A Sydney Adventist Hospital surgeon has been announced as a finalist in the 2019 NSW Women of the Year Awards.

Ear, nose and throat surgeon Payal Mukherjee is one of four finalists for the NSW Premier’s Woman of the Year, an award that recognizes an exceptional achiever who has made a significant contribution to NSW and is a strong role model for other women.

Associate Professor Mukherjee is the deputy chair of the Royal Australasian College of Surgeons (RACS) NSW State Committee, the ENT Research lead at the Institute of Academic Surgery at Royal Prince Alfred Hospital, and a member of the Meniere’s Research Fund (Sydney Medical School).

As a clinical associate professor at the University of Sydney and an adjunct professor at the University of Wollongong, she places particular importance on research and teaching. She is also proud to have strong advocacy on promoting surgical innovation, on gender equity in surgery as well as domestic violence affecting patients and health care workers.

Dr Mukherjee is at the forefront of using new technologies, including augmented reality, virtual reality and 3D printing, to transform the health system.

As a mother to a young daughter, she is passionate about education and literacy development. She is committed to inspiring young women into pursuing STEMM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Mathematics and Medicine) careers in surgery and medical technology.

The 2019 NSW Women of the Year Awards will be presented at a ceremony in Sydney on the eve of International Women’s Day, Thursday, March 7.