Peter John Hurley (6 January 1940 – 16 August 1983)[1]
was a New Zealand doctor. He was the first full-time physician in nuclear medicine at Auckland Hospital in 1972 and he established the Department of Nuclear Medicine there between 1971 and 1982.[2] He "was one of the most gifted young physicians of his generation".[3]
Hurley was first appointed as a medical registrar in the Department of Medicine at Auckland Hospital. In 1962 he became involved in lipoprotein work and this initiated his interest in radioisotopes.[4] In 1968, Hurley was a research fellow in the medical unit, Auckland Hospital. From 1969 for three years, he was research assistant in nuclear medicine and fellow at Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore. He was a co-author of some journal articles.[5]
Nuclear medicine had developed in a piecemeal fashion in Auckland and it became necessary that the different independent units merge into a totally integrated electronics service with a Nuclear medicine Physician to guide it.[6] When he returned to Auckland in 1972,[7] Hurley was appointed as head of the department of Nuclear Medicine.[3] He was instrumental in its staffing and development and the advancement of its academic reputation.[3] In 1981 he was awarded the Johns Hopkins Nuclear Medicine Distinguished Alumnus award.[8]
Personal
Hurley was very interested in music and was a pianist. He was also a singer and was a member of the Dorian Singers in Auckland. He participated in two overseas tours with that group. When he was a student he acted in plays.[3] He died on 16 August 1983 in Auckland at the age of 43.[3][9]
Sources
^"Hurley, Peter John". New Zealand Herald. Auckland. 18 August 1983b. p. 20.
^ abSt Peter's College Magazine 1960, p. 79; St Peter's College Magazine 1983, p. 7.
^Bruce White (1995). "The History of Nuclear Medicine in Auckland 1961-1986". In H D Jamieson (ed.). The development of Medical Physics and Biomedical Engineering in New Zealand Hospitals 1945-1995 (2nd ed.). Auckland: DHB. p. 71.
