The Most Influential Scientist in the Development of Medical informatics (14): Branko Cesnik

an Australian pioneer and an international leader in Health Informatics (1-4). Branko graduated as a doctor from Monash University. Following his graduation he worked in training posts in accident and emergency medicine and renal medicine in Australia before spending time working in South Africa. In 1988 Branko was appointed as a Senior Lecturer with the Department of Community Medicine and General Practice at Monash University. Under the visionary leadership of Professor Neil Carson AO, Branko went on to establish the first research and education unit for Medical informatics in any of the medical school in Australia. Branko's research fo-cused on innovative ways to use information technology to support medical education and clinical care. Branko's work in medical education innovation received the Monash University Silver Jubilee Teaching Prize in 1993. In 1995 Branko was appointed as Associate Professor at Monash University and later Branko and Wendy and the members of their unit accepted an invitation to become part of the new Monash Institute for Health Services Research, established by the late Professor Chris Silagy AO. At the institute Branko continued his research activity on the establishment of successful postgraduate training programs for health professionals in health infor-matics. His vision for the use of IT in health care preceded the widespread development of the World Wide Web and the hypermedia applications which were to appear in the mid-1990s. Branko fostering the development of health informatics especially in Australia and the Asia Pacific Region. In 1991 Branko was one of the founders of the Health Infor-matics Society of Australia. Since its establishment the Society has held an annual health informatics conference which has been instrumental in raising the profile of health infor-matics and facilitating the development of this discipline in Australia. In 1994 Branko co-founded the Asia-Pacific Association for Medical Informatics becoming its second President from 1997-2000. In 1997 he was responsible for bringing the second conference of the Asia Pacific Association for Medical Informatics to Australia. In 1999 Branko became a foundation Fellow of the Australian College of Health Informatics. Branko was the second President of the Australian College of Health Informatics from 2001-2003. In 2001 Branko was elected as Vice-President of IMIA, a mark of the level of respect that he engendered among his peers at an international level. His work helped to ensure that the 2007 conference of the MEDINFO, in Brisbane. He was involved especially in supporting the evaluation …