It is appropriate that we are termed an “academy”, a word which derives from the Greek “akademeia”, the grove or garden near Athens where the philosopher Plato taught in 387BC, a century after the birth of Hippocrates of Cos. As an “academy”, we are reminded of the long history we embrace and of the great contribution made by the classical Greek school to modern medicine.The design of our logo encapsulates both the futuristic era of cyberspace as we move into the 21st century, along with the perennial elements which link our great medical profession to our great nation, Australia.

The circular form of our logo is symbolic of continuity, constancy, unity and perfections, the hallmarks of our profession. The aqua colour of the outer circle represents the water which surrounds our island continent of Australia, while the royal blue of the inner circle represents the vast and powerful expanse of our country’s own great southern sky. At the top of the inner circle sits the Southern Cross, an emblem of time, timelessness and guardianship. This constellation denotes the guiding scientific principle that brought not only western civilisation to our great south land but whose visible presence may also have guided the earlier journeys of more ancient peoples.

Central to the motif of our logo is the five-stranded stylised version of the serpent, the ancient symbol of healing. The merger of medicine and surgery with scientific knowledge from both east and west is represented by the “V” at the top or head of the serpent. Tracing the progression of knowledge, the body of the serpent continues to move from left to right, showing how such knowledge turns on key discoveries in the relentless pursuit of truth. The five parallel strands of the serpent represent the various branches of medical science moving together in strength and harmony. Both ends of the serpent remain open indicating the vast amount of past and future knowledge yet to be discovered.