Eight UMN Medical School Alumni Honored

Eight University of Minnesota Medical School alumni were for their contributions to the medical profession at the Medical School Alumni Awards Banquet on Thursday, October 12, at the University of Minnesota’s McNamara Alumni Center.
 
The University of Minnesota Medical Alumni Society presented these alumni with the following awards:
 
The Harold S. Diehl Award is granted to individuals who have made outstanding contributions to the University of Minnesota Medical School, the University as a whole and the community. It was established in honor of the Medical School’s fifth dean, Harold Sheely Diehl, M.D.
 
Robert J. Bache, M.D.
Bache is one of the world’s premier investigators of coronary artery physiology and cardiac metabolism. He completed his residency in internal medicine at the University in 1967 and later established a robust research program involving cardiac physiology and nuclear magnetic resonance laboratories at the University—highly innovative at the time. Quiet and calm in nature and a favorite educator among medical students, Bache is recognized by colleagues for his intellectual integrity, problem-solving prowess and generous mentorship.
 
Richard L. Lindstrom, M.D.
Considered one of the foremost ophthalmologists in the world, Lindstrom holds more than 40 patents and has developed corneal preservation solutions, intraocular lenses and ophthalmic instruments that are used today in clinical practices around the globe. Though Lindstrom left academic medicine for private practice in 2003, the Class of 1972 Medical School alumnus and 1978 resident alumnus speaks like a proud parent about the fellows he has trained over the years and their accomplishments.
 
Martin J. Stillman, M.D., J.D.
A 1997 Medical School and 1993 Law School alumnus, Stillman remains an active and compassionate clinician as well as an award-winning teacher of law and medicine. Since 2005, he has given generously of his time and talents as president of the Medical Alumni Society. Along with being a national educator on mediating conflict within health care, Stillman employs his leadership and mediation skills as Hennepin County Medical Center’s Mediation and Conflict Resolution Officer.
 
The Distinguished Alumni Award recognizes University of Minnesota Medical School alumni who have made outstanding contributions to their communities—at the local, regional, or national level—through medical practice, teaching, research or other humanitarian activities.


Peter B. Bach, M.D.
Bach is recognized for his renowned body of research on health care delivery and economics, including racial disparities, screening imaging studies, and skyrocketing drug costs. A member of the Medical School Class of 1992 and a sought-out expert source for the media, Bach has played a major role in shaping national public debate on these topics. His new research aligns drug prices with their “value,” determined by clinical efficacy, and has shown a weak correlation between the two.

Joia S. Mukherjee, M.D., M.P.H.
Mukherjee is an international force for good as she works to strengthen health systems in resource-poor settings, focusing on those facing AIDS and tuberculosis epidemics. An alumna of the Medical School Class of 1992 and chief medical officer for Partners in Health, Mukherjee has helped to develop delivery systems that provide care to those who otherwise would not have access to it . She also has helped to develop  educational systems that allow societies to populate, maintain and adapt their own systems more independently. 

Paul A. Volberding, M.D.
One of the world’s foremost experts on HIV/AIDS, Volberding cocreated the “San Francisco model” of patient care in the earliest days of the epidemic—a model that has been widely replicated worldwide. A 1975 Medical School alumnus known for his wisdom and grace, Volberding also founded the world’s first dedicated AIDS clinic and inpatient ward and has been at the forefront of establishing and advocating for HIV/AIDS policy at the local, national and international levels. He now directs the AIDS Research Institute at the University of California San Francisco.

Early Distinguished Career Alumni Award

The Early Distinguished Career Alumni Award is given to a physician for exceptional accomplishments within 15 years of graduating from or completing his or her residency at the University of Minnesota Medical School.

Erin E. Krebs, M.D., M.P.H.
A member of the Medical School Class of 2000 and residency class of 2003, Krebs leads high-stakes research on treating chronic pain with opioid medications versus nonopioid alternatives. She is a core investigator at the Center for Chronic Disease Outcomes Research and medical director of women’s health for the Minneapolis VA Health Care System and has served on several national panels addressing chronic pain management. Colleagues know Krebs for her enthusiasm, open-mindedness and willingness to help find solutions. 

Michael D. Miedema, M.D., M.P.H.
Miedema, a 2005 Medical School alumnus, already has earned international recognition for his work in the field of preventive cardiology. A senior consulting cardiologist at the Minneapolis Heart Institute and a clinical investigator at the Minneapolis Heart Institute Foundation, Miedema demonstrates his passion by speaking to community groups about heart disease prevention and heart-healthy habits on his personal time. Colleagues describe him as humble, knowledgeable and compassionate toward his patients.

The Medical Alumni Society (MAS) serves as a link between the University of Minnesota Medical School and its alumni. It is a constituent of the University of Minnesota Alumni Association. Learn more at med.umn.edu/alumni.