Contribution of Dr Andrew Pearson to the Development of Family Medicine in Nigeria.

Abstract

Dr Charles Andrew Pearson was born in Shaoyang, Hunan, China, in 1921 to a British Methodist missionary general practitioner. His choice to pursue a lifelong career as a missionary doctor in China had to change because of the prevailing circumstances there at that me. He was redeployed to serve as the Medical Superintendent of Wesley Guild Hospital in Ilesha, Nigeria, by the British Methodist Society in 1952. He worked meritoriously at Ilesha for 23 years. 
He accepted the appointment as the Chief Medical Officer of the University of Ibadan Medical School Ibarapa project in Igbo-ora 1975. While there, he worked assiduously along with the Dean, Prof B. O. Osuntokun, for the commencement of training in General Practice at both the undergraduate and postgraduate levels. In collaboration with other stakeholders, the National Postgraduate Medical College of Nigeria, NPMCN, successfully started a postgraduate training programme in General Practice in 1980, followed subsequently by the West Africa Postgraduate Medical College.
He was appointed the first Director of Training of the GMP Faculty of NPMCN. He served in this capacity passionately, laying a solid foundation for the high-quality training programme that the Faculties of Family Medicine is known for in Nigeria/West Africa today.