Postgraduate medical school of the University of Exeter

Professor Baum’s review ¹ of Professor Ernst’s A Scientist in Wonderland ² rightly recognises an important book. However, it’s a serious mistake to call the Exeter Postgraduate Medical School (PGMS) an ‘academic backwater’.

The PGMS was the first such School in the UK, and Exeter was the first British University to fund such a body.

Brimblecombe’s pioneering work led to the Chairmanship of the National Children’s Committee. The first Postgraduate Department of General Practice in Europe within the PGMS produced the first three books on general practice training, ³ the first multi-professional MSc in Healthcare and the first UK postgraduate Chair of General Practice. Before Ernst applied, Professor Tooke’s team had published in the New England Journal of Medicine. ⁴

The PGMS staff were academic innovators later providing an FRS, the President of the Academy of Medical Sciences, the Chairman of the Academy of Medical Royal Colleges, a Medical School Dean, the Chairman of the Medical Schools Council, a Royal College President, and the Chairman of the Nuffield Trust. Two Directors of the PGMS were knighted. The current head of Baum’s Medical School (University College London) built his academic career in the PGMS.

Baum wonders why Ernst moved from the big Medical School in Vienna to the Exeter PGMS. I saw Ernst and his wife for detailed discussions and was on his appointment committee. He did feel constrained in Vienna. We were confident he would fulfill our brief of researching rigorously and reporting fearlessly. As Head of Department, I gave him sustained academic support. ²

An established professor of Ernst’s calibre would not have moved to a ‘backwater’. In recognising the world-leading research on complementary medicine, Baum might have mentioned the vision of the Donor, Sir Maurice Laing, and of the University of Exeter in establishing the first ever Chair of Complementary Medicine.