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College Roll Bio
Hunter, John Desmond
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Qualifications
MBChB New Zealand(1948) MD (1962) MRACP(1952) FRACP (1962) MRCP Lond (1954) FRCP (1967)
Born
28/09/1925
Died
11/07/2003
John Hunter was a family man, physician, teacher, mentor, researcher, administrator, negotiator and statesman. Throughout his long professional career he excelled in all of these roles and made significant contributions to the Otago/Southland region, to New Zealand and internationally.
He was a respected physician. He graduated MBChB in 1948 and was top of his class. He was awarded the travelling scholarship at that time. Following graduation he worked for three years at Auckland Hospital and then in 1952 he travelled to the United Kingdom where he worked for a four year period, 1952-1956. During this time he worked at the Royal Post-Graduate Medical School of London and the National Heart Hospital. This was the period that he commenced his training in the specialty of cardiology and he became proficient in the technique of cardiac catheterisation which was in the early stages of development. He was also involved in the assessment and management of patients who had undergone cardiac surgery. This technique was very much in its infancy. Subsequently he completed his training in cardiology and in 1956 returned to Dunedin where he developed the Cardiology Unit.
He was appointed as lecturer and then senior lecturer in medicine at the University of Otago for the period of 1956-1962 and subsequently was the Mary Glendining Professor of Medicine, 1962-1973. During this time he was also head of the Cardiology Services for Otago Health Board. He founded the Cardiology Department and one of the earliest coronary care units in New Zealand. He recruited skilled staff to the Cardiology Department, and established cardiac catheterisation as an investigative tool. He was subsequently responsible for introducing cardiac surgery to Dunedin and recruited Professor Pat Molloy to head the unit. John's clinical skills were exceptional and he always provided a detailed and accurate diagnosis. He was innovative and always up to date with the key developments in the cardiovascular field.
John's contribution to research is well known. He pioneered, for New Zealand, much of the early work in lipids and drew the attention of the public to the role of cholesterol in coronary heart disease in the early 1960s. His paper "Cholesterol and Coronary Heart Disease" was published in the
New Zealand Medical Journal
in 1961 - a first for New Zealand. He worked in lipid research over many years and collaborated with a number of colleagues during this time.
He was chairman and editor of the National Heart Foundation scientific publication
Coronary heart disease – a New Zealand Report
. This was published in 1971 and brought to the public’s attention the issues relating to coronary heart disease.
John's association with the University of Otago from 1956 to 1991 covered a period of service of over thirty years apart from a four year period when he was working in Sydney. During this time he was Professor of Medicine 1967 to1973, Dean of the Faculty of Medicine and Otago Medical School 1974 to 1977 and 1986 to 1989. He was Dean of the Christchurch School of Medicine 1982 to 1985 and Assistant Vice Chancellor for Health Services from 1990 to 1991. His involvement with the University did not cease on his retirement. He continued as the honorary archivist for the Otago Medical School and made significant contribution to the history which is currently being written about the school. During his time with the university he served with distinction on many university committees and on council.
John's interest and skill in undergraduate, post-graduate and continuing medical education is well documented and he has published widely in this field. He was a gifted teacher. Because of his interest in continuing education John was responsible for chairing a committee of the Royal Australasian College of Physicians, which ultimately made a recommendation as to how physicians should continually update their knowledge and skills. This was an important review and as a consequence he was appointed as a fulltime director of continuing education for the Royal Australasian College of Physicians, a position he held from 1977 to 1981 based in Sydney. Prior to this appointment he had had an extensive involvement and made significant contribution to the Royal Australasian College of Physicians as an examiner. He served on Council and contributed to many other post-graduate activities. He was awarded the College medal for outstanding services to the College in 1988.
John had a long involvement with the Cardiac Society of Australia and New Zealand from 1967 to 1979. He served on several committees and was instrumental in assisting the development of the Society within New Zealand. He was president of the society 1976-1978 and was made a life member in 1985. Through the activities of the Cardiac Society he was able to support scientific endeavour and to help provide, through scientific meetings, a forum in which cardiovascular research could be presented and debated. John was one of the founding members of the National Heart Foundation in New Zealand. The other physicians were Dr Ponty Hallwright of Wellington, Sir David Hay of Christchurch and Sir Edward Sayers of Dunedin. He was a member of the inaugural scientific committee from 1968 to1977 and was chair of the scientific committee from 1985 to 1989. From a small beginning and more than thirty years after its inauguration the National Heart Foundation has grown in size and stature within New Zealand. John served on numerous other committees during his professional life including the Medical Council for nine years and the Medical Research Council for seven years. His-intellect and skills as a chairman and negotiator meant that he was very much in demand.
For all his contributions to medicine and society in the region and in New Zealand he was awarded the CBE in 1992.
In 1950 John married Heather Cornish. Her death in 2000 was a heavy blow to John, already in poor health, but determined to continue his archival work for the Otago Medical School. Many colleagues will remember their warm hospitality. They are survived by three sons and two daughters: one son, Michael, is a general surgeon.
He dedicated his professional life to the advancement of medicine in New Zealand and accomplished a great deal. He was an outstanding statesman and an inspiration to others. His name will be written clearly in the history of New Zealand medicine.
Author
NJ RESTIEAUX
References
Last Updated
May 30, 2018, 17:36 PM
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