Abstract
It is with sadness that we note the passing of Dr. Quentin Rae-Grant on 16 March, 2016.
Dr. Rae-Grant graduated in medicine from the University of Aberdeen, subsequently specializing in psychiatry at the Maudsley followed by appointments at Washington University St. Louis, Johns Hopkins and NIMH. In 1968 he accepted the position of Psychiatrist in Chief at the Sick Children’s Hospital in Toronto and Professor at the University of Toronto, positions he held until 1987 when he accepted Chairmanship of the Department of Psychiatry at the University of Western Ontario, a position he held until 1994.
Dr. Rae-Grant held a number of significant positions in psychiatry including President of the Ontario Psychiatric Association in 1979, president of the Canadian Psychiatric Association in 1982-83, president of the Canadian Academy of Child Psychiatry from 1985-91, Chair of the Board of the Canadian Psychiatric Association from 1985-91, and Editor-in-Chief of the Canadian Journal of Psychiatry from 1995 to 2004. During his time as Editor, his efforts to increase the scientific rigor of published papers led to a higher quality and more highly ranked Canadian Journal of Psychiatry.
He edited two books about psychiatry in Canada. The first, published in 1996, by the World Psychiatric Association and the American Psychiatric Press was titled “Images in Psychiatry: Canada” and was part of a series illustrating the state of psychiatry in various countries. This book provides an excellent perspective from multiple leading authors describing psychiatry at that time. The second book, “Psychiatry in Canada: 50 years (1951 to 2001)” was published by the Canadian Psychiatric Association to describe the state of psychiatry in 2001 in Canada. It commemorates the 50th anniversary of the founding of the Canadian Psychiatric Association. The chapters are widely representative of Canadian psychiatry at that time and provide an excellent overview.
Dr. Rae-Grant was proud of his adopted country, and attributed much of his professional success to the opportunities Canada and Canadian psychiatry afforded him. He leaves behind two sons Alex and John, as well as their wives and many children. In his private life he loved his yacht, his chalet in Collingwood, and the company of friends and family. His wife, Dr. Naomi Rae-Grant, also well-known in Canadian psychiatric circles, passed away in 1998. Quentin was the first professor of Child Psychiatry in Canada; she was the second.
In his many activities Dr. Rae-Grant’s leadership, guidance and wisdom were greatly appreciated. In his actions, he showed a willingness to listen and an openness to new ideas.