Sam Mellick, Vascular Surgeon (1925 – 2019)
Selim Mellick, universally known as Sam, was a legendary surgeon.
He was born in Innisfail in north Queensland and was Dux of both his local primary school and his high school the All Souls School in Charters Towers. He graduated from the University of Queensland with first class honours in medicine and surgery in 1948.
His contributions to vascular surgery in Brisbane and indeed worldwide were enormous. In that era ruptured abdominal aortic aneurysm was a feared and usually fatal event.
Surgery was extremely challenging and techniques were being developed to manage the pathology. The ruptured aorta need to be replaced with a new artery and commercial grafts were not yet available. Sam’s wife Pat prepared grafts from synthetic terylene material on her home sewing machine and these were used successfully. Sam led improvements that over time reduced the mortality from around 80 percent down to 30 percent in cases of rupture and also led to classification and criteria for operating prophylactically before rupture occurred, resulting in much improved overall survival. Sam delivered a Hunterian Professorship Oration to the Royal College of Surgeons of England in 1981 in which he described the results, from the unit he headed, of 1166 femoro- popliteal bypass grafts over that first 20 year period. Sam was an excellent surgical technician and one of his peers described him as “stitch perfect”.
Sam received many honours throughout his career. The most prestigious was Commander of the Most Excellent Order of the British Empire (CBE) in 1980. Other notable honours were visiting Professorships in England, Ireland, USA, France and New Zealand.
The Australian and New Zealand Society for Vascular Surgery named its travelling fellowship in his honour, the ANZSVS Sam Mellick Travel Fellowship, and Sam presented the inaugural award in 2012. He was a tutor in surgical anatomy at the University of Queensland and later was awarded the title of Honorary Professor.
Sam’s presence was always positive. He seemed to be eternally optimistic and when meeting him and enquiring how he was he would say “marvellous” or “strong”. He had no problems finding an operating theatre to work in (even when staff was apparently in short supply for other surgeons) and was enthusiastically supported by nursing staff and assistants. In an era when some surgeons behaved somewhat autocratically Sam was a wonderful teacher, mentor and role model. He leaves an outstanding legacy as a master surgeon.
Obituary kindly provided by Professor Ian Gough AM
The Sam Mellick Travel Fellowship is to be awarded to provide support for a Vascular Fellow or Provisional Vascular Fellow to obtain advanced experience outside their home location (i.e. not for permanent relocation in a new job) or to present in person or virtually at an international meeting.
Sam Mellick Travel Fellowship Application Form
Sam Mellick Travel Fellowship Conditions