RMC Alumni Awards

Chris Goetz recipient of RMC DAA 2015

 

Distinguished Alumni Award background

The DAA has been awarded every year from 1968 to 2002, and biennially since 2003, at Reunion events. A total of 41 alumni have received the DAA, which represents 1 percent of all living RMC alumni (3,907) or 0.4 percent of all living RMC and GME alumni.

In 2016, the Executive Committee expanded the DAA award criteria to include three categories, so as to highlight the full breadth of RMC alumni accomplishments. Recipients will be honored at All Alumni Weekend on Oct. 21-22, 2022.

Description of awards

Award 1: Distinguished Alumni Award in Medical Research and Education

The DAA in Medical Research and Education honors alumni who are pioneers in the academic medical field and have demonstrated excellence in medicine through innovative research and/or outstanding physician education.

Award 2: Distinguished Alumni Award in Clinical Excellence

The DAA in Clinical Excellence honors alumni who are national leaders in their specialty and have demonstrated excellence in the field of medicine through a commitment to clinical expertise and high-quality patient care.

Award 3: Distinguished Alumni Award in Leadership, Service or Innovation

The DAA in Leadership, Service or Innovation honors alumni who are leaders in their field and have brought distinction to the college through their professional achievements or a commitment to service.

Criteria for DAA nominations

The DAA was established to “honor alumni who have given distinguished service to the profession of medicine” and is presented to a graduate who has “brought distinction to the college through broadly recognized professional accomplishments.” It is the highest honor that the RMCAA can bestow.

To be eligible for a nomination of any Distinguished Alumni Awards, a candidate:

  1. must be a graduate of Rush Medical College or former house staff of Rush University Medical Center
  2. must be living (no posthumous nominations)
  3. cannot have received the award previously
  4. must be nominated by a graduate of Rush Medical College, former house staff of Rush University Medical Center, Alumni Relations/Philanthropy staff member, or Rush Medical College faculty member
  5. may not self-nominate

Campbell Alumni Service Award description

The Campbell Alumni Service Award, or CASA has been awarded every year from 1984 to 2002, and biennially since 2003, at Reunion events. This award honors any alumnus, student, trustee, or faculty or staff member who has demonstrated dedication and commitment to the college or alumni community. 


Profiles of most recent recipients

Korbet headshot2019 Distinguished Alumni Award in Research and Education: Stephen M. Korbet, MD ‘79; GME
Stephen M. Korbet, MD, is the Lester and Muriel Anixter Professor of Nephrology and former chief of the Division of Nephrology at Rush University Medical Center. Dr. Korbet became a member of the Section of Nephrology at Rush in 1984 and, over the last 35 years, has been extensively involved in clinical research. His areas of interest include renal biopsy, glomerular diseases with a particular focus on lupus nephritis and focal segmental glomerulosclerosis and the management of anemia in end-stage renal disease.
 
Korbet has published extensively with more than 125 peer-reviewed articles, 30 book chapters and has co-edited two books on lupus nephritis. He’s lectured worldwide as a visiting professor and at societal meetings and was named in the “Best Doctors in America” annually for the past 25 years. Korbet is a member of numerous organizations and was inducted as a Master of the American College of Physicians in 2013.
Kotin Headshot2019 Distinguished Alumni Award in Leadership, Service and Innovation: Anthony M. Kotin, MD ‘77; GME
Anthony M. Kotin, MD, a board-certified internist, is an independent consultant, providing advisory services to consulting firms, health plans and private equity funds. Kotin’s professional career started as an internist in private practice in 1980 and, from there, he co-founded and served as the medical director of a large IPA in the western suburbs of Chicago in 1983. In 1988 he moved into the emerging managed care industry, holding medical officer positions over the next 30 years, including the national CMO role at Travelers, Prudential and Magellan Health. Most recently Kotin was involved with an early-stage, venture-funded company, Complex Care Solutions, later acquired by Inovalon, which provided in-home care management services to Medicare Advantage members and HCC coding support to health plans.
 
Kotin is an executive council member and immediate past president of the Rush Medical College Alumni Association, and a member of the Rush University Medical Center Board of Trustees.
Kavinsky headshot2019 Distinguished Alumni Award in Clinical Excellence: Clifford J. Kavinsky, MD ‘86; GME

Clifford J. Kavinsky, MD, PhD, FACC, MSCAI is a professor of medicine and pediatrics at Rush University Medical Center. He’s held the position of director of the Coronary Care Unit, fellowship program director, director of the medical practice, and assistant director of the Division of Cardiology.  He is currently the director of Rush’s Center for Adult Structural Heart Disease, and Section Chief of Structural and Interventional Cardiology.  He is also the associate program director of the Rush University Fellowship in Cardiovascular Disease, overseeing the training of numerous current and future leaders in academic and clinical cardiology.


Kavinsky is an expert on catheter-based therapies for heart and vascular disease, and an internationally recognized leader in the use of novel treatments for adults with congenital and structural heart disease. He is a Master Fellow in the Society of Cardiovascular Angiography and Interventions, with U.S. News and World Report nationally ranking him as, “Top Doctor” in Interventional Cardiology. Kavinsky serves as associate editor of the Journal of Structural Heart Disease and is Chairman of the Structural Heart Disease Committee of the Society of Cardiovascular Angiography and Interventions.

Harris headshot2019 Campbell Alumni Service Award: Alan A. Harris, MD; GME

Alan A. Harris, MD, is currently the associate chairman in the Department of  Medicine, associate program director of the Internal Medicine residency program, chair of the Department of Medicine Advisory Committee, hospital epidemiologist and senior attending physician in the Division of Infectious Diseases, and voluntary physician at the John H. Stroger, Jr. Hospital of Cook County. Harris is a professor of Internal Medicine and Preventive Medicine, and the Emeritus James Lowenstine Professor of Internal Medicine in Rush Medical College.

 

Over the course of his career, Harris has been the vice chair of Academic Affairs and Internal Medicine residency program director in the Department of Medicine and served as chair of the Admissions Committee of Rush Medical College and chair of the Infection Control Committee of Rush University Medical Center. He recently completed a term as the interim director of the Division of Infectious Diseases.

 

A prior epidemiologist and assistant superintendent of the Municipal Contagious Disease Hospital of the City of Chicago Department of Health, Harris currently serves on the Department of Health Technical Advisory Committee for Communicable Diseases and Bioterrorism. Under the Governorship of James R. Thompson, he served on the Board of Public Health Advisors of the State of Illinois. He is also a Master in the American College of Physicians, a Fellow in the Infectious Disease Society of America and the Society for Healthcare Epidemiology of America, and a member of the American College of Epidemiology.

1968 – 2017 Recipients
2017
Distinguished Alumni Award in Research & Education: Patrick Loehrer, MD ‘78, GME ‘81
Distinguised Alumni Award in Leadership, Service and Innovation: Kathleen Shannon, MD ‘81, GME ‘82 & ‘87
Distinguished Alumni Award in Clinical Excellence: Marc Silver, MD ‘79, GME ‘82 & ‘87
Campbell Award Alumni Service: Robert DeCresce, MD
2015
Distinguished Alumni Award Recipient: Christopher Goetz, MD ‘75, GME
2013
Distinguished Alumni Award Recipient: Ian Lipkin, MD ‘78
Campbell Award Alumni Service: Tony Kotin, MD ‘77
2011
Distinguished Alumni Award Recipient: Linda Fried, MD ‘79
Campbell Award Alumni Service: David Hines, MD ‘81
2009
Distinguished Alumni Award Recipient: Stephen L. Ondra, MD ‘84
Campbell Award Alumni Service: Catherine B. Groteleuschen, MD ‘80
2007
Distinguished Alumni Award Recipient: Julie Ann Freischlag, MD ‘80
Campbell Award Alumni Service: Rush One Graduates, MD ‘42
2005
Distinguished Alumni Award Recipient: Glen O. Gabbard, MD ‘75
Campbell Award Alumni Service: Liza Pilch, MD ‘94
2003
Distinguished Alumni Award Recipient: Linda Brubaker, MD ‘84
Campbell Award Alumni Service: Harold A. Paul, MD
2002
Distinguished Alumni Award Recipient: Thomas Bleck, MD ‘77
Campbell Award Alumni Service: Paul J. Jones, MD ‘83
2001
Distinguished Alumni Award Recipient: Melody Cobleigh, MD ‘76
Campbell Award Alumni Service: Jan Schmidt, MD
2000
Distinguished Alumni Award Recipient: Steve Gitelis, MD ‘75
Campbell Award Alumni Service: Stuart W. Campbell, MD
1999
Distinguished Alumni Award Recipient: Myron S. Cohen, MD ‘74
Campbell Award Alumni Service: George H. Handy, MD ‘42
1998
Distinguished Alumni Award Recipient: Thomas A. Deutsch, MD ‘79
Campbell Award Alumni Service: Henry I. Danko, MD ‘76
1997
Distinguished Alumni Award Recipient: Louis Wasserman, MD ‘36
Campbell Award Alumni Service: Karen Weinstein, MD ‘83
Campbell Award Alumni Service: William Harrison, MD
Campbell Award Alumni Service: Irene Turner, MD
1996
Distinguished Alumni Award Recipient: Kate H. Kohn, MD ‘35
Campbell Award Alumni Service: Erich E. Brueschke, MD
Campbell Award Alumni Service: Edward J. Ekenfels, MD
1995
Distinguished Alumni Award Recipient: G. Howard Gottschalk, MD ‘40
Campbell Award Alumni Service: Steven D. Bines, MD ‘78
Campbell Award Alumni Service: Leo M. Henihoff, MD
Campbell Award Alumni Service: Viki J. Woodward, MD
1994
Distinguished Alumni Award Recipient: Harold A. Kessler, MD ‘74
Campbell Award Alumni Service: Harold A. Paul, MD
1993
Distinguished Alumni Award Recipient: Harold Laufman, MD, PhD ‘37
Campbell Award Alumni Service: Isaac E. Michael, MD ‘42
Campbell Award Alumni Service: John A. Schaffner, MD ‘74
Campbell Award Alumni Service: Alexander Templeton, MD
1992
Distinguished Alumni Award Recipient: Elena Boder, MD ‘32
Campbell Award Alumni Service: Larry J. Goodman, MD
Campbell Award Alumni Service: Stuart Levin, MD
1991
Distinguished Alumni Award Recipient: Robert J. Hasterlik, MD ‘38
Campbell Award Alumni Service: R. Kennedy Gilchrist, MD ‘31
Campbell Award Alumni Service: Harold A. Kessler, MD ‘74
1990
Distinguished Alumni Award Recipient: Vida H. Gordon, MD ‘34
Campbell Award Alumni Service: Thomas A. Deutch, MD ‘79
Campbell Award Alumni Service: William F. Hejna, MD
Campbell Award Alumni Service: Paul J. Jones, MD ‘83
1989
Distinguished Alumni Award Recipient: Arthur M. Olsen, MD
Campbell Award Alumni Service: Sheldon Garber, MD
Campbell Award Alumni Service: Richard E. Melcher, MD ‘75
1988
Distinguished Alumni Award Recipient: Ralph B. Cloward, MD ‘35
Campbell Award Alumni Service: Steven G. Economou, MD
Campbell Award Alumni Service: Janet Kinney, MD
Campbell Award Alumni Service: Henry P. Russe, MD
Campbell Award Alumni Service: Ronald S. Weinstein, MD
1987
Distinguished Alumni Award Recipient: Leonidas H. Berry, MD
Campbell Award Alumni Service: Hans W. Lawrence, MD ‘27
Campbell Award Alumni Service: R. Joseph Olk, MD ‘75
1986
Distinguished Alumni Award Recipient: Edwin H. Lennette, MD ‘36
Campbell Award Alumni Service: Stanton A. Friedberg, MD ‘34
Campbell Award Alumni Service: John S. Graettinger, MD
Campbell Award Alumni Service: Ronald D. Nelson, MD ‘74
1985
Distinguished Alumni Award Recipient: Samuel G. Taylor III, MD ‘32
Campbell Award Alumni Service: R. Gordon Brown, MD ‘39
Campbell Award Alumni Service: James W. Merricks, MD ‘34
Campbell Award Alumni Service: Stanley E. Monroe, MD ‘36
1984
Distinguished Alumni Award Recipient: Henry L. Kaplan,  MD ‘37
Campbell Award Alumni Service: Federic A. de Peyster, MD ‘40
Campbell Award Alumni Service: Steven Gitelis, MD ‘75
Campbell Award Alumni Service: Helen Holt, MD ‘34
Campbell Award Alumni Service: Mark H. Lepper, MD
1983
Distinguished Alumni Award Recipient: Mila I. Pierce Rhoads, MD ‘25
1982
Distinguished Alumni Award Recipient: Stanton A Friedberg, MD ‘34
1981 
Distinguished Alumni Award Recipient: David Carl Dahlin, MD ‘40
1980
Distinguished Alumni Award Recipient: Walter L. Palmer, MD ‘22
1979
Distinguished Alumni Award Recipient: Paul S. Rhoads, MD ‘25
1978
Distinguished Alumni Award Recipient: Calrence W. Monroe, MD ‘33
1977
Distinguished Alumni Award Recipient: Beatrice E. Tucker, MD ‘22
1976
Distinguished Alumni Award Recipient: Jay J. Carne, MD ‘20
1975
Distinguished Alumni Award Recipient: Thomas C. Galloway, MD ‘12
1974
Distinguished Alumni Award Recipient: Kennedy R. Gilchrist, MD ‘31
1973
Distinguished Alumni Award Recipient: Harold F. Schuknecht, MD ‘40
1972
Distinguished Alumni Award Recipient: Ralph W. Gerard, MD ‘25
1971
Distinguished Alumni Award Recipient: Waltman Walters, MD ‘22
1970
Distinguished Alumni Award Recipient: J. Arnold Bargen, MD ‘22
1969
Distinguished Alumni Award Recipient: Frank B. Kelly Sr., MD ‘39
1968
Distinguished Alumni Award Recipient: Lester R. Dragstedt, MD ‘21