Dr Nathan Schaefer

Nathan grew up on the Gold Coast where he completed a Bachelor of Exercise Science at Griffith University. He was awarded the Exercise Science Medal for graduating at the top of his class. Nathan went on to study a Bachelor of Medicine and Bachelor of Surgery at Griffith University, where he was awarded the University Medal for graduating with First Class Honours. He received the Griffith Award for Academic Excellence during each of his seven years of study at Griffith University.

Nathan has been working as a doctor in Queensland since 2012. During his training in Plastic and Reconstructive surgery, Nathan was elected to serve on the Australian Board of Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery for three consecutive years where he represented his fellow trainees in Australia and New Zealand. Throughout his career, he has published fourteen research papers and presented his research both domestically and internationally.

Nathan has always been passionate about skin cancer. In 2016, Nathan and eleven of his friends formed the charity ‘Million Metres for Melanoma’ and broke the Guinness World Record for the fastest team to row one million metres on an indoor rowing machine. They raised $132,000 in the process which was donated to melanoma research. Nathan continued his fundraising efforts in 2018 with another Guinness World Record as part of the fastest team to run one million metres on a treadmill. This time they raised $300,000 which was donated the Royal Brisbane and Women’s Hospital to build a new melanoma unit. Nathan is currently training for his next world record attempt to be held later this year in a bid to raise more money for melanoma research.

As well as working privately, Nathan also works publicly as a Staff Specialist at Princess Alexandra Hospital where his focus is skin cancer surgery and complex head and neck cancer reconstruction. He is a fellow of the Royal Australasian College of Surgeons (RACS), a member of the Australian Society of Plastic Surgeons (ASPS) and a Senior Lecturer at Griffith University and the University of Queensland.