Dr Benjamin Henry Sheares

   Dr Benjamin Henry Sheares was elected as Singapore's 2nd President on January 2nd 1971.

    He was born in Singapore August 12th 1907. He was educated in Methodist Girls' School, St. Andrew's School, Raffles' Instituition and he received he graduated from king edward vii college of medicine in 1923. he also received his degree of L.M.s in 1929.

    Dr Sheares began his career in obstetrics and gynaecology in april 1931 with the Sinagpore General hospital after serving 2 years in the Sepoy lines general hospital (now Singapore general hospital) as an Assitant medical officer. he was the first singaporean to specialise in that field.

In 1940, he was awarded the Queen's Feelowship in order   to do 2 years' of post-garduate study in Britain. However, it was not proceeded due to the outbeark of the japanese occupation in singapore. During World wAR II, HE WAS HEAD OF THE DEPARTMENT  OF oBSTETRICS AND gYNAECOLOGY AT THE kANDANG kERDAU hOSPITAL.

aFTER THE OCCUPATION, HE BECAME THE FIRST SINGAPOR-BORN dOCTOR TO TO BE APPOINTED ACTING PROFESSOR OF oBSTETRICS AND gYNAECOLOGY AT THE king edward vii college of medicine.

HE PROCEEDED TO BRITAIN FOR HIS post-garduate study IN 1947.  in 1948, he was INVITED TO BE A member of the Royal college of Obstetricians and gynaecologists in england AND WAS the first singapore  obstetrician to qualify. later in 1950, he became the frist local person to become professor of obstetrics and gynaecology at the university of malaya. It was a rare acheivement at a time when only colonials were appointed the top achademic positions.

IN MARCH 1948, HE WAS RECALLED TO SINGAPORE TO ACT AS professor of obstetrics and gynaecology.

he was often described as modest and friendly by nature. At one time, he even turned down a substancial increase in his salary, claiming that he did not need it.

in may 1981, during his 10th year as president, sheares collapsed. he was in a coma for 5 days before succubing to cerebal haemorrhage. He was 73.

Encik yusof bin ishak  CV Devan Nair  Dr Wee Kim Wee   Ong Teng Cheong  S R Nathan

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