Professor Peter Black was an outstanding teacher and researcher at The University of Auckland and General Physician at Auckland City Hospital. Having completed a ward round on Sunday 10th January 2010 he died suddenly later at home. Peter was the greatly loved husband of Bernadette Salmon FRACP, paediatrician, and proud father of Claire.

Peter held a myriad of roles across the university and hospital, nationally and internationally. Although he had an international reputation in respiratory pharmacology research, Peter remained a passionately committed to general medicine, quality use of medicines, and medical education.

After completing his MBChB in 1980 at the University of Auckland and FRACP in 1985, Peter spent the next three years at the Department of Clinical Pharmacology, The Hammersmith Hospital, London, under the mentorship of Professor Sir Colin Dollery, one of the founding fathers of the discipline of Clinical Pharmacology. On his return to New Zealand in 1990, Peter was appointed Tutor Specialist, then consultant General Physician at Auckland Hospital, and Senior Lecturer, The University of Auckland.

Clinically, Peter had few equals, proving an encyclopaedia of medical knowledge for his colleagues, and a dedicated doctor to a wide range of patients, including those with complex airways disease. He loved nothing better than to debate diagnoses and patient management, and was increasingly interested in clinical reasoning. Areas for administrative improvement received his swift and full attention with Peter often the first to offer practical solutions.

To his trainees and students, he was a true mentor, and 'walked the walk' of clinical excellence. He had incredibly high expectations of all of them, only exceeded by the standards he set for himself. For all his mentees, he was a staunch advocate, providing advice and support throughout their paths to senior positions.

In the important area of medicines’ safety, Peter developed an integrated theme of clinical pharmacology, prescribing and therapeutics within the MBChB programme, complementing this with leadership of regional strategies to improve prescribing.

Peter’s research was remarkable in its breadth and depth, covering the complete spectrum from basic research, through to translational and clinical research in its many forms, including Cochrane systematic reviews and clinical trials. He had collaborations with many international groups, recently establishing the Australasian COPD Research Network with TSANZ colleagues. His current projects include the role of fibroblasts in COPD, and diet in airways diseases. The author of over 80 publications, one of his proudest moments came when he was promoted to Professor in 2009, delivering his inaugural lecture in October to a packed lecture theatre.

At the time of his death, Peter was a member of the SAC Clinical Pharmacology, and Director of Advanced Training, Auckland region - a unique role he developed to improve coordination of training pathways, especially for those dual training in general medicine and a subspecialty. He had served as Chair of the NZ SAC in General Medicine from 1996-2000, as a Director of Physician Training, a member of the RACP Therapeutics Advisory Committee, and as an FRACP Part 1 clinical examiner. He was an active member of TSANZ, IMSANZ, ASCEPT, ASCIA and other respiratory societies.

Peter’s sudden and untimely death has shocked everyone. He will be greatly missed by his many colleagues, patients, junior staff and students. While the magnitude of the loss of such a talented and productive clinical academic at the peak of his career is yet to be fully appreciated, he is recognised for his exceptional contributions to health care, research and medical education in the region.

Prepared by Dr Phillippa Poole, with the assistance of Dr John Kolbe, Dr James Paxton, and Dr Zoe Raos, Chair of the College Trainees’ Committee.