A/Prof Pilgrim completed fellowships in Upper GI surgery at The Alfred and Hepatobiliary and Pancreatic surgery at the Medical College of Wisconsin (USA) and has a PhD from Peter MacCallum. He has appointments at Cabrini Hospital, The Alfred (HPB and Trauma) as well as Frankston and Peninsula Private hospitals and is a serving military surgeon and lieutenant colonel in the Australian Army. He is an associate professor at Monash University and a senior trauma instructor/examiner for the Royal Australasian College of Surgeons. He is a member of the Academy of Surgical Educators and the Section of Academic surgery with the College of Surgeons.