Vale Professor Prithvipall (Prithi) Bhatal

The Faculty of Medicine, Dentistry and Health Sciences is saddened to learn of the passing of Professor Prithvipall (Prithi) Bhatal AM on 18 September 2023.

Professor Bhathal had a significant association with the Melbourne Medical School’s Department of Pathology (now the Department of Clinical Pathology) as an educator (1965-1999), research fellow (1999-2007) and honorary professorial fellow.

Throughout his career, Professor Bhathal always considered the discipline and science of pathology as a fundamental and foundational building block of medical knowledge. He shared this vision as a dedicated pathology lecturer to medical students and science, dental and physiotherapy undergraduates.

A world-renowned pathologist in gastroenterology and liver disease, he was profoundly committed to both research and teaching. While running the Department’s major Liver Research lab, he successfully supervised numerous Honours and PhD candidates throughout their degrees and continued to mentor many post-graduate medical students. His contributions and impactful research have left a lasting legacy on the Department of Pathology.

An esteemed member of many pathology-associated clubs, societies and research journals, his contributions to medical research were both profound and far-reaching. He fostered meaningful links between the Melbourne Medical School’s Department of Pathology and the Royal Melbourne Hospital’s Department of Anatomical Pathology, a bond that continues today. His significant services to pathology, education, mentoring and medical research were formally recognised by his Member of the Order of Australia award in January 2022.

Colleagues will remember Professor Bhathal for his dedication, acerbic wit and as a highly knowledgeable and fantastic teacher.