Pioneering women in medical research: Dr Rachelle Buchbinder takes out Cochrane’s 2024 Anne Anderson Award
Australia’s own Dr Rachelle Buchbinder has been awarded this year’s global Cochrane Anne Anderson Award. This special honour recognises her many amazing contributions to evidence-based healthcare and women's leadership in medical research, and consistent efforts to increase and support women's visibility and participation in Cochrane's leadership.
As many Cochrane contributors in Australia and around the world know, Rachelle’s journey with Cochrane spans over two decades, beginning with her first review publication in 2000, which she co-authored with her PhD student – Cochrane Australia Co-Director Sally Green. Her dedication to advancing medical research led to her appointment as a Cochrane editor for Musculoskeletal in 2003, and by 2005, she had taken on the role of Joint Coordinating Editor of Cochrane Musculoskeletal—a position she continues to hold today.
She shares her thoughts on her award with the Cochrane community here. Congratulations to Rachelle for all her incredible work to foster women's leadership in research and evidence-based healthcare. Her ongoing efforts highlight the impact and importance of mentorship and support in advancing women's opportunities in science.
Can you tell us briefly about your involvement in Cochrane?
I published my first review in the Cochrane Library in 2000 together with my PhD student Sally Green. I started as a Cochrane editor for Cochrane Musculoskeletal in 2003 and, in 2005, Peter Tugwell invited me to be Joint Coordinating Editor of Cochrane Musculoskeletal. I have had the role of Coordinating Editor ever since. In 2020 our group also took over editorial responsibility for Cochrane Back and Neck. I have published well over 100 systematic reviews and have trained and mentored many authors in the last 24 years.
What does this award mean to you personally?
I am honoured and humbled to receive this award and want to thank Denise O'Connor for thinking of nominating me. I particularly want to acknowledge Peter Tugwell, Lara Maxwell, Elizabeth Gogomu and Jordi Pardo Pardo from the Ottawa base - it was a pleasure to work with you over many years. However this award is also for Renea Johnston - I have worked with Renea for as long as I can remember (20+ years) and she deserves this award as much as I do!
Part of this award includes a cash prize to support a woman from a low-resource setting in Cochrane activities. Do you already know who you will designate for this, and can you share more details? If not, do you have ideas on the kind of work you’d like to support with the funds?
I haven't decided this yet but I hope to identify a woman who is supporting women to make a difference in their respective fields.
