John Reginald Martin (1922-), physician and professor of  Medicine (Rheumatology), Memorial University of Newfoundland, was born in Dublin, Ireland on 11 April 1922. He is the son of Kathleen Martin (nee Humphreys) and Cecil Percy Martin, Lecturer in Anatomy, Trinity College, Dublin (1928-1936), and then Robert Reford Professor of Anatomy and Chairman of the Department of Anatomy, McGill University, Montreal (1936-1957). The family immigrated to Canada in 1936. Dr. J. R. Martin married Claire (nee Connor), daughter of Henry and Elizabeth Connor of Ballinderry, County Armagh, Northern Ireland, and they had three children, Richard, Jennifer and Christopher.

Dr. Martin completed his early schooling at the High School, Dublin (1933-1936). Upon his arrival in Canada he attended Montreal West High School, Montreal, Quebec (1936-1937), followed by Lower Canada College, Montreal (1937-1939). Dr. Martin earned a Bachelor of Science, McGill University (1944), and an M.D., McGill University (1945). 

Dr. Martin’s postgraduate work included: Junior Rotating Intern, Montreal General Hospital (1945-1946); Rotating Intern, Queen Mary Veteran’s Hospital, Montreal (1946-1947); Student, British Post Graduate Medical School, Hammersmith, London, England (1947-1948); Pathology, Royal Infirmary, Aberdeen, Scotland (1948-1949); Assistant Resident in Medicine, Queen Mary Veteran’s Hospital (1949-1950); Assistant Resident in Medicine, Royal Victoria Hospital, Montreal (1950-1951); Research Fellow, Clinical Investigation Unit, Queen Mary Veteran’s Hospital (1951-1952); Assistant Resident in Psychiatry, Queen Mary Veteran’s Hospital (1952-1953); Research Fellow, Canadian Arthritis and Rheumatism Society, Columbia Presbyterian Hospital, New York, USA (1953-1954); and a combined course in Medical Statistics and Epidemiology, London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, London, England (1985-1986).

Dr. Martin practised as an internist/rheumatologist and was Director of the Arthritis Clinic at the Montreal General Hospital, Montreal, Quebec (1954-1971). He was also Clinical Assistant Professor of Medicine at McGill University during the same time period.

Dr. Martin left Montreal in 1971 to accept a position at the new medical school at Memorial University in St. John’s, Newfoundland. While at Memorial University, Dr. Martin was Professor of Medicine (Rheumatology), (1975-1990); Director, Northern Medicine and Health Program (1978-1984); Professor of Occupational Medicine (1987-1990); Associate, Memorial University of Newfoundland Centre for Offshore and Remote Medicine (MEDICOR), (1984-1991); Member, History of Medicine Group (1985-1990); part-time Professor of Medicine (Rheumatology), (post-statutory retirement, 1990-1999); and Professor of Community Medicine (Occupational Health), (1990-1991). 

Dr. Martin was Chief Occupational Medical Officer for the Province of Newfoundland (1984-1992), and while in this position he served on the Federal/Provincial Advisory Committee on Environmental and Occupational Health and on the Medical Advisory Committee to the Atomic Energy Control Board (1984-1992). He also held the following hospital appointments in St. John’s: Active Staff, St. Clare’s Mercy Hospital (1971-1987); and Staff, General Hospital (1987-1999).

Dr. Martin was involved with several studies and projects including: Director, Medical Studies, Labrador West Dust Study, Labrador Institute of Northern Studies (1979-1984); Member of the “Ocean Ranger” study team of the Royal Commission into the Ocean Ranger Disaster (1982-1983); and Principal Investigator, Intersalt Project (Relationship of Dietary Factors including Sodium and Potassium to Blood Pressure), Western Newfoundland (1985-1987). 

Dr. Martin held several positions with the Newfoundland and Labrador Medical Association (NLMA) including: Editor, The Newsletter (1973-1977); Acting President (1976-1977); President (1977-1978); Chairman, Ethics Committee (1986-1992); Member, By-Laws Committee (1988-); and Member, Medical Professionals Assistance Committee (1992-1994). He served as the NLMA representative with the St. John’s Hospital Council (1984-1985) and the Pesticide Advisory Board (1986-1989). Dr. Martin also represented the Faculty of Medicine, Memorial University, on the Newfoundland Medical Board (1975-1981), and was the Board’s Chairman (1980-1981). In addition, Dr. Martin was Chairman, Medical Education Committee, St. Clare’s Mercy Hospital (1972-1979), and was on the Board of Directors, Arthritis Society (Newfoundland Division), (1972-1992).

Dr. Martin was also active on committees and boards on a national and international level. He served on both the Board of Directors (1979-1981) and the Committee on Ethics (1988-1991) of the Canadian Medical Association (CMA).  He also held the following positions at the Royal College of Physicians and Surgeons of Canada: Member of Council (1974-1978); Member, Committee on Accreditation (1974-1978); Chairman, Committee on Communications (1976-1980); Chairman, Area V Regional Advisory Committee (1975-1978); and Specialty Committee on Occupational Health (1986-1998). He was also Consultant in Rheumatology, University of Hawaii, Post Graduate Medical Education Program, Okinawa, Japan (1-14 October 1980 and 2-14 April 1984). 

Dr. Martin is a member of several learned and professional societies including: Member, Royal College of Physicians, London (1949); Fellow, Royal College of Physicians and Surgeons, Canada (1952); Fellow, American College of Physicians (1964); Fellow, Royal College of Physicians, London (1989); Member, American Rheumatism Association; Member, Canadian Rheumatism Society; and Member, Occupational Medical Association of Canada. 

Dr. Martin has received the following awards: NLMA Lifetime membership (1989);
CMA, Senior Member (1992); and the Occupational and Environmental Medical Association of Canada - Meritorious Service Award (1996).

Dr. Martin is the author of Leonard Albert Miller - Public Servant, Canadian Medical Lives Series, Associated Medical Services Incorporated, and Fitzhenry and Whiteside, 1998. Throughout his career Dr. Martin has also written numerous articles and been published in a broad variety of professional journals including: the Canadian Medical Association Journal; Arthritis and Rheumatism; Journal of the Canadian Association of Radiology; Journal of the American Medical Association; Newfoundland Medical Association Journal; and The New England Journal of Medicine.

Dr. Martin and his wife, Claire, reside in St. John’s, Newfoundland, Canada.

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