John Basmajian

Who was John Basmajian?

John V. Basmajian, OC OOnt was a Canadian academic and scientist. He was known for his work in rehabilitation science, specifically in the area of electromyography and biofeedback.

Born in Istanbul of Armenian parents, he came to Canada in 1923. The family settled in Brantford, Ontario. During World War II, he served in the Royal Canadian Army Medical Corps with the rank of Captain. After the war, he received his M.D. in 1945 from the University of Toronto.

In 1949, he accepted a position as a lecturer in anatomy at the University of Toronto. He was appointed an Assistant Professor in 1951, an Associate Professor in 1951, and a full Professor in 1956. In 1957, he took the position of Professor and Head of Anatomy at Queen's University where he would remain until 1969. While residing in Kingston, Ontario he was Chairman of the Kingston Board of Education and was involved in the founding of St. Lawrence College. From 1969 to 1977, he was Director of Neurophysiology at the Georgia Mental Health Institute in Atlanta. He also was a Professor of Anatomy, Physical Medicine, and Psychiatry at Emory University.