Robert Sanderson was a consultant otolaryngologist in Edinburgh and Livingstone. He and his twin brother, Paul, were the first identical twins to pass the FRCS in general surgery together. ‘Rob’ elected to study otolaryngology and trained with Arnold Maran in Edinburgh, before doing a fellowship in head and neck surgery in Rotterdam with Paul Knegt. There he learnt Dutch and met his wife Christine, with whom he subsequently had three children. He was appointed as a consultant otolaryngologist to Edinburgh and Livingstone hospitals. A keen teacher, he lectured frequently and was a regular guest speaker at national and international meetings. He was lead clinician in the Scottish head and neck audit. He died on 13 December 2006.