Matt Rickard

Associate Professor Matt Rickard serves as Chair of Colorectal Surgery at the University of Sydney's Concord Clinical School, where he leads academic and clinical initiatives in colorectal surgery. A distinguished surgeon-scientist, he holds qualifications including MB BS (Hons), MMed (ClinEpi), DipPaed, and FRACS.

His educational background features medical training at the University of Sydney (graduating with honors in 1989), a Master's in Clinical Epidemiology from the same institution, and extensive international surgical experience across Sydney, Brisbane, Jerusalem, Cape Town, and Kenya. Professional milestones include past Chairmanship of the Section of Colon and Rectal Surgery (RACS) and leadership roles in the Australia and New Zealand Training Board.

Rickard's research spans three interconnected domains: colorectal cancer outcomes using Concord Hospital's comprehensive database; benign disease management including inflammatory bowel disease and anal fistula; and innovative surgical training methodologies emphasizing compartmentalization and emotional intelligence. His epidemiology expertise drives evidence-based surgical practice and rigorous clinical trial design.

Analysis of his 15 most recent publications reveals dominant trends in geriatric oncology (particularly octogenarian care), low anterior resection syndrome phenotyping, and emotional intelligence applications in surgical coaching. His work consistently employs advanced statistical methods including competing risks analysis and systematic review frameworks.

• Supervisor of the Year Award, Concord Hospital (2019)

As an educator, Rickard has mentored three Masters candidates, numerous MD students, and surgical trainees while developing the Australasian Colorectal Surgery Fellowship curriculum. His leadership extends to global health through DAISI (Doctors Assisting in the South Pacific Islands) and PANGEA, reflecting commitment to surgical capacity building in resource-limited settings.

Rickard directs the Concord Colorectal Cancer Health Outcomes and Values Project, maintaining one of the world's most extensive prospective colorectal cancer databases. His research team actively investigates surgical training innovations, emotional intelligence applications, and complex benign disease management, with strong collaborative networks across Australia and New Zealand.