HOUSTON, April 13 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- TIAA-CREF, a national financial services leader and premier retirement system for higher education and research institutions, and the John P. McGovern Museum of Health & Medical Science today announced that Dr. Ralph D. Feigin, J.S. Abercrombie Professor of Pediatrics, Chairman of the Department of Pediatrics at the Baylor College of Medicine and the Physician-in-Chief for Texas Children’s Hospital, has been named the 2004 recipient of the TIAA-CREF Distinguished Medical Educator Award.
“Dr. Feigin’s legacy of outstanding academic leadership and his pursuit of excellence in every facet of his work and life exemplify the finest qualities of a distinguished medical educator,” said Dr. Michael Speer, chairman of the award steering committee.
As Chair of the Department of Pediatrics at Baylor College of Medicine and Physician-in-Chief at Texas Children’s Hospital for the last 27 years, Dr. Feigin has served as director of the largest pediatric residency program in the United States. Dr. Feigin’s far-reaching influence is evident in his supervision, mentoring and training of more than 1,000 medical residents, more than half of whom have pursued subspecialty pediatric training and are currently full-time faculty members at 114 of the nation’s 125 medical schools. Eight current pediatric chairs have been mentored and trained by Dr. Feigin, as well as two current deans of national medical schools and 45 section heads of U.S. pediatric departments.
“The TIAA-CREF Distinguished Medical Educator Award was created to honor those who deeply impact the level, availability and quality of health care everyday through their teaching and mentoring of the physicians and nurses of tomorrow,” said Fran Nolan, executive vice president Client Services, TIAA- CREF. “TIAA-CREF has a long-standing relationship with the Texas medical community, and we are pleased to have this opportunity to recognize its leaders with the inauguration of this award.”
Throughout his tenure as a physician and educator, Dr. Feigin has not only dedicated his time to his students, but also to community health and nonprofit endeavors on a local and national scale. He provides counsel to the Surgeon General of the United States Army, City Health Departments and to the Centers for Disease Control. Dr. Feigin has participated on a number of national committees including the Clinical Research Advisory Committee for the March of Dimes, Birth Defects Foundation and most recently, the National Association of Children’s Hospitals Advisory Panel on Terrorism and Children’s Hospitals.
Dr. Feigin, the award steering committee and award finalists and participants will gather alongside some of Texas’ top medical professionals on April 28th at John P. McGovern Museum of Health & Medical Science for the award ceremony. Dr. Michael E. DeBakey, a recognized pioneer of modern medicine and Chancellor Emeritus of Baylor College of Medicine will speak at the awards ceremony.
The newly-created award, founded by TIAA-CREF and supported by the John P. McGovern Museum of Health & Medical Science, is to be given annually to honor teaching physicians, nurses and other health care professionals for their outstanding work, significant contribution and exceptional influence in the field of medical education. Nominations were submitted for consideration and evaluation by the award steering committee, with the field narrowed to eleven finalists based on their achievements and dedication to medical education.
The 2004 TIAA-CREF Distinguished Medical Educator Award finalists are: Drs. Michael A. Ainsworth, James F. Arens, Frank C. Arnett, Daniel Dumitru, Herbert L. Fred, Emil J. Freireich, Robert G. Grossman, Dan B. Jones, Charles H. McCollum, Daniel M. Musher, and Lynn C. Yeoman. The steering committee selected to govern the award and to evaluate nominations was comprised of leading medical professionals from the Baylor College of Medicine, University of Texas Health Science Center Houston, University of Texas M.D. Anderson Cancer Center, Texas Children’s Hospital and the University of Texas Medical Branch School of Nursing.
The award carries a $10,000 honorarium from TIAA-CREF. In addition, 20 scholarships for underprivileged youths to attend the Museum’s Mini-Medical School Summer Camp will be given in his name.
TIAA-CREF, a Fortune 100 company, is a national financial services leader with more than $300 billion in assets and is the premier retirement system for higher education, teaching hospitals, and research employees in the United States. Further information can be found at http://www.tiaa-cref.org/ .
TIAA-CREF
CONTACT: Amanda Hansen, +1-713-523-7900, for TIAA-CREF
Web site: http://www.tiaa-cref.org/
