Neurosurgeon
Toiling for Others
Dr. Renn Holness was born
in Kingston, Jamaica, towards the end of World War II. As a high school
student, he showed potential stardom in track events by winning the 100,
200, and 440 yard sprints in the Jamaican College Track and Field Championships,
both 1960 and 1961. Rather than pursue sports, however, he chose a career
in Medicine. Trained on a Centenary Scholarship, University of West Indies,
1961-68, Dr. Holness spent 1964 at Guy’s Hospital Medical School, UK, studying
Anatomy, and returning to Jamaica with a B.Sc. in that subject, the first
UWI student to achieve this honour. Upon graduating MB, BS (Honours), he
walked away with medals in Pathology, Microbiology, Paediatrics, Obstetrics,
and Gynaecology and was the overall Gold Medalist of the Class of 1968
at UWI. Before moving to Halifax, Nova Scotia, where today he is Professor
and Head, Division of Neurosurgery, Department of Surgery, Dalhousie University
Medical School and QE II Health Sciences Centre, Dr. Holness had been involved
in a Fellowship in Paediatric Neurosurgery and Peripheral Nerve Surgery,
Toronto General Hospital. President, Canadian Neurological Society (1992-95),
Dr. Holness has become increasingly involved in third world medical education,
particularly in the Caribbean where he helps to train students as well
as to bring them (and patients) to Halifax. In 1998, Dr. Holness received
the Distinguished Graduate Award during the 50th anniversary celebrations
of the University of the West Indies. Married to Deidre, a former nurse,
and the father of five children, Dr. Holness’s very busy day-to-day activities
also include serving on a Task Force to promote admission of indigenous
Black and First Nation students to medical school. In year 2000, Dr. Holness
took a six-month sabbatical to become a Director of a Clinical Program,
UWI Medical School, Nassau, Bahamas. [Photo, courtesy Dr. Renn Holness]