The peak body for Specialist Plastic Surgeons, both reconstructive and cosmetic
Collaborate with us
Working alongside leading research partners to advance evidence-based Plastic, Reconstructive and Aesthetic Surgery
To amplify our impact and credibility, ACTPRAS actively partners with broader research networks and professional organizations. Nationally, ACTPRAS is part of the Clinical Trials Network Australia & New Zealand (CTANZ), a RACS initiative uniting about 13 surgical specialty trial groups under one umbrella. Through CTANZ, we share resources and expertise with sister collaboratives in other fields, and we contribute to collective efforts that have produced over 130 surgical research publications from 2015–2021. This connection means ACTPRAS members benefit from cross-disciplinary insights and established infrastructure for multicentre trials.
Internationally, ACTPRAS engages with plastic surgery research bodies around the world. We are proud to be a formal partner of the UK’s Reconstructive Surgery Trials Network (RSTN), aligning our efforts with their established network in Europe. This partnership has enabled joint studies and exchange of ideas. ACTPRAS representatives also participate in the annual European Plastic Surgery Research Council meetings and the Plastic Surgery Research Council in North America, forging links that allow our researchers to present findings on global stages. We encourage our members to take advantage of international training opportunities as well – for instance, the Oxford University Online Plastic Surgery Clinical Trials Course (a Masters-level program in evidence-based medicine) is promoted among our trainees. By staying connected globally, ACTPRAS ensures that Australasia remains at the forefront of surgical research and that our studies meet international benchmarks.
In addition, our collaborative works closely with Australian specialty societies. We have received endorsements and support from ASPS and ASAPS, especially for studies overlapping with their mandates (for example, a breast implant safety trial in conjunction with the Australian Breast Device Registry). We also collaborate with the Australia New Zealand Burns Association (ANZBA) for burn surgery trials. These relationships reinforce trust in ACTPRAS’s work and help with broad dissemination of our study results and practice recommendations.
In summary, ACTPRAS stands on pillars of credibility, collaboration, and transparency. We are an organized, reputable network as evidenced by our governance structure and endorsements. We serve as the public face of plastic surgery research in our region, sharing our background, history, and ongoing studies openly. Ultimately, we exist to bring surgeons together in the spirit of inquiry and improvement – fulfilling a mission that benefits both the surgical community and the patients we care for.
People we work with
The Australian Association of Aesthetic Plastic Surgeons is the peak representative body specifically for Aesthetic Plastic Surgeons within Australia.
The Royal Australasian College of Surgeons (RACS), formed in 1927, is a non-profit organisation training surgeons and maintaining surgical standards in Australia and Aotearoa New Zealand.
The Australian & New Zealand Burn Association (ANZBA) is the peak body for health professionals responsible for the care of the burn injured in Australia and New Zealand. ANZBA is dedicated to improving the lives of those affected by burn injury by encouraging higher standards of patient care through education, performance monitoring, research and promoting community awareness of burn injury prevention.
The Reconstructive Surgery Trials Network is a national research network that aims to develop multi-centre studies in hand surgery and plastic surgery. It was established with funding from the British Society for Surgery of the Hand (BSSH) and the British Association of Plastic, Reconstructive and Aesthetic Surgeons (BAPRAS) and is part of the Royal College of Surgeons Clinical Trials Initiative.
Our inclusive organization is focused in stimulating fundamental research in plastic surgery, represents plastic surgery at the highest level, and promoting excellence in clinical innovation and clinical translation. The membership of the Research Council represents those in basic science, academic plastic surgery, those focusing in clinical and translational research, and those on the forefront of innovation and tech development.
The EPSRC is a non-profit organisation managed by and for the benefit of the young plastic, reconstructive and aesthetic surgery research community.