Sir Kenneth Standard

Sir Kenneth Standard, Professor Emeritus, was the pioneer of the teaching and training in public health programmes in the Caribbean, through the University of the West Indies at which he worked for over forty years. Beginning at the Division of Social and Preventative Medicine at Mona, Jamaica in 1961, Professor Standard was key to the transformation of this Division to a Department, and to the teaching of undergraduate students, providing exposure to Community Medicine in their curriculum. Further, he was also instrumental in the establishment of programmes that provided for the training of Community Health Aides that were incorporated into the Ministry of Health in Jamaica. He also initiated a postgraduate one-year Diploma in Public Health for physicians and a postgraduate Diploma in Community Health for non-physicians.

Sir Kenneth with co-workers in the field.

Kenneth Standard was born in Barbados on 8th December 1920. He attended Harrison College, one of the top boys’ schools on the island, and won a Senior 1st Grade Scholarship in his final year. Standard taught at Lynch’s Secondary School in Barbados for eight years, becoming headmaster in his last year there. He was then notified by telegram that he was selected to join the first batch of 33 medical students of the new University College of the West Indies (UCWI) in Mona, Jamaica. In 1955 he graduated with his medical degree and became a Medical House Officer at the University College Hospital. He attended the Graduate School of Public Health, University of Pittsburgh on a PAHO/WHO Fellowship and attained his M. Sc. in Public Health in 1959. In 1962, he obtained the degree of Doctor of Medicine from the University of London, for research on child nutrition in Jamaica and Barbados. He was elevated to the post of Professor in 1968.

Sir Kenneth and his wife Mrs. Evelyn Standard

Professor Standard placed high importance on community health, and considered the medical officers of health as key... [continues]

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