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Robert D. Millard was born on October 10, 1898, in Antigo, Wisconsin, where his father operated a store. He had one brother.
He completed high school in 3 years. He was a pre-medical student at University of Wisconsin for 2 years followed by 2 years of medical school at the same institution. He then transferred to University of Pennsylvania School of Medicine where he received his medical degree in 1922.
Dr. Millard interned at Queen's Hospital from 1922 to 1923. He started his residency at the New York Nursery and Child's Hospital at 10th and Amsterdam. A few months later he went to Boston Psychopathic Hospital for a brief period as a psychiatric resident. While he was there he was solicited to work on Lanai. When he arrived on Lanai, he was asked to supervise the construction of a hospital. He served as physician for the Hawaiian Pineapple Co. In 1925 he was appointed government physician for Lanai by the Board of Health. In December 1925, he resigned to return to Wisconsin for a refresher course in anatomy and attended a course in surgical anatomy in Philadelphia. He then spent a month in gynecological surgery at the New York Postgraduate Hospital. On completion he went to Los Angeles where he did locum tenens followed by a locum tenens for Dr. Treadwell in Kohala for 6 months. After a brief tenure on Kauai, Dr. Millard was offered a partnership by Dr. Wayson, a general practitioner and Hansen's Disease Specialist in May 1928. Their office was located at Punchbowl and Beretania Streets. In 1929 Dr. Wayson retired from private practice to work full time for the Board of Health and Dr. Millard moved to the Hawaiian Electric Co. Building. He shared the office with Dr. Tom Mossman. When Dr. Mossman left to become full-time city physician under Mayor Wilson, Dr. Millard shared his office with Dr. Peter Irwin.
In 1928 he began a part-time career as port medical officer for the U.S. Public Health Service. His responsibilities included going out to inspect ships before they came into the harbor. He also examined the immigrant arrivals for smallpox, cholera and other infectious diseases.
When Dr. Millard's lease was up in 1933 at the Hawaiian Electric Co. Building, he moved his office to the Alexander Young Building. His third floor office was the first to be converted from guest rooms. He remained at this location until the building was torn down in 1979. He then relocated to the Investors Finance Building at 1111 Bishop Street, Suite 308 where he practiced until his retirement in 1982.
Dr. Millard was licensed to practice in Hawaii in 1922. He was also licensed in Wisconsin in 1922, California 1926, and in Oregon. At various times he did post-graduate training including courses in New York in 1940, courses in 1952 and courses in Indiana in 1956. Beginning in 1956 he took extensive trips all over the world to attend medical conventions and visit clinics. These trips included visits to Sweden, Holland, Denmark, England, England, Austria, Switzerland, France, Belgium and Japan. He also traveled extensively through Eastern Canada, the New England states as well as the west coast of the United States.
Dr. Millard was a member of the Hawaii Territory Academy of General Practice since September 1951 when the chapter was chartered. He became "active exempt" in 1965. He served as an officer and committee member but always declined the presidency. He was a member of the Honolulu County Medical Society, where he was a member of the Board of Governors and served on other committees. He was Chairman of the Resolutions Committee and a Delegate to the Hawaii Medical Association. He served as Chief of the Department of General Practice at Queen's Hospital and member of the hospital's Medical Advisory Committee 1963-1971. From l966-1971 he was Vice-Chief of Staff at Queen's. He was honored by the Hawaii Medical Association as the Physician of the Year in 1980 in recognition of his 50 years of medical services. He also held membership in Honolulu Obstetrics-Gynecology Society, Honolulu Surgical Society and the American Medical Association.
He was in the U.S. Army from September to November 1918. He served as a Captain in the Navy from September 1941 to February 1946. He then returned to Honolulu to resume his practice of general practice, surgery and obstetrics and he was port medical officer. He was commissioned a permanent Captain in the Navy Medical Corps Reserve in July 1950.
He was a member of the Shriners; Scottish Rites; Outrigger Canoe Club; a 32nd degree Mason and was recognized for his 50 years membership in 1984. During his years on Lanai he served on the by-laws committee of the Lanai Bridge Club and also was elected Vice-President.
Dr. Millard was married to Genevieve "Pat" Malloy on New Year's Eve 1924 by the Rev. Palmer in Central Union Church. She was a registered nurse from Iowa who was working at Queen's, and after their wedding she worked with him in operating the newly constructed hospital on Lanai. Mrs. Millard died on December 18, 1975.
Dr. Millard died on September 24, 1986 at Hale Nani Convalescent Center in Honolulu. He left no surviving relatives.
Medicine in Hawaii: Oral History Series
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