Two former Australian Medical Association presidents have been awarded the AMA's highest honour in recognition of their exemplary leadership during the COVID-19 crisis.
Former AMA presidents Dr Tony Bartone and Dr Omar Khorshid are the joint winners of the 2025 AMA Gold Medal, presented at the AMA25 National Conference last night.
AMA President Dr Danielle McMullen said Dr Bartone and Dr Khorshid calmly and effectively led the profession through the worst health crisis Australia had faced in 100 years.
"The COVID-19 pandemic was a challenging and deeply uncertain time for the world — it was a time when all Australians turned to trusted health professionals and experts for advice and reassurance," Dr McMullen said.
"Tony and Omar were both unflappable in the face of uncertainty, and we hope this award goes some way in recognising their exceptional service to the medical profession and the entire community during those difficult times."
Dr Bartone, a general practitioner, was elected AMA president in May 2018 and steered the profession through the Black Summer bushfires and the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic. He worked tirelessly to encourage the necessary investment to support our health system in responding to the pandemic and was a trusted adviser to the government and the broader public. He had an influential role in the delivery of an initial $2.4 billion federal health package as part of the federal government's pandemic response, and he advocated for changes to Medicare to support the extensive use of telehealth, which remains an ongoing legacy of his term as president.
Dr Bartone's advocacy for general practice helped cement the importance of GPs in the community, including securing a commitment from the government to develop a National Primary Care Strategy. Dr Bartone also had a notable impact on the Royal Commission into Aged Care through his work in highlighting the need to improve access to medical care in aged care. His advocacy forced governments to address privacy concerns surrounding the Personally Controlled Electronic Health Record and he successfully defended the autonomy of the Professional Services Review.
Dr Khorshid, an orthopaedic surgeon, was elected in August 2020 and quickly established himself as the voice of reason and calm in the pandemic, while still being a fierce advocate for the community and the profession. Dr Khorshid was a mainstay in the media throughout his two-year tenure, representing the profession at the highest level — including at National Cabinet — and played a pivotal role in guiding the vaccine rollout and ensuring GPs played a central role, which helped Australia achieve one of the highest rates of vaccine uptake in the world.
In 2022, Dr Khorshid launched the AMA's Clear the Hospital Logjam, Sickly Sweet and Modernise Medicare campaigns, which continue to influence national health policy discussions. His advocacy was crucial in securing the $970m investment in Medicare and general practice promised by Labor in the 2022 federal election. Dr Khorshid launched the AMA's first Vision for Australia's Health in 2021, charting a course forward for the country's health system. He also galvanised the AMA's advocacy on issues relating to private health, convening the AMA Private Health Summit at Parliament House in June 2022.
Quotes attributable to Dr Tony Bartone
"I have often referred to the AMA as a family. It was this family that gave me the opportunity to lead and become an advocate for patients and the health system and for that I am eternally grateful."
"I am constantly reminded of the power and reach of AMA advocacy and my achievements were a product of this."
"The list of previous recipients is indeed immensely inspiring and meritorious. The enormity of this award is not lost on me. I am extremely proud to have been recognised for this award. To even be considered to become part of this list is so very humbling."
"I wish to thank the many people who have all played a role in receiving this prize. Without them I would not have been able to achieve so many of the outcomes, which have in some way directly contributed to the health of so many and made our health system better."
Quotes attributable to Dr Omar Khorshid
"It was a great privilege to lead the AMA team during the pandemic. We worked incredibly hard together with AMA staff, state and territory AMAs, Federal Council and many external experts, despite the challenges of lockdowns and closed borders."
"We had a substantial and direct impact on public policy in many areas — on behalf of doctors and the community."
"I am proud of our achievements as a nation, as a profession and as the peak professional organisation for doctors. I hope this award is a reminder of how much can be achieved when we work together as an AMA family."
