MCLEAN, Kenneth Hay (1927-2022)
Ken McLean was enrolled as a boarder at The Geelong College in 1940, beginning in Form II. He was the son of Dr Kenneth, who had attended Scotch College, and Ann McLean of Muralla, Clendon Rd Toorak.
During his time at the school, Ken served on the House of Guilds Council, qualified for the St John Ambulance senior certificate and was Dux of Form V in 1943. In his final year, 1944, Ken served as co editor of the Pegasus and was part of the Debating Society. He was promoted to corporal in the air training corps and oversaw aircraft recognition. In his matriculation exams, Ken won five honours including the only first awarded to a country candidate in Geography. At the Ormond College entrance examination, he and AR Waterhouse won major resident scholarships. Ken came second to the Dux in Form VI and won the Proxime Accessit Prize.
Following school Ken studied medicine at the University of Melbourne, completing his MBBS in 1950-1. He was involved in university life, serving as sub editor of Speculum, and involved in plays at Ormond College.
He then took a position at the Royal Melbourne Hospital and completed his MD. The Pegasus and Ad Astra tracked his career over the years. In 1957 he was awarded a Nuffield Dominion Travelling Fellowship and was doing research at the National Heart Hospital, London. In 1960 he was director of the new cardiovascular diagnostic centre at the Alfred Hospital, Melbourne.
Ken would go on to become a well-regarded Professor of Medicine. In 1975 he embarked on a study tour to investigate work in community health centres in Indonesia and was Associate Professor of Medicine (Monash University) at Prince Henry Hospital.
Ken married Susan Angell in 1955 and they have six children. Beyond medicine, he was also an enthusiastic farmer, a naturalist, and a conservationist, known to many as a doctor, teacher, farmer, and friend.
Ken passed away 24 April 2022, aged 94 years.
Sources: Herald Sun 30 April 2022, Pegasus, Ad Astra.