Still to make cut but as teacher

After 41 years at Auburn Hospital, Professor Brooke-Cowden is retiring from clinical work – but he’s not ready to say goodbye yet.
At 75, Geoff has decided to retire from clinical work and focus on his other great love of teaching, at Auburn Hospital clinical school two days and the University of Notre Dame one day a week.
“I will miss the interaction with staff at all levels and patients. Retiring is bittersweet, there is a lot of sadness but a whole plethora of good memories,” Geoff said.
“I feel like a dinosaur now but I am fortunate to have lived through the most amazing and rapid era of advances in medicine the world has ever seen.
“I retire from surgery with absolute confidence the profession is in good hands.”
Geoff joined the hospital as a junior surgeon in 1978 and within five years, worked his way up to become senior surgeon.
Over the years he has held many senior roles at Auburn Hospital, including Executive Medical Director and Medical Staff Council Chairman. He was also a founding professor of the University of Notre Dame School of Medicine and former mayor of Baulkham Hills Shire among his many significant roles and achievements.
His proudest achievement was helping to save Auburn Hospital in the late 1990s, which in turn led to him having significant involvement in the planning of the new hospital building which opened in 2009.
“I could not have achieved anything without the confidence and support of my colleagues in medicine, nursing and paramedical,” Geoff said.
“A hospital is just a pile of bricks with equipment thrown in. The doctors, nurses, occupational therapists, orderlies; they are the lifeblood.”