Mayo Clinic Distinguished Alumni Award
The Mayo Clinic Distinguished Alumni Award was established in 1981 by the Mayo Clinic Board of Trustees to acknowledge and show appreciation for the exceptional contributions of Mayo alumni to the field of medicine, including medical practice, research, education, and administration. Individuals receiving this award are recognized nationally — and often internationally — in their field.
Selection criteria
Nominees should be Alumni of Mayo Clinic who:
- Achieved national or international peer recognition of accomplishments in education, research, clinical practice or administration
- Published in significant scientific discovery and publications
- Reached leadership in his or her field
- Demonstrated professional and personal integrity
- Community service involvement
- Able to attend the Mayo Clinic Distinguished Alumni Award dinner (held annually, typically in October)
*Mayo Clinic staff who are members of the Mayo Clinic Alumni Association are ineligible unless retired or 70 years of age or older.
Nominate
A Mayo Clinic Alumni Association member may nominate one candidate each year for the Mayo Clinic Distinguished Alumni Award. Previously nominated candidates may be nominated again. Nominations must include the following:
- Completed nomination form
- Nomination deadline: March 1, 2025
- Nomination letter summarizing the nominee’s attributes and accomplishments
- Nominee’s curriculum vitae and bibliography
- Letters of recommendation from Mayo alumni or other individuals (at least three and no more than five letters)
Mayo Clinic Distinguished Alumni Award recipients
*Denotes deceased as of August 27, 2024
2024
Clifford Jack Jr., M.D. (RHEU ’84)
Rochester, Minnesota
Nita Maihle, Ph.D. (BMB ’89)
Augusta, Georgia
Alexandre Nehme, M.D. (ORAL ’04)
Beruit, Lebanon
Rick Nishimura, M.D. (I ’80, CV ’83)
Rochester, Minnesota
Kerry Olsen, M.D. (MED ’76, ENT ’81)
Rochester, Minnesota
Robert Wharen Jr., M.D. (S ’80, NS ’85)
Ponte Vedra Beach, Florida
2023
Stephen S. Burkhart, M.D. (OR ’81)
Boerne, Texas
Mary F. Burritt, M.D. (PATH ’78)
Fountain Hills, Arizona
Gerald J. Gleich, M.D. (IMM ’65)
Salt Lake City, Utah
Morey W. Haymond, M.D. (PD ’78)
Eden, Utah
Celestia S. Higano, M.D. (I ’82)
Seattle, Washington
Ronald C. Petersen, M.D., Ph.D. (MED ’80, N ’84)
Rochester, Minnesota
2022
Sir John Hardy, Ph.D. (PHAR ’96)
London, England
Nicholas F. LaRusso, M.D. (I ’72, GI ’75)
Rochester, Minnesota
David G. Piepgras, M.D. (NS ’74)
Rochester, Minnesota
Ann Stroink, M.D. (NS ’85)
Bloomington, Illinois
Misael Uribe Esquivel, M.D. (GI ’76)
Mexico City, Mexico
Zbigniew K. Wszolek, M.D. (EEMG ’91)
Jacksonville, Florida
2021
John Burnett Jr., M.D. (I ’78, CV ’82)
Rochester, Minnesota
Christopher Chute, M.D., Dr.P.H. (EPID ’88)
Baltimore, Maryland
Richard Hurt, M.D. (I ’76)
Rochester, Minnesota
Atul Malhotra, M.D. (I ’96)
San Diego, California
Francisco Puga, M.D. (S ’73, TS ’75)
San Antonio, Texas
Carole Warnes, M.D. (CV ’88)
Rochester, Minnesota
2020
Miguel Cabanela, M.D. (OR ’73)
Rochester, Minnesota
John Cooke, M.D., Ph.D. (I ’82, CV ’84, PHYS ’85, CV ’87)
Houston, Texas
David Holmes Jr., M.D. (I ’74, CV ’76)
Rochester, Minnesota
Edward Laws Jr., M.D. (NS ’72)
Boston, Massachusetts
Robert Rizza, M.D. (ENDO ’80)
Rochester, Minnesota
Nicholas Talley, M.D., Ph.D. (GI ’89)
New Lambton, Australia
2019
S. Ann Colbourne, M.D. (I ’93, ADGM ’94)
Edmonton, Alberta, Canada
Timothy O’Brien, M.D., Ph.D. (ENDO ’93)
Galway, Ireland
Franklyn Prendergast, M.D., Ph.D. (BIOC ’77)
Broomfield, Colorado
Patricia Simmons, M.D. (PD ’80, PDE ’82)
Lakewood, Washington
Joseph Szurszewski, Ph.D. (PHYS ’73)
Rochester, Minnesota
Enrique Wolpert, M.D. (GI ’69)
Mexico City, Mexico
2018
Robert Avant, M.D. (FM ’77)
Bonita Springs, Florida
C. Terrence Dolan, M.D. (M ’68, PATH ’68)
Tulsa, Oklahoma
Judith Kaur, M.D. (ONCL ’94)
Jacksonville, Florida
Vanda Lennon, M.D., Ph.D. (N ’78)
Rochester, Minnesota
Chung Owyang, M.D. (GI ’78)
Ann Arbor, Michigan
2017
Stephen Challacombe, Ph.D. (IMM ’79)
London, England
Donald Greydanus, M.D. (S ’74, PD ’76)
Kalamazoo, Michigan
Robert Nirschl, M.D. (OR ’63)
Arlington, Virginia
Thomas Spelsberg, Ph.D. (BIOC ’73)
Waunakee, Wisconsin
Robert Waller, M.D. (I ’67, OPH ’70)
Memphis, Tennessee
2016
Kai-Nan An, Ph.D. (BIOM ’75)
Rochester, Minnesota
Albert Czaja, M.D. (GI ’77)
Rochester, Minnesota
James Eisenach, M.D. (ANES ‘85)
Winston-Salem, North Carolina
David Feliciano, M.D. (S ‘71)
Indianapolis, Indiana
2015
C. Garrison Fathman, M.D. (IMM ’77)
Stanford, California
Bernard Gersh, M.B., Ch.B., D. Phil. (CV ’79)
Rochester, Minnesota
Audrey Nelson, M.D. (I ’69, RHEU ’71)
Rochester, Minnesota
Kristina Rother, M.D. (PD ’88, PED ’94)
Bethesda, Maryland
2014
E. Rolland Dickson, M.D. (I ’64)*
Rochester, Minnesota
Brian G. M. Durie, M.D. (I ’70, HEM ’72)
West Hollywood, California
K. Krishnan Unni, M.D. (PATH ’70, SGPA ’74)
Milwaukee, Wisconsin
Richard M. Weinshilboum, M.D. (PHAR ’72)
Rochester, Minnesota
2013
Stephen Carmichael, Ph.D., D.Sc. (ANAT ‘82)
Rochester, Minnesota
Richard DeRemee, M.D. (I ‘66)
Rochester, Minnesota
Olaf Paulson, M.D., DMSc (N ‘73)
Copenhagen, Denmark
2012
Eugene P. DiMagno, M.D. (I ’68, GI ‘70)
Rochester, Minnesota
Thomas F. Luscher, M.D. (PHYS ‘84)
Zurich, Switzerland
Robert G. Siekert, M.D. (N ‘50)*
Rochester, Minnesota
Cornelia Weyand, M.D. (RHEU ‘91)
Palo Alto, California
2011
Richard F. Brubaker, M.D. (OPH ’70)*
Rochester, Minnesota
Gene G. Hunder, M.D. (RHEU ’64)
Rochester, Minnesota
Keith A. Kelly, M.D. (PHYS ’67, S ’68)*
Rochester, Minnesota
Guillermo Ruiz- Argüelles, M.D. (HEM ’83)
Puebla, México
2010
David E. Clapham, M.D., Ph.D. (PHAR ‘87)
Boston, Massachusetts
Eugene B. Kern, M.D. (ENT ’68)
Rochester, Minnesota
Bernard F. Morrey, M.D. (S ’72, OR ‘76)
Rochester, Minnesota
John D. Stobo, M.D. (IMM ‘73)
Oakland, California
2009
Franklyn G. Knox, M.D., Ph. D. (PHYS ‘71)
Rochester, Minnesota
Irwin J. Schatz, M.D. (I ‘61)*
Honolulu, Hawaii
Sheldon G. Sheps, M.D. (I ‘58)
Rochester, Minnesota
Jon A. van Heerden, M.B., Ch.B. (S ‘70)
Seabrook, South Carolina
2008
Andrew G. Engel, M.D. (I ’61, N ‘62)
Rochester, Minnesota
Roland W. Moskowitz, M.D. (I ‘60)*
Beachwood, Ohio
Peter C. Pairolero, M.D. (S ’71, TS ‘74)
Rochester, Minnesota
Robert B. Wallace, M.D. (CS ‘64)
McLean, Virginia
2007
John Braasch, M.D., Ph.D. (S ‘55)
Lincoln, Massachusetts
Peter Dyck, M.D. (N ‘60)
Rochester, Minnesota
Robert Frye, M.D. (CV ‘62)
Rochester, Minnesota
Paul Vanhoutte, M.D., Ph.D. (PHYS ‘69)
Hong Kong, China
2006
Hubert G.W. Frohmüller, M.D., M.S. (U ‘63)*
Würzburg, Germany
Robert E. Hyatt, M.D. (PHYS ’62)*
Rochester, Minnesota
Philip R. Lee, M.D. (I ‘55)*
Palo Alto, California
2005
Sir Brian G. Barratt-Boyes, M.D. (S ‘55)*
Milford, New Zealand
Robert A. Kyle, M.D. (I ‘59)
Rochester, Minnesota
Richard K. Winkelmann, M.D., Ph.D. (DERM ‘55)*
Fountain Hills, Arizona
2004
Howard A. Andersen, M.D. (S ‘49, I ‘51)*
Rochester, Minnesota
Edmund Y.S. Chao, Ph.D. (ORR ‘72)
Catonsville, Maryland
Kenneth G. Mann, Ph.D. (HEM ‘72)
Grand Isle, Vermont
2003
Francis J. Haddy, M.D., Ph.D. (I ‘51)*
Rochester, Minnesota
Gertrude M. Tyce, Ph.D. (BIOC ‘63)*
Rochester, Minnesota
Jack P. Whisnant, M.D. (I ‘53, N ‘55)*
Rochester, Minnesota
2002
Valentin Fuster, M.D., Ph.D. (I ‘72, CV ‘74)
New York, New York
Vay Liang W. Go, M.D. (I ‘67, GI ‘71)
Los Angeles, California
Kai Rehder, M.D. (I ‘58, ANES ‘60, PHYS ’61)
Vail, Colorado
2001
Robert W.M. Frater, M.B., Ch.B. (S ‘59, TS ‘61)
Bronxville, New York
Alan F. Hofmann, M.D. (GI ‘66)
La Jolla, California
John W. Joyce, M.D. (I ‘63)
Rochester, Minnesota
B. Lawrence Riggs, M.D. (I ‘62)
Rochester, Minnesota
2000
Suzanne T. Ildstad, M.D. (MED ‘78)
Louisville, Kentucky
William H. ReMine Jr., M.D. (S ‘45)*
Ponte Vedra Beach, Florida
John A. Washington II, M.D. (M ‘68)*
Cleveland, Ohio
1999
Donato Alarcón-Segovia, M.D., M.S. (RHEU ’65)*
Mexico City, Mexico
Leonard T. Kurland, M.D., Ph.D. (N ‘53)*
Rochester, Minnesota
John E. Woods, M.D., Ph.D. (S ’66, PLS ‘68)*
Rochester, Minnesota
1998
Shahbudin H. Rahimtoola, M.B. (PHYS ‘66)*
Los Angeles, California
Edward C. Rosenow III, M.D. (I ’65)
Rochester, Minnesota
Robert J. White, M.D., Ph.D. (NS ‘58)*
Cleveland, Ohio
1997
Arnold S. Anderson Jr., M.D. (PD ‘50)*
Scandia, Minnesota
John R. Blinks, M.D. (PHAR ‘68)*
Friday Harbor, Washington
Richard J. Reitemeier, M.D. (I ‘54)*
Rochester, Minnesota
1996
E.J. Walter Bowie, M.D. (I ‘61)*
Rochester, Minnesota
Juan Ramon de la Fuente, M.D. (P ‘80)
Mexico City, Mexico
Alexander J. Walt, M.D. (S ‘56)*
Huntington Woods, Michigan
1995
Hugh R. Butt, M.D. (I ‘36)*
Rochester, Minnesota
Harold O. Perry, M.D. (DERM ‘52)*
Rochester, Minnesota
1994
Martin A. Adson, M.D. (S ‘55)*
Rochester, Minnesota
Robert J. Ryan, M.D. (BIOC ‘67)*
Rochester, Minnesota
Harold J. C. Swan, M.D. (PHYS ‘51)*
Beverly Hills, California
1993
Norman L. Browse, M.D. (S ‘65)*
London, England
Howard B. Burchell, M.D. (I ‘40)*
St. Paul, Minnesota
Edward D. Henderson, M.D. (OR ‘50)*
Rochester, Minnesota
1992
William M. Manger, M.D., Ph.D. (I ‘55)*
New York City, New York
Vernon R. Mattox, Ph.D. (BIOC ‘42)*
Rochester, Minnesota
Ross H. Miller, M.D. (NS ‘54)*
Hilton Head Island, South Carolina
1991
James C. Hunt, M.D. (I ‘58)*
Memphis, Tennessee
Robert W. Jamplis, M.D. (TS ‘52)*
Palo Alto, California
1990
Kenneth G. Berge, M.D. (I ‘55)*
Rochester, Minnesota
H. Corwin Hinshaw, Ph.D., M.D. (I ‘36)*
Belvedere, California
Edward H. Lambert, M.D. (PHYS ‘43)*
Rochester, Minnesota
1989
Charles A. Owen Jr., M.D. (I ‘50)*
Rochester, Minnesota
John P. Utz, M.D. (I ‘52)*
Washington, D.C.
1988
Hillier L. Baker, M.D. (R ‘53)*
Rochester, Minnesota
Crowell Beard, M.D. (OPH ‘43)*
Redwood City, California
1987
Jesse E. Edwards, M.D. (PATH ‘46)*
St. Paul, Minnesota
Collin S. MacCarty, M.D. (NS ‘44)*
Rochester, Minnesota
1986
Oliver H. Beahrs, M.D. (S ‘50)*
Rochester, Minnesota
Charles C. Edwards, M.D. (CRS ’54, S ‘56)*
La Jolla, California
1985
Mark B. Coventry, M.D. (S ’39, OR ‘42)*
Rochester, Minnesota
F. Henry Ellis Jr., M.D. (TS ‘53)*
Burlington, Massachusetts
John T. Shepherd, M.D. (PHYS ‘54)*
Rochester, Minnesota
1984
Griff T. Ross, M.D., Ph.D. (I ‘59)*
Houston, Texas
Earl H. Wood, M.D., Ph.D. (PHYS ‘42)*
Rochester, Minnesota
1983
Shervert H. Frazier Jr., M.D. (P ‘55)*
Concord, Minnesota
L. Emmerson Ward, M.D. (I ‘50)*
Rochester, Minnesota
1982
David C. Dahlin, M.D. (PATH ‘47)*
Rochester, Minnesota
Thomas W. McElin, M.D. (OBG ‘50)*
Chicago, Illinois
1981
John W. Kirklin, M.D. (S ‘50)*
Birmingham, Alabama
Dwight C. McGoon, M.D. (S ‘57)*
Rochester, Minnesota