Dmitry Oleynikov, M.D., an expert in the field of minimally invasive surgery at UNMC, is the first recipient of the Joseph and Richard Still Faculty Fellowship in Medicine. 
The $200,000 endowed fellowship was established at the University of Nebraska Foundation with a gift from Claire Still of Laguna Woods, Calif., in memory of her brothers, Joseph and Richard Still, both graduates of the UNMC College of Medicine.
James O. Armitage, M.D., dean of the UNMC College of Medicine, said Dr. Oleynikov is an outstanding faculty member and especially deserving of this award.
“Dr. Oleynikov is part of a rapidly developing field of surgery, which holds great promise as one of the most innovative areas in medicine,” said Dr. Armitage. “Minimally invasive surgery will have a major impact in shaping the future of surgical practice, and its promise for patient care is extraordinary.”
His background
Dr. Oleynikov is assistant professor of surgery and director of education and training for the Minimally Invasive and Computer Assisted Surgery Initiative. His responsibilities include educating UNMC physicians and others throughout Nebraska about the advantages of minimally invasive surgery and teaching videoendoscopic surgery techniques.
Before coming to UNMC in 2001, Dr. Oleynikov was acting instructor and senior fellow at the Center for Videoendoscopic Surgery at the University of Washington Medical Center.
Remembering the Stills
“It’s a great pleasure to establish the Still Faculty Fellowship in honor of my brothers and to learn of Dr. Oleynikov’s appointment,” said Claire Still, a 1938 graduate of the University of Nebraska-Lincoln. “My brothers would be pleased with the great advancements and improvements in the field of medicine since their graduation. It is hoped that this award will honor their memory, in the great tradition and history of the medical school.”
Joseph Still graduated from UNMC in 1936 and later taught at George Washington Medical School in Washington, D.C. He later moved to Pasadena, Calif., to practice public health, focusing on preventive medicine in geriatrics. He died May 14, 1987.
Richard Still received a bachelor’s degree at UNL in 1931 and graduated from UNMC in 1938. He practiced surgery and family medicine in Pacific Grove, Calif. He died April 22, 1982.
Both men served in the U.S. Medical Corps during World War II before returning to their medical practices.
Claire Still is a retired medical librarian and longtime supporter of the University of Nebraska. In addition to the memorial fellowship, she has also given to the Archives and Special Collections Department of the UNL Libraries.