publicly about Queensland's poor road toll and deaths of children in quad bike accidents. [7] [8]
In 2022, Lewandowski submitted a thesis to the University of Queensland for a Master of Philosophy degree. [9]
In 2004, Lewandowski was named as a Queensland Great. [10]
Lewandowski was the recipient of the University of Queensland Vice-Chancellor's Diversity Award for Alumni in 2012. [11]
The head of the Royal Australasian College of Surgeons state trauma committee Richard Lewandowski said major injuries from quad bikes almost doubled between 2010 and 2012. "Quad bikes are inherently unstable and leave very little room for rider error," he said in a statement. Children, who are often more inexperienced and careless than older riders, can end up dead or disabled."
Australasian College of Surgeons' Dr Richard Lewandowski said the increased number of passenger deaths, up from 48 to 70 this year, showed the need for everyone in the car to be responsible.
The winner of the 2012 Vice-Chancellor's Diversity Award for Alumni was Dr Richard Lewandowski.