Dr James Joseph O'Donnell
Personal Details
Dr James Joseph O'Donnell LMSSA FFARCS DA
07/05/1931 to 05/03/2018
Place of birth: London
Nationality: British
Subsequent title: Eventually Colonel, 1989
CRN: 537852
Education and qualifications
|
General education |
Ratcliffe College, Leicester; St Mary’s Hospital Medical School after National Service |
|---|---|
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Primary medical qualification(s) |
LMSSA, 1959 |
|
Initial Fellowship and type |
FFARCS by Examination |
|
Year of Fellowship |
1971 |
|
Other qualification(s) |
DA 1962 |
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Also known as |
Jim; ‘Boots’ in rugby circles |
Professional life and career
Postgraduate career
Initially was house surgeon & house physician at Royal West Sussex Hospital, then casualty officer and SHO in surgery at Newton Abbott. From 1962 SHO, and later registrar, in anaesthetics at Brighton & Lewes Hospital, joining the RAMC in 1964 to complete his training. Worked at British Military Hospitals in Munster & Hanover, starting as captain & anaesthetic specialist and retiring in 1989 as colonel & consultant to HM Forces. For the next eight years he worked in Saudi Arabia, returning to the NHS in Portsmouth, later in Guildford, until final retirement (2001).
Other biographical information
Married to Anne (a St Mary’s nurse who later developed fronto-temporal dementia) they had six children, but three developed myotonic dystrophy and one pre-deceased him. He is remembered with huge respect by friends & family. A keen sportsman, he played rugby for school, army & medical school; unusually for a prop forward he took penalty & conversion kicks, this earning him the nickname ‘Boots’.
Author and sources
Author:
Dr Robert Palmer & Prof Tony Wildsmith
Sources and comments:
[1] Obituary. BMJ 2018;361:k2659 [2] London Gazette. 02/10/1964: 8288 [3] Archives of Imperial College NHS Trust