Major General Emeritus Professor John Pearn AO, GCStJ, RFD
Emeritus Professor Pearn is a prominent Australian who has assisted and supported ambulance clinical services for more than five decades. In 2006, the Foundation approached Professor Pearn to accept the role of Patron and he graciously accepted.
Emeritus Professor Pearn is a leader in the field of paediatrics and child health. His research is widely published. Major General John Pearn has served as Surgeon General in the Australian Defence Force and has extensive experience in clinical practice, clinical research, academic systems, military and civilian health services and third world disaster response.
A distinguished practitioner, academic and military doctor –John Pearn achieved first-class honours in medicine and also graduated in science. He joined the Royal Australian Army Medical Corps in 1965.
As a doctor
Emeritus Professor Pearn is a senior clinician based at the Queensland Children’s Hospital in Brisbane and was a senior academic in the Faculty of Medicine and Biomedical Sciences, University of Queensland who continues to be involved with that faculty.
He established the first hospital genetics clinics in Queensland at the Queensland Children’s Hospital and the Royal Women’s Hospital in 1974.
He holds triple higher doctorates in medicine, science and philosophy and is a Fellow of some eleven international professional medical organisations.
Emeritus Professor Pearn’s clinical interests encompass general paediatrics, medical genetics, clinical toxicology, tropical medicine, accident prevention and safety promotion.
He has a distinguished career in child health, and this has earned him international acclaim and respect as a world leading authority in his discipline.
As an academic
Emeritus Professor Pearn is a prolific producer of cutting-edge research in child health, general medicine and in medical history. He has published over 700 articles advancing medical science, both singularly and with co-authors and some 60 books and booklets. He is also a mentor to his students.
As a soldier
Major General Pearn is a former Surgeon-General of the Australian Defence Force. He has served in Vietnam (1966-67) and Papua New Guinea (1978). He has studied, worked and served in U.N. (with the British Parachute Regiment), in the Arctic Circle and in the post-genocide emergency in Rwanda in 1994 and 1995.
He responded to the Sepik tsunami, which affected New Guinea in July 1998. He also served as the physician and intensivist as a member of the Queensland Health team who responded to the tsunami in Banda Aceh in December 2004.
He has also worked with the World Health Organisation and UNESCO.
Major General Pearn is one of the founders and later President, of both the Australian and New Zealand Society of the History of Medicine and the Australian and New Zealand Society of Human Genetics.
Emeritus Professor Pearn gives very generously of his time to volunteer organisations and has been heavily involved in St John Ambulance for many years, firstly as a Medical Officer and later District Surgeon. He served for 10 years as the National Director of Training for St John and for 15 years as the President of St John in Queensland.
Some of his other passions and interests include:
- Human Genetics Society of Australia
- Royal Life Saving Society of Australia
- Rotary International
- Scouting Association
- The Australian Resuscitation Council of Australia
He is Patron of:
- Australian Water transport Association Queensland and
- National Patron of the United Nations Australian Peacekeepers and Peacemakers Veterans Association
- He has served as national president of Scouts Australia
Emeritus Professor Pearn has been acknowledged as follows:
- Queensland Father of the year in 1994.
- University of Queensland Alumnus of the Year in 2004.
- Queensland Senior Citizen of the year 2005 for his contribution to the medical profession and the Queensland community.
He has been awarded a string of more than 40 awards, academic medals, campaign medals and service decorations, including that of Officer of the Order of Australia, Bailiff Grand Cross of the Order of St John and the Centenary Medal—for services to the Nation.
Emeritus Professor Pearn’s commitment to medicine and particularly pre-hospital emergency care led him to launch the new Australian College of Ambulance Professionals in 2000.
His dedication and commitment to medical services and his willingness to assist and serve has resulted in the KJ McPherson Education and Research Foundation being able to secure him as their active Patron, a service in which he delights.