George Alexander Mogey
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Former secretary to the Council for Postgraduate Medical and Dental Education in England and Wales (b Ballymoney, County Antrim, 14 July 1917; q Queen’s University, Belfast, 1940), died from Parkinson’s disease on 13 December 2003.
George Mogey had a lifelong commitment to medical education. He possessed an infectiously attractive personality and a keen sense of humour, which earned unsought but well deserved popularity with colleagues and students of all nationalities.
After graduation he served with the Royal Army Medical Corps in west Africa and India. In 1946 he joined the late Dr J W Trevan FRS as research assistant in pharmacology at Wellcome, where he met and married Audrey. Later he acquired the number plate LD50, which he cherished as a memorial to Trevan.
Moving to Leeds in 1951, as a lecturer then senior lecturer, his innovative use of audiovisual aids demonstrated a flair for, and enjoyment of, academic teaching—and was only a small part of his contribution to student life. As joint press editor of the British Journal of Pharmacology he was a pedant for grammatical accuracy. He published extensively in his own right, including in Nature. His MD on the pharmacology of the neuromuscular junction was awarded with commendation in 1957. He was seconded in 1962-3 to the Pakistan Council of Scientific and Industrial Research to establish a drug research laboratory in Peshawar.
Following five years as regional director of postgraduate medical education in Newcastle he was appointed secretary to the Council for Postgraduate Medical and Dental Education in England and Wales in 1976. He attached great importance to the role of the clinical tutor and was proud to be an honorary member of the NACT. He worked with four chairmen of council, delaying retirement until the age of 72 to facilitate the establishment of SCOPME.
He is survived by his wife, Audrey; their three daughters; and five grandchildren. [John L Duncan]