Peter John Ryan

Who was Peter John Ryan?

Peter John Ryan, OAM was a consultant surgeon at St Vincent's Hospital, Melbourne, Australia. He was born in Dookie, Victoria in 1925; attended Assumption College, Kilmore; qualified in medicine at the University of Melbourne in 1948; MS, FRCS, FRACS, FISA; and died from cancer on 3 June 2002.

Ryan was President of the International Society of University Colon and Rectal Surgeons from 1986 to 1988 and colorectal cancer was a major medical study of his professional life. Ryan chaired the ISUCRS's Congress in Melbourne in 1980.

Another of his medical lifetime interests was road safety and driving. He was a founding member of the Royal Australasian College of Surgeons' Road Trauma Committee, which was partially responsible for the introduction of compulsory seat belts in cars in Victoria, in 1970.