David Malcolm Thomas (“Dave”), was born to be a great doctor. He trained at Cambridge and St Thomas’ Hospital and did house jobs in London. After two years as a registrar in Exeter, he moved to Cardiff in 1988 to undertake his MD.

Despite repeated attempts to persuade him to move into academia, Dave positively chose a full time “jobbing” NHS consultant post in medicine and nephrology in 1995.

David was a peerless teacher and an irrepressible enthusiast for both the art and the science of medicine. He mentored, and inspired, countless medical students and junior doctors. His patients adored him, as did all of his colleagues.

Before he died, the dialysis unit at University Hospital of Wales was named in his honour and, despite being gravely ill, he witnessed its opening. David leaves his lovely wife and two beautiful daughters.

Kieron Donovan, Steve Riley, Aled Phillips, John Williams
Reproduced with permission from BMJ
BMJ 2020;371:m4776