William P R Gibson was born shortly after D Day in Totnes, Devon as the first of identical twins. He studied medicine at The Middlesex Hospital and qualified in 1967. He held various appointments in teaching hospitals in London before becoming a consultant surgeon at The National Hospitals for Nervous Disease and The Royal National Throat Nose and Ear Hospital. [More...]

William P R Gibson was born shortly after D Day in Totnes, Devon as the first of identical twins. He studied medicine at The Middlesex Hospital and qualified in 1967. He held various appointments in teaching hospitals in London before becoming a consultant surgeon at The National Hospitals for Nervous Disease and The Royal National Throat Nose and Ear Hospital.

In 1983, he immigrated to Australia with his family to become the inaugural professor of otolaryngology (ENT) at the University of Sydney. His major interest is otology and he has pioneered methods of examining the ear electrophysiologically. In particular in developing electrocochleography as a robust means of early diagnosis of deafness in young children, and as a method of diagnosis of Meniere’s disease. Surgically, he has undertaken cochlear implant surgery on over 1500 ears and redesigned the skin incision. He has also suggested the ‘drainage theory’ in Meniere’s disease as the cause of attacks and has removed the endolymphatic sac in ears affected by the disease. He has written a book, 20 chapters of books and 164 scientific articles. He is on the editorial board of 5 international journals.

Professor Gibson is currently head of the Ear, Nose and Throat Unit within The Department of Surgery at The University of Sydney. He is the head of the ENT Department at The Royal Prince Alfred Hospital and works also at The Childrens Hospital at Westmead and at The Mater Hospital, Crows Nest. He is the director of The Sydney Cochlear Implant Centres at Gladesville, Newcastle and Canberra.

In his spare time he is an active member of Rotary International and was proud to receive a Paul Harris Fellowship plus a sapphire pin and a Vocational Excellence Award. Other honours were The Humanitarian Award from The Variety Club of Australia (NSW) in 1994, a gold medal from The Prosper Meniere Society in 1998, and a clinical award from The Society for Promotion of International Otolaryngology in 1999. In 1995, he became a member of The Order of Australia. He enjoys boating on Sydney harbour, fishing, golf, eating curry and the company of five grandsons.

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