Bill Roberts, MD, MS, Inducted into 2020 Academy for Excellence in Clinical Practice

In December 2020, Bill Roberts, MD, MS, was selected for membership in the Academy for Excellence in Clinical Practice. This Academy is intended to serve as the highest recognition of excellence in the practice or provision of clinical care by faculty. Those selected have demonstrated their ability to deliver the highest level of clinical care through innovative techniques and demonstrate the highest level of ethics and professionalism throughout their career.

Dr. Roberts brings new meaning to being actively engaged in delivering high-quality care. He has tirelessly devoted nearly 40 years to both teaching and clinical practice as an adjunct clinical faculty (1982-2002) and faculty physician since 2003 with the University of Minnesota. During that time, he has established himself as a highly renowned and sought-after clinician in family and sports medicine. He has provided medical care as team physician for Johnson High School in St. Paul for nearly 15 years and for Team USA Minnesota (long-distance running, post-college Olympic development team) for over 20 years. Dr. Roberts is a devoted mentor as well, having mentored upwards of 60 pre-med students with a goal of fostering and nurturing his future colleagues' interest in medicine.

"So many families in our community and beyond have benefited — and continue to benefit — from Dr. Roberts' superior patient care," said Angela Smithson, MD. "They seek him out because he deeply understands longitudinal care. He also views every patient as an athlete. When he is guiding a patient through cancer therapy, for example, he works with them on how to stay active. We are so fortunate to have him among our practitioners, not only for his sports medicine expertise but because he is just simply an immensely talented family medicine physician."

His patients adore him and value him, as evidenced in a card he received from one of his long-time sports medicine patients: "Thank you so much for your support throughout my career as a member of Team USA Minnesota. I came here in 2001 wanting to become a national champion and USA Olympian. With your support, I was able to reach these goals."

"He is someone I am honored to call a colleague and a friend," said Jim Pacala, MD, MS. "Like few others, he has dedicated his life to the University of Minnesota Medical School, to his patients, to the field of sports medicine, and to the practice of family medicine."