Robert Beamish

Robert Earl Beamish, (September 16, 1916 – February 17, 2001) was a Canadian physician and cardiologist.

Early life and education

Beamish was born in Shoal Lake, Manitoba on September 16, 1916, the son of Henry and Mary May (McLeod) Beamish. He graduated with a B.A. from Brandon College in 1937. In 1942 he was awarded an M.D. in 1942 and two years later B. Sc. (Med.) from the University of Manitoba. From 1947 to 1948, he studied in London after being awarded a Nuffield Dominion Travelling Fellowship.

Career

He served in Canada with the Royal Canadian Army Medical Corps from 1944 to 1946, retiring with the rank of captain. Upon returning to Canada, Beamish began his efforts to have the study and treatment of heart disease established as a legitimate field of medical specialty in Canada. He pioneered the idea that by lowering cholesterol the risk of heart disease was significantly lowered.