Two prestigious national medical associations have awarded UNMC’s John Benson, M.D., top awards for his contributions to medicine.
Dr. Benson has received:
- The Association of American Medical Colleges’ (AAMC) Abraham Flexner Award for Distinguished Service to Medical Education; and
- The Institute of Medicine (IOM) has named a fellowship in honor of the UNMC internal medicine professor.
The Flexner award is named after Abraham Flexner, an American educator and author of the 1910 Flexner Report that reformed U.S. medical education.
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John Benson, M.D. |
Dr. Benson is known as the modern “father” of the American Board of Internal Medicine (ABIM). As the board’s first president, he helped establish examinations in nephrology, endocrinology and hematology, among others.
He also overhauled the certification system for internal medicine and stressed the recognition of humanism and professionalism as key attributes of certified internists.
In 1991, Dr. Benson, was elected into the IOM of the National Academy of Science. Active for 30 years with the ABIM and its first president, Dr. Benson is known for his influence in establishing clinical competencies for certifying physicians practicing internal medicine
His influence in requiring the demonstration of humanistic qualities came after the 1960s and 1970s when some felt that medicine was too focused on technology.
“There was a big focus on testing and imaging rather than talking to patients and listening,” Dr. Benson said. “We wanted to get physicians to demonstrate personal integrity, respect for patients and one another and compassion. I hope it turned things around a bit.”
The fellowship in his name was sponsored by the American Board of Internal Medicine (ABIM) Foundation and created to celebrate the IOM’s 35th anniversary. The fellowship enables talented, early career health science scholars to participate in the work of the IOM and further their careers as future leaders in the field. It comes with a research stipend of $25,000.