The extraordinary undergraduate career of Oliver St John Gogarty: has the modern medical student anything to learn from him?

Oliver St John Gogarty (1878-1957) was a celebrated Irish doctor and poet. A 'Renaissance' figure, he was renowned as a surgeon, poet, memoirist, senator, athlete and wit. His years as a medical student, although not crowned by academic success, were remarkable for many other achievements. A study of Gogarty's University career provides a number of lessons in the art of being a medical student. Although it is more than a century since Gogarty qualified as a doctor, this paper suggests that these lessons are still relevant today.