{{Short description|Australian surgeon (1899–1990)}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=October 2021}} {{Use Australian English|date=October 2021}}
{{Infobox medical person | honorific_prefix = | name = Jean Littlejohn | honorific_suffix = {{postnominals|country=AUS|size=100%|OBE|CBE}} | image = File:Jean_Littlejohn.jpg | image_size = | alt = | caption = Jean Littlejohn in 1949 | birth_name = | birth_date = {{birth date|1899|04|03|df=yes}} | birth_place = Nelson, New Zealand | death_date = {{Death date and age|1990|11|27|1899|04|03|df=yes}} | death_place = | death_cause = | nationality = <!-- use only when necessary per WP:INFONAT --> | citizenship = <!-- use only when necessary per WP:INFONAT --> | education = Presbyterian Ladies' College | occupation = | years_active = | known_for = | relations = | website = | profession = Surgeon | field = | work_institutions = Royal Victorian Eye and Ear Hospital | specialism = otorhinolaryngology | research_field = | notable_works = | prizes = | partner = Margareta Webber | child = | module2 = | signature = }} '''Jean Littlejohn''' {{post-nominals|country=AUS|OBE|CBE}} (3 April 1899 – 27 November 1990) was an Australian surgeon, early practitioner of the developing field of otorhinolaryngology, and pioneer of deafness research. She joined the Royal Victorian Eye and Ear Hospital in Melbourne, Australia and maintained a long association with the hospital until her retirement in 1974.
== Early life == Jean Littlejohn was born on 3 April 1899 in Nelson, New Zealand, the youngest of the five children of Scottish-born William Still Littlejohn and Jean (née Berry).<ref name="due2012">{{Cite book| publisher = National Centre of Biography, Australian National University| last = Due| first = Stephen| title = Australian Dictionary of Biography| chapter = Littlejohn, Jean (1899–1990)| location = Canberra| access-date = 2021-10-12| date = 2012| url = https://adb.anu.edu.au/ | chapter-url = https://adb.anu.edu.au/biography/littlejohn-jean-14294}}</ref><ref name="francis2002">{{Cite web| last = Francis| first = Rosemary| title = Littlejohn, Jean (1899 – 1990)| work = Australian Women's Register| accessdate = 2021-10-12| date = 2002| url = https://www.womenaustralia.info/biogs/IMP0207b.htm}}</ref> The family moved to Melbourne in 1904 when William Littlejohn was appointed headmaster of Scotch College.<ref name="due2012"/><ref name="bate1986">{{Cite book| publisher = National Centre of Biography, Australian National University| last = Bate| first = Weston| title = Australian Dictionary of Biography| chapter = Littlejohn, William Still (1859–1933)| location = Canberra| access-date = 2021-10-12| date = 1986| url = https://adb.anu.edu.au/ | chapter-url = https://adb.anu.edu.au/biography/littlejohn-william-still-7209}}</ref> Jean was educated at Scotch College's sister school, Presbyterian Ladies' College, where she found both academic and sporting success.<ref name="due2012"/><ref name="francis2002"/>
== Career ==
Littlejohn studied medicine at the University of Melbourne, graduating in 1922; her graduating class also included Dame Kate Isabel Campbell, Lucy Meredith Bryce and Jean Macnamara.<ref name=ABD1>[https://adb.anu.edu.au/biography/macnamara-dame-annie-jean-7427 Australian Dictionary of Biography website, ''Dame Annie Jean Macnamara (1899-1968)'', article by Ann G. Smith]</ref>
She then and joined the Royal Victorian Eye and Ear Hospital as a medical resident.<ref name="due2012"/><ref name="rveeh">{{Cite web| last = Royal Victorian Eye and Ear Hospital| title = Jean Littlejohn| work = Royal Victorian Eye and Ear Hospital| accessdate = 2021-10-12| url = https://www.eyeandear.org.au/page/News_and_Events/Events/Profiles/Staff/Jean_Littlejohn/}}</ref> She began private practice in 1924 while continuing to work at the Eye and Ear Hospital, where she was promoted successively to the positions of assistant surgeon in 1929, honorary aural surgeon (the first woman to hold this position) in the same year, and senior surgeon in 1933.<ref name="due2012"/><ref name="rveeh"/>
Littlejohn was drawn to the new field of ear, nose, and throat surgery (otorhinolaryngology), which was developing rapidly at this time along with technological advances that enabled more precise surgical investigation and treatment of these areas.<ref name="weir2000">{{Cite journal| doi = 10.1136/pmj.76.892.65| issn = 00325473| volume = 76| issue = 892| pages = 65–69| last = Weir| first = N.| title = History of medicine: Otorhinolaryngology| journal = Postgraduate Medical Journal| accessdate = 2021-10-12| date = 2000-02-01| pmid = 10644381| pmc = 1741503| url = https://pmj.bmj.com/lookup/doi/10.1136/pmj.76.892.65}}</ref> The University of Melbourne began offering qualifications in otolaryngology in 1930, and Littlejohn was the first recipient of the university's Diploma of Otolaryngology, in 1933. She was admitted as a Fellow of the Royal Australasian College of Surgeons in 1935.<ref name="due2012"/><ref name="rveeh"/>
During World War II Littlejohn served as an ENT surgeon to the armed forces. In 1947 she was appointed clinical dean of the Eye and Ear Hospital and became the first woman elected to the University of Melbourne faculty of medicine.<ref name="due2012"/><ref name="francis2002"/><ref name="rveeh"/> In 1948 Littlejohn established the Eye and Ear Hospital's Infant Deafness Investigation Clinic, and in the 1970s she advised the State of Victoria on establishing postgraduate audiology training in Australia.<ref name="rveeh"/>
== Recognition ==
Littlejohn was made an Officer of the Order of the British Empire in 1962 for services to the Deaf in Victoria, and a Commander of the Order in 1975 for services to medicine.<ref name="due2012"/><ref name="francis2002"/><ref name="awap">{{Cite web| last = Australian Women's Archives Project| title = Faith, Hope, Charity - Australian Women and Imperial Honours| accessdate = 2021-10-12| date = 2003| url = https://www.womenaustralia.info/exhib/honours/honours.html}}</ref> In 1957 the Eye and Ear Hospital consolidated its deafness research under the umbrella of the Jean Littlejohn Deafness Investigation and Research Unit.<ref name="rveeh"/> In 1978 the University of Melbourne's Department of Otolaryngology awarded the first biennial Jean Littlejohn Otorhinolaryngology research prize.<ref name="due2012"/><ref name="uma">{{Citation| author = University of Melbourne Archives| title = Archives catalogue: University of Melbourne Department of Otolaryngology| accessdate = 2021-10-12| date = 1981| url = http://minerva-access.unimelb.edu.au/handle/11343/68846 | hdl = 11343/68846}}</ref> On International Women's Day 2025, the University of Melbourne launched the Littlejohn medal to honour "outstanding contributions to knowledge and research across health and medical disciplines".<ref>{{Cite web |last= |first= |date=2025-03-07 |title=Littlejohn Medal recognises research excellence for impact in health and medical sciences |url=https://about.unimelb.edu.au/news-resources/awards-and-achievements/announcements/littlejohn-medal-recognises-research-excellence-for-impact-in-health-and-medical-sciences |access-date=2025-03-07 |website=The University of Melbourne |language=en}}</ref>
== Personal life and death ==
Littlejohn lived with her companion, the bookseller Margareta Webber, for over fifty years.<ref name="due2012"/> They met in 1928 when Webber was referred to Littlejohn as an ENT patient.<ref>{{Cite news |last=Latreille |first=Anne |date=1981-12-02 |title=The old upstairs bookshop |url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-age-margareta-webber-the-old-upstai/163545299/ |access-date=2025-01-21 |work=The Age |pages=20 |via=Newspapers.com}}</ref> In collaboration with Webber, Littlejohn founded the Soroptimist Club of Melbourne in 1948.<ref name="clark2012">{{Cite book| publisher = National Centre of Biography, Australian National University| last = Clark| first = Laurel| title = Australian Dictionary of Biography| chapter = Webber, Margareta Louise (1891–1983)| location = Canberra| access-date = 2021-10-12| date = 2012 |url = https://adb.anu.edu.au/ |chapter-url = https://adb.anu.edu.au/biography/webber-margareta-louise-15794}}</ref> Littlejohn died on 27 November 1990 in East Melbourne.<ref name="due2012"/><ref name="francis2002"/>
== References ==
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Category:1899 births Category:1990 deaths Category:Australian surgeons Category:Medical doctors from Melbourne Category:Fellows of the Royal Australasian College of Surgeons Category:Australian Commanders of the Order of the British Empire Category:People from Nelson, New Zealand Category:Australian women surgeons Category:20th-century Australian women medical doctors Category:20th-century Australian medical doctors Category:Members of Soroptimist International Category:20th-century Australian surgeons