The award honors Professor Thomson’s exceptional professional and personal contributions to the field of gastroenterology and its related disciplines - especially his efforts in the less well-developed regions of the world and in service to the populations WGO is focused on.

The Masters of the WGO (MWGO) Award is the highest honour WGO can bestow and is granted only to those individuals who have provided outstanding dedication to the mission of the WGO and achieved distinction in such areas as scholarly research, teaching, service to WGO and the community at large.

As a recipient of the 2017 MWGO Award and in addition to being recognised for this distinction during the 2017 WGO General Assembly in Orlando, Prof Thomson will receive an engraved plaque. He will be entitled to use the title of “Master of the WGO” and the letters “MWGO” in conjunction with his name. This distinction will also be recognised in the WGO publications and on the organization’s website.

Prof Thomson will receive his award during the WGO General Assembly on 17 October 2017 at the World Congress of Gastroenterology in Florida, USA.