Person

Johnston, Walter Ian Harewood (Ian) (1930 - 2001)

AM FRCOG FRACOG

Born
16 February 1930
Died
19 March 2001
Occupation
Gynaecologist

Summary

Walter Ian H. (Ian) Johnston was known as the 'founding father of IVF in Australia'. He was part of the team responsible for Australia's first successful IVF birth. He collaborated with Professor Carl Wood and Associate Professor John Leeton, Dr Alan Trounson and Dr Alex Lopata on the use of artificial hormones to control the ovulation cycle of women on IVF treatment. This became known as the Fertility Drug Schedule. Johnston was a long-time physician at the Royal Women's Hospital in Melbourne where the first IVF birth occurred. He was also founding President and Honourary Life Member of The Fertility Society of Australia, the first in Australia to use diagnostic laparoscopy in women, and established Australia's first workshop on artificial insemination by donor sperm. Johnston was a Fellow of the Royal College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists (FRCOG) and of the Royal Australian College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists (FRACOG), and is honoured by Ian Johnston Memorial Lecture established by the Fertility Society of Australia.

Details

Chronology

1954
Education - Bachelor of Medicine (MB) and Bachelor of Surgery (BS) completed at the University of Melbourne
1955 - 1959
Career position - Medical residencies and postgraduate studies at the Alfred, Royal Children's and the Royal Women's hospitals in Victoria
1960
Education - Gynaecology degree completed at the University of Melbourne
1960 - 1962
Career position - Lecturer in Obstetrics and Gynaecology and surgery studies at the University of Liverpool, UK
1962 - 1969
Career position - Obstetrics Tutor at Trinity College, University of Melbourne
1962 - 2000
Career position - Physician at the Royal Women's Hospital
1964
Education - Masters in Obstetrics and Gynaecology completed at the University of Melbourne
1966
Career position - First in Australia to use gynaecological diagnostic laparoscopy in women
1977
Career position - Set up the first Australian workshop on artificial insemination by donor sperm
1982 -
Career position - Founding President of The Fertility Society of Australia
1988 - 1999
Career position - Australian representative on the Committee of the International Federation of Fertility Societies
1999 - c. 2001
Career position - Chair of the Reproductive Technology Accreditation Committee
2001
Award - Member of the Order of Australia (AM)

Published resources

Journal Articles

  • Leeton, John, 'Historical Review: the early history of IVF in Australia and its contribution to the world (1970–1990)*', Australian and New Zealand Journal of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, 44 (2004), 495. Details

Resources

Annette Alafaci

EOAS ID: biogs/P004805b.htm

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