Virtual
War Memorial
Australia

RICE Michael Scollin AM ED MB BS FRACP

1935 –

Michael Scollin Rice was born in North Adelaide on 9th December 1935, he is the eldest son of John David Rice, a general medical practitioner, and Molly, nee Scollin.  His father served with the AAMC in WW2 and was the inaugural regimental medical officer, (RMO) of 2/43 Bn, raised in South Australia in July 1940. His father also saw active service with 2/43 Bn in Tobruk, with 2/8 FdAmb in the El Alamein campaign and in New Guinea with 2/11 AGH.   Post war he served in the RAAMC Army Reserve and retired in 1975 after completing a period as Honorary Colonel, RAAMC Central Command.  Michael Rice was educated at Loreto College, Marryatville and Christian Brothers College, Adelaide, where he was Dux of the college in 1952. He was awarded a Gowrie Scholarship, in 1953, to study medicine at the University of Adelaide and graduated MB BS in 1958.  He completed his intern year at the Royal Adelaide Hospital (RAH), in 1959, and then commenced training in paediatric medicine at the Adelaide Children’s Hospital (ACH) from 1960 until 1962. During this time, in May 1961, he married Judith Ann Bennett, a pharmacist, and they were to have six children; Alison, Andrew, Ian, Anne-Louise, Joanne and Mark.  He returned to the RAH to undertake a further year of training in internal medicine. Rice was awarded MRACP in 1964. He then moved to the Royal Children’s Hospital, Melbourne to undertake sub-specialty training in the emerging discipline of paediatric haematology/oncology from 1964 to 1965. He was awarded the Nestle Company Paediatric Travelling Scholarship, in 1966, and took the opportunity to visit several paediatric centres in England before taking up a research fellowship in the Department of Paediatrics, Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Centre, New York, from 1966 to 1967.

Throughout the progression of his professional career, Rice gave service to the Australian Army.  He undertook national service in 1954 with the 16 National Service Bn based at Woodside in the Adelaide Hills. This was followed by CMF service with the Adelaide University Regiment during his time at university. Following graduation, in 1959, he joined the RAAMC Army Reserve and served as RMO of 2/48 Bn and 13 Field Regiment.  He was then posted to 3 FdAmb in Adelaide and, subsequently 6 FdAmb when he was in Melbourne. Rice volunteered for short term full-time duty in Vietnam, in 1969. He was posted as the ships doctor, on the HMAS Sydney, during the voyage to Vietnam and from Vietnam, back to Australia.  Rice reflects that his tour of duty in Vietnam was uneventful.  His tour involved mainly the treatment of minor illnesses and injuries, together with providing lectures to arriving troops on tropical diseases and public health issues and helping soldiers returning to Australia to prepare for re-adjustment to life in a non-war zone. After his return to South Australia he was promoted to Lieutenant Colonel and resumed his service with the Army Reserve. He was then posted as Assistant Director of Medical Services (ADMS) Central Command, followed by CO of 3 FdAmb and finally a posting as physician at 3 AGH. Rice retired from the Army in 1976 and was issued with the Vietnam Logistic and Support Medal, the Australian Defence Medal, and, in 1971, was awarded the Efficiency Decoration.

On his return from New York, Rice worked as a consultant paediatrician in both the private sector and public hospital practice where he established a speciality service for children with cancer at the ACH, and became a founding member of the Australian and New Zealand Children’s Haematology/Oncology group.  He was chairman of the ACH Medical Staff Society from 1990 until 1995. He had an active involvement with the RACP from 1977 until 2000, serving on various college committees, including the National Examining Committee and College Council.  He was chairman of the SA State Council of the College from 1986 until 1990 and a founding member of the RACP linked, Australian Association of Consultant Physicians, including a term as president from 1992 to 1995. He became actively involved with the Australian Medical Association (AMA) and was elected as the physician representative to the Federal council in 1994, remaining in this role for ten years until 2004. At the same time he served as president of the AMA (SA) from 2000 to 2002. Other professional activities have included membership of the University of Adelaide Medical School Curriculum Committee from 1988 to 1996, a Deputy Director of the Federal Professional Services Review Panel and appointment as the inaugural chairman of the SA Clinical Senate from 2003 to 2007. Over a period of forty years he has participated in issues relating to inter-country adoption of children many of whom came from South East Asia. Rice’s long time service to the medical profession has been recognised in many ways; for his service to children with cancer the ACH named a new unit at the hospital, The Michael Rice Centre for Haematology and Oncology. He was awarded the Howard Williams Medal from the Australian College of Paediatrics, in 1998, Medal of the Royal Australasian College of Physicians in 2000, the Centenary Medal in 2003 and the Gold Medal of the AMA in 2004. He was recognised, in June 2004, as a Member of the Order of Australia, for service to medicine, particularly in paediatrics in the fields of oncology and haematology, to a range of professional and medical organisations, and to the community. Since retirement in 2012, he has continued to advise on follow-up services for survivors of cancer in childhood and assist AMA-SA in a voluntary capacity.  He has found more time for golf, tennis and gardening and has tried to improve his knowledge of Australian and world history. He and his wife Judy, enjoy travel both in Australia and internationally to visit their family, which now includes nine grandchildren.

Sources

Blood, Sweat and Fears II: Medical Practitioners of South Australia on Active Service After World War 2 to Vietnam 1945-1975.

Summers, Swain, Jelly, Verco. Open Book Howden, Adelaide 2016

Uploaded by Annette Summers AO RFD