Richard de Soldenhoff

Medical professional.

Name: Richard de Soldenhoff

Category: Former student of Edinburgh Medical School

Role: Medical professional

Time active with Edinburgh Medical School: 7 years

Headshot of Richard de Soldenhoff wearing a hat

Richard is a dedicated and compassionate medical professional who has spent his life working in some of the poorest places in the world, including Malawi, Indonesia, India, Nepal, and Brazil. 

He graduated from the University of Edinburgh with a degree in Medicine (BSc (Med Sci), MBChB) and was inspired to pursue a career in medicine in developing countries after completing elective periods in Canada and West Pakistan. 

Richard's experience in Pakistan convinced him to focus on leprosy, and he went on to work in various countries, including Zambia, Tanzania, and Indonesia, often in combined TB and leprosy programs. 

After retiring in 2008, Richard continued to work as a volunteer care assistant and sighted guide, and taught the leprosy component of the diploma course in tropical medicine at Glasgow University. He is also a selfless individual who donated a kidney in 2019. In his retirement, Richard enjoys traveling, music, and the arts, and his life's work is a testament to his commitment to improving the lives of those affected by leprosy and other diseases in developing countries.