The University of Minnesotas Medical Alumni Society board has selected seven physicians to receive its three awards for 2006.
Please join us in congratulating and thanking these recipients for their exceptional work in the service of the medical profession.
The Harold S. Diehl Award
This lifetime achievement award is granted to individuals who have made outstanding contributions to the Medical School, the University, and the community. It was established by the University of Minnesota Medical Alumni Society in honor of the Medical School’s fifth dean, Harold Sheely Diehl, M.D.
George L. Adams, M.D.
A member of the resident alumni Class of 1971, Adams is being honored
posthumously for his caring contributions to the field of
otolaryngology and the University of Minnesota. He was a recipient of
many national and international awards in otolaryngology, and his work
is now considered the standard of care for patients with head and neck
cancer. He served as chair of the Department of Otolaryngology for 17
years with unwavering support for his staff, fellows, residents, and
students. Adams passed away on April 8 after a brief illness.
Raymond G. Christensen, M.D.
Christensen is being
honored for his lifelong commitment to improving patient care in
Minnesota’s rural areas. He’s been an advocate for patients and health
care professionals in rural areas for decades and in many capacities:
as assistant dean for rural health at the University of Minnesota
Medical School—Duluth, as an empathetic family physician at the Gateway
Family Health Clinic in Moose Lake, and as a leader in several other
rural health organizations. Christensen’s colleagues laud him for his
compassion and tireless spirit.
Ernest Ruiz, M.D.
Ruiz is being honored for his
devotion to emergency medicine at the University of Minnesota. He
founded the country’s second residency program in emergency medicine in
1971 at the Hennepin County Medical Center, which eventually led to the
creation of the Medical School’s Department of Emergency Medicine in
2002. Colleagues know him for his team-building skills and humility.
Although Ruiz retired in 1999, he continued to serve the Medical School
for another four years by developing a training course for rural
medical teams.
Warren J. Warwick, M.D.
A
member of the Class of 1954, Warwick is being honored for his
trailblazing contributions to cystic fibrosis care worldwide. He
founded the Minnesota Cystic Fibrosis Center in the early 1960s and has
been its guiding spirit ever since. Over the years it has grown to
become one of the best and largest cystic fibrosis centers in the
country. A long-time faculty member at the University of Minnesota,
Warwick is known for his expertise in pulmonary function and inventions
to help manage cystic fibrosis and other chronic lung diseases.
The Distinguished Alumni Award
This award recognizes University of Minnesota Medical School alumni who have made outstanding contributions to their local, regional, or national community through medical practice, teaching, research, or other humanitarian activities.
William E. Jacott, M.D.
A member of the Medical School Class of 1964, Jacott has played a large
role in making Minnesota a leader in health care. In 2000 he cofounded
the Minnesota Alliance for Patient Safety, a group of health care
organizations working together to improve safety procedures and reduce
medical errors. Jacott has also served the University of Minnesota as
the first head of the Medical School-Duluth’s family practice
department as well as assistant vice president for health sciences and
head of the family practice department on the Twin Cities campus.
John E. Repine, M.D.
A member of the Medical School
Class of 1971, Repine is a world authority in acute and chronic lung
injury. He is now the president, CEO, and director of the Webb-Waring
Institute for Cancer, Aging, and Antioxidant Research in Denver. He’s
also a professor and associate dean for student advocacy at the
University of Colorado Health Sciences Center. Repine has received many
awards for teaching and research, and colleagues say he hasn’t
forgotten his Midwestern roots in caring for his patients, students,
and the community.
The Early Distinguished Career Award
This award honors a physician for his or her exceptional accomplishments within 15 years of medical school graduation.
Jon S. Hallberg, M.D.
A member of the Medical
School Class of 1992, Hallberg is being honored for reaching out to the
community through medicine. A family physician and medical director of
the new Center for Medical Humanities in the Medical School, he
provides context for health-related issues every week on Minnesota
Public Radio’s All Things Considered. He also has served the arts and
sports communities in a medical capacity. Hallberg previously spent
several years as medical director of the University of Minnesota
Primary Care Clinic, leading efforts to improve the quality and
efficiency of care provided there.
