Joseph Michael Muscat-Baron was born in Malta in 1934. He studied at the Lyceum, Valletta, receiving qualifications in both Pharmacy and General Science from the Royal University of Malta. Thereafter he graduated MD from St Luke’s Hospital Medical School and University. He was top of his year in Obstetrics & Gynaecology, achieving excellent passes in both Medicine & Surgery. His preregistration year consisted of house jobs predictably in professorial units at St Luke’s Hospital. In 1960 he came to the UK where he worked in the NHS for a total of 17 years.
In 1963 he passed the Edinburgh and London MRCP examinations and following registrar posts in general medicine in England, he moved to Dundee. In 1964 he was appointed registrar to the professorial units at Maryfield Hospital and Dundee Royal Infirmary, working under Professor Sir Ian Hill where he started his specialist training in cardiology. Thereafter, as senior medical registrar in general medicine and cardiology, he moved to Newcastle, based at the Royal Victoria Infirmary. In 1969 he was appointed to the Halifax hospitals and the Leeds Regional Board as consultant physician with an interest in cardiology. During this appointment, he established a coronary care unit and introduced echocardiography, pacing and cardiac catheterization. His contribution to teaching was recognized with an honorary lectureship from Leeds University. In Halifax he was appointed postgraduate clinical tutor and during his tenure a postgraduate centre was built.
In June 1977, he was seconded to Dubai on a two-year sabbatical to help establish a cardiac service. This was to be part of a medical unit and he set about to do this with his colleague Dr James “Jimmy” Harries, a tropical medicine physician who had just arrived in Dubai. At the end of his sabbatical, Joe’s request for a further extension was refused, so he resigned his post in the UK and in 1979 he joined the Department of Health & Medical Services (DOHMS) on a permanent basis. The two physicians were responsible for running the medical unit at the Rashid Hospital. In recognition of his contributions to medicine in both the UK and Dubai, in 1980 he was awarded fellowships of both the Edinburgh and London colleges.
It was in Dubai that he met Jane. As a couple they supported one another and were generous hosts to numerous trainees and consultant colleagues. Jane thought nothing of hosting an Edinburgh College roll-signing ceremony and buffet reception for fifty guests in their own home, doing much of the cooking herself.
Professor Muscat-Baron was involved in medical education for more than 45 years. In 1988, he was at the forefront of the establishment of the Dubai Medical College for Girls and was indeed the founding professor. In 1990, DOHMS decided that it was going to develop the Dubai hospitals and clinics to act as the teaching units for the clinical part of the medical course in the Dubai Medical College. He was appointed founding Professor of Medicine, and with colleagues Professors Henkel, Mamoun Shoukfeh, and Saleh El-Kalla, the Faculty Board was formed. The medical school was recognized by the UAE Ministry of Higher Education, the UAE Ministry of Health, the World Health Organisation and the GMC. In 1999 in recognition of his contributions, he received the prestigious Hamdan Award, honouring individuals working in the fields of medicine and health.
In 2002, he was appointed Dean of the Dubai Medical College and introduced Primary Healthcare to the undergraduate medical curriculum. As Chair of the MRCGP Board, he established an independent faculty. He also developed educational activities for junior and senior staff in the medical unit. These included a twice-weekly basic science course in association with RCPE, through the International Medicine Department. During his tenure as Chair of the Medical Education Committee, he developed the internship programme and later a residency programme, enabling thousands of medical students in the UAE to complete their education without having to leave the country. In 2016 he was presented with the President’s Medal from the Royal College of Physicians of London.
One of his most notable achievements was the establishment of the MRCP(UK) Examination in the UAE. He set up a regional office in Dubai, at the time the only such office outside the United Kingdom. This office was headed by Anne Aguiar, his long serving PA from 2004. In 2018, she was nominated as a “PACES Champion”. Currently the office organizes nine written examinations and three clinical examinations a year. Clinical examination centres in Abu Dhabi, Al Ain and Sharjah have since followed.
His main hobby was watching English Premiership football although as he admitted, mainly as an armchair critic. Other hobbies included walking, swimming, gardening and playing the piano. As a young man, he represented the University of Malta at football, table tennis, middle distance and cross country running. In Dubai he took up swimming and scuba diving.
Professor Baron never really retired. Teaching was his passion and he continued to teach even in his final years. He mentioned to one of his colleagues “keep that chair warm for me, I’m coming back”. Unfortunately, good health did not last though he only stopped appearing on the wards when he was really unable to do so. Jane single-handedly cared for him till the end.
His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice-President and Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai, took to Twitter to mourn the loss of one of the pioneers of Dubai's medical sector: “Today Dubai mourns Dr. Joseph Baron, an inspiring physician. He would always be remembered for his knowledge, compassion and dedication.”
He is survived by Jane, his two children, four grandchildren and a great grandchild.
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Neil Dewhurst
Allister Vale