One of the founding fathers of the Pioneers, Emeritus Professor Neil Carson AO, passed away on 10th June 2020 at the age of 92.
In 1954 he, together with Harold Blackwell, was instrumental in the formation of the Pioneers Football Club as an adjunct to the Pioneers Youth Club.
Neil was the senior playing coach in seasons 1958 and 1959 and was also named in the 1953-1963 Team of the Decade.
Neil Carson was born on 15th October 1927 into a family of builders. He attended Box Hill High School, then Carey Grammar School, followed by Melbourne University, where he graduated as a Doctor of Medicine in 1950. After spending a year as a resident medical officer at Geelong Hospital, he started the Blackburn Clinic in a small house on Whitehorse Road.
In the ’50s and ’60s, Neil held positions at the Royal Children’s Hospital and the Royal Melbourne Hospital, and served as assistant physician at Box Hill Hospital (1967-1975). He came to Monash University as the foundation Professor of Community Medicine (now General Practice) in 1975, and five years later was appointed head of the newly established Department of Community Medicine. Neil held a number of other prestigious positions during his varied career, both in Australia and overseas. His impact on medical education, especially for general practice in Australia, has been far reaching.
In 1993 Neil was appointed an Officer of the Order of Australia (AO) for service to education, particularly in the field of community medicine, and given the rare honour of an Honorary Doctorate of Medicine (MD) by Monash University in 1994.
Neil passed away peacefully on 10th June 2020. He outlived his wife, Bonnie, whom he married in 1951 and with whom he had four children. Our thoughts are with his family and friends. His legacy will live on in the many organisations he helped found and support.
Last Modified on 28/06/2020 22:25