Sports Medicine Australia (SMA) would like to pay tribute to and congratulate members Peter Dornan (AM) and Craig Purdam (OAM) for their outstanding achievements in the sports medicine and exercise science field. The pair were honoured for their accomplishments on Australia Day this year at Parliament House. Their recognition is well deserved and congratulations to you both!
Mr Peter Dornan (AM)
Peter was awarded the 2020 Senior Queensland Australian of the Year Award for his contributions towards men’s health, particularly his work designing a successful program to treat incontinence in men who have suffered prostate cancer. In addition to working as the Director of the Board of the Cancer Council of Queensland, Peter sparked an interest in mountain climbing and celebrated his 60th birthday by climbing Mt Kilimanjaro. He is a foundation fellow of the Australian Sports Medicine Foundation and has also been a member of SMA for over 50 years!
Mr Craig Robert Purdam (OAM)
Craig was awarded the Medal of the Order of Australia for his contributions to physiotherapy and service to sports administration. Craig Purdam was the Head of Physical Therapies at the Australian Institute of Sport from 1982-2017. He has worked as a Specialist Sports Physiotherapist in elite sport for over 40 years.Craig’s undergraduate qualification was gained in 1975, a postgraduate diploma in Sports in 1992, a Master’s in Sports in 2000, honorary doctorate through La Trobe University in 2018, and he has co-authored over 55 scientific papers, mostly in the field of tendinopathy.
He achieved specialist status in Sports Physiotherapy through Fellowship of the Australian College of Physiotherapists in 2009. His major clinical and research interests are in the fields of tendinopathy, chronic hamstring, calf injuries, tissue loading, adaptation and healing mechanisms focused on the lower leg. He has been an SMA member for 26 years.
Australian Institute of Sport
- Former Deputy Director, Athlete Services.
- Head, Physical Therapies Department, 1982-2017.
Physiotherapist, Australian Men’s Basketball Olympic Team
- Sydney Olympic Games, 2000.
- Atlanta Olympic Games, 1996.
- Barcelona Olympic Games, 1992.
- Seoul Olympic Games, 1988.
- Los Angeles, 1984.
Other
- Adjunct Professor, University of Canberra, since 2009.
- Adjunct Professor, La Trobe University, Victoria, since 2018.
- Former Member, Commonwealth Games Medical Commission.
- Former Member, International Advisory Board, Physical Therapy in Sport journal.
- Co-Author of a range of academic papers, 2000-2012.
Awards and recognition include:
- Fellow, Australian College of Physiotherapists, 2009.
- Australian Sports Medal, for long serving physiotherapist to the national teams, 2000.
- Fellow, Sports Medicine Australia, 1990.