(Contributed by his wife, Beth and members of his family)
Dr Michael (’Mike’) Higgins
Mike was born in Sheffield in 1937. He graduated BSc (Hons. Biochem) in 1961 and MB.Ch.B in 1964 from Edinburgh University, receiving the Mouat Memorial Scholarship and Medal for Medicine. Following ‘house jobs’ in Edinburgh and completion of the MRCP in 1967, he decided to pursue specialty training in Critical Care and Renal Disease under the supervision of the late Prof. James Robson and Staff at Edinburgh Royal Infirmary.
Between 1969 and 1997, he practised in North America, holding teaching hospital posts as Director of Nephrology and related programmes with University Faculty appointments at the University of Rochester, N.Y. (1969-1972); Medical College of Virginia (1972-1974); University of Alberta, Edmonton, (1974-1981) and Eastern Virginia Medical School, Norfolk, from which he retired as Professor of Medicine in 1997, returning to UK but spending half the year in Tobago, West Indies, where he took up a post as part-time consultant and was instrumental in establishing a dialysis unit at the Government Hospital there.
He published actively throughout his career, sat on many steering and advisory committees related to nephrology and was a member of many relevant associations and societies. He was an enthusiastic teacher and was twice named Teacher of the Year by medical students.
Mike is remembered by his professional colleagues as competent, cooperative and unfailingly honest in his dealings; with unlimited energy in the pursuit of ‘the best’ for his patients who referred to him as Dr. Feelgood! Family and friends remember his love of books, sport and the countryside; his ever-present sense of humour, warm personality and generous spirit, and his unwavering Christian faith. Mike is survived by his wife Dr. Elizabeth Higgins (nee Macleod), five children and four grandchildren and by a host of memorable anecdotes and witticisms.