Sir Charles Burns

SIR CHARLES RITCHIE BURNS OBE KBE KSTG

1898 - 1985

MB CHB (NZ) 1922, MD (NZ) 1924, MRCP (LOND) 1925, FRACP 1938, FRCP (LOND) 1943,  
HON DSC (OTAGO) 1975

After a distinguished undergraduate career, Charles worked at Dunedin Hospital before going to England for further training in 1924-25.  Whilst in London, he spent a lot of time at the National Heart Hospital where he ran into Fred Bowerbank.
On return to NZ he was Medical Registrar, Dunedin Hospital from 1925, and after a spell as Resident Physician at New Plymouth Hospital, he returned to Dunedin in 1930 to become Visiting Assistant Physician, OP Department.
Charles then went back to the UK for further PG experience, including time spent at the National Heart Hospital in London, and later in Boston, USA.  He returned to NZ to take up the position of Director, Division of Medicine, Auckland Hospital in 1938, but this post was disestablished one year later.

Charles then moved to Wellington to the position of Visiting Physician, Wellington Hospital.  He succeeded Fred Bowerbank as Physician-in-Charge Cardiology Department.  Charles remained a general physician at heart.
In 1944 he saw war service to Italy and Japan, and returned to again be Visiting Physician and Head of Cardiology, 1947 - 1958.

Charles was MO, Hanmer Springs Hospital 1969 - 1970 and Director of Clinical Services, National Society on Alcohol and Drug Dependance 1970 - 1975.