HOSPITAL POSTS

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXXV, Issue 22976, 2 March 1938, Page 14

HOSPITAL POSTS

[MEDICINE AND SURGERY APPOINTMENTS MADE DIVISIONAL DIRECTORS 1 HIGH QUALIFICATIONS - , j Two New Zealand medical men with high qualifications and excellent testimonials were appointed by the Auckland Hospital Board at a special meeting last night to fill the newly-created posts of director of medicine and director of surgery at the Auckland Hospital. Tho appointments, which were those recommended by a select advisory committee convened recently at "Wellington, were: — Surgery.—Mr. John Maxwell Clarke, M.8., Ch.M. (N.Z.), F.E.C.S. (Eng.), F.11.C.5. (Australasia), of New Plymouth. Medicine. —Dr. Charles Ritchie Burns, M.D. (N.Z.), M.R.C.P. (Eng.), of Dunedin. Applications were invited in New Zealand only, and eight were received for the surgical appointment and six for tho medical. Tho two successful applications have already received tho approval of tho Health Department, so that no confirmation is necessary. Terms of Study Abroad Dr. Burns is at present undertaking study in London, and arrangements aro being made for Mr. Clarke to pay a short visit to the United States before taking up his appointment. It is, therefore, probable that they will not begin their duties for several months. Tho special advisory committee comprised the Rev. W. C. Wood, chairman of the Auckland Hospital Board, Dr. M. H. Watt, Director-General of Health, Professor C. E. Hercus, Dean of the Faculty of Medicine at Ofcago University, Sir Donald McGavin, representing tho Royal Australasian College of Surgeons, and Professor D. W. Carmalt Jones, representing the Australasian College of Physicians. Career as a Surgeon Mr. Clarke, who is 43 years of age, was resident medical superintendent and surgeon to the New Plymouth Hospital from 1926 to 1930, and has since been in private practice as a surgeon at New Plymouth, holding the post of consulting surgeon to the hospital for the whole period. While the hospital was carried on for a year in 1936 with an honorary staff, he was senior honorary surgeon. After qualifying with great credit at Dunedin in 1920, Mr. Clarke spent four years abroad, first as a New Zealand Scholar to Middlesex Hospital and later as house surgeon, resident medical officer or clinical assistant in six different London hospitals, receiving training under leading surgeons. He returned to New Zealand in 1925 and almost immediately was offered the post of resident surgical officer and assistant medical superintendent at the Dunedin Hospital. New Plymouth Appointment He held this post until the following year, when he was appointed medical superintendent of the New Plymouth Hospital under a new staffing policy. This arrangement required him to take charge of 80 to 90 surgical cases at a time and to perform large numbers of major operations. • In 1929 he received leave of absence and spent a year in professional study in Britain and on the Continent, especially at Vienna and Paris. On returning, and within the terms of his agreement with the hospital board, he commenced private practice as a surgeon at New Plymouth, and his services have since been utilised in a consultant capacity by the medical profession throughout Taranaki. Ho took an active part in the formation of the North Taranaki Clinical Society and the Taranaki centre of the British Empire Cancer Campaign Society. Mr. Clarke is one of the few students at Otago University who have obtained the degree of master of surgery "with distinction.','

The Medical Director Dr. Burns has an extensive practice at Dunedin as a consulting physician. He is 39 years of ago and graduated M.B. and Ch.B. with distinction in 1922, winning also the Medical Travelling Scholarship as the best student of his year, and the Bachelor Memorial Medal for midwifery and gynecology. After a year as assistant to the professor of pathology and as a house physician at the Dunedin Hospital, he went to Britain for post-graduate study and secured membership in the Royal College of Physicians. On his return he served as medical tutor at Dunedin and on the staff of the New Plymouth Hospital, and in 1928 set up in practice as a consulting physician at Dunedin and clinical lecturer in medicine. He has since made two visits to Britain and one to Australia for purposes of study, and for six months acted temporarily as first assistant in the medical unit of the London Hospital, a unique distinction. He obtained the M.D. degree in 1933.