Courtenay Bartholomew

Courtenay Felix Bartholomew (1931 – 7 May 2021) was a Trinidad and Tobago physician, scientist, and author. He was the founder and director of the Medical Research Foundation of Trinidad and Tobago. He was active in HIV/AIDS research, and was notable for diagnosing the first case of AIDS in the English-speaking Caribbean. He also led HIV vaccine trials and research on retroviruses with US institutions.

He received University College Dublin’s highest honour of Honorary Fellowship of the Faculty of Medicine (2004) and the International Human Retrovirology Society Award (1991) for his outstanding contributions to medicine.

In 1967, Bartholomew became the first lecturer in Medicine at The University of the West Indies (St. Augustine Campus). In 1977, he became the first Professor of Medicine at the University of the West Indies (St. Augustine Campus).

In 1960, Bartholomew graduated from University College Dublin where he studied internal medicine. In 1964, he obtained a specialty degree in gastroenterology from the Royal College of Physicians of Edinburgh, making him the first West Indian to obtain a degree in gastroenterology. In 1965, he obtained a Doctorate in Medicine from the National University of Ireland.

Courtenay Bartholomew was born in 1931 and grew up in Port of Spain, Trinidad and Tobago. He attended Nelson Street Boys’ RC School and St. Mary’s College. He had a keen interest in biology and chemistry, but disliked physics: his dream was to become a physician. Two people inspired him the most: Dr. Aldwin Gerard Francis and his own uncle, who also wanted to become a physician but was forced to abandon this dream due to racial prejudice in Canada.