In Memoriam, Professor TJ McKenna
Professor TJ McKenna, the 137th President of the Royal College of Physicians of Ireland, died on Friday, 3 May. He will be greatly missed by his family, friends, and dear colleagues.
Born in Dublin on 5 August 1942, Professor McKenna dedicated his life to patient care, mentoring and training doctors, and advancing medical knowledge.
He completed his medical degree at University College Dublin (UCD) and St Vincent’s Hospital before travelling to the USA to complete his medical training. Specialising in endocrinology, he completed his residency at Georgetown University, Washington and a fellowship at Vanderbilt University, Nashville Tennessee. In 1971, he became a Member of RCPI.
He returned to St Vincent’s University Hospital in 1978, where he was appointed to the post of Consultant Endocrinologist, Diabetologist, and General Physician. He was the Director of the Department of Endocrinology and Diabetes Mellitus and Director of the Endocrinology Laboratory at St. Vincent’s University Hospital, and was subsequently appointed Professor of Investigative Endocrinology, University College, Dublin in 1992.
He wrote extensively in the area of adrenal and reproductive endocrinology, publishing over 2OO scientific papers in national and international scientific journals and co-authoring a textbook on Endocrinology and Metabolism. He was a member of two editorial boards, Clinical Endocrinology and The Endocrinologist.
He served as Secretary and Chair of the Irish Committee of Higher Medical Training, Chairman of the Endocrinology and Reproduction Sections of the Health Research Board, and was a member of the Medical Education and Training Committee of the National Task Force on Medical Staffing.
He has been President of the Irish Endocrine Society, President of the Section of Medicine of the Royal Academy of Medicine, and Founding Chairman of the Forum of Irish Medical Training Bodies.
An incredibly humble man, he has left an indelible impact on medicine, not just in Ireland but around the world. His contribution goes way beyond the care he provided to the patients he looked after, beyond the research he published and the knowledge he advanced. Professor McKenna was pivotal in laying the foundations for training the doctors who will be responsible for patient care and healthy populations for decades to come.
As President of the Royal College of Physicians of Ireland, Professor McKenna transformed, rebuilt, and restructured the type of training and education we provide, positioning the college and our doctors to meet the challenges in healthcare delivery today. He received the Stearne Medal in 2014, awarded by the college to persons of distinction who have made a significant contribution to medicine, acknowledging his lifetime commitment to healthcare.
He was a friend, guide, and mentor to many people and institutions. He leaves a wonderful legacy that will be far and long-reaching in Irish Healthcare.
We offer our deepest condolences to Professor McKenna’s wife, Carol, to his family Peter, Mary Frances, Sinead, Joe and Mark, and their extended family.
Ar dheis Dé go raibh a anam.
May he rest in peace.
Image: Professor TJ McKenna, then President of the Royal College of Physicians of Ireland with Mary and Martin McAleese on the occasion of then President McAleese’s Honorary Fellowship.
Credit: David Coleman