UNMC will honor the inaugural director of the new White House Office of Pandemic Preparedness and Response Policy Dec. 15 at its Winter Commencement Ceremony. Degrees will be conferred upon approximately 400 students at the 7 p.m. ceremony at the University of Nebraska at Omaha’s Baxter Arena.
Maj. Gen. (ret.) Paul Friedrichs, MD, will be awarded an honorary Doctor of Science degree for high distinction in his service to our nation through the areas of science and medicine.
Dr. Friedrichs currently serves as deputy assistant to the president in addition to his role as pandemic preparedness and response policy director. He is tasked with advising the president and coordinating federal government efforts to enhance the United States and its partners’ ability to prepare for and respond to pandemics and other emergency biologic events.
He previously served as special assistant to the president and senior director for global health security and biodefense at the White House National Security Council.
This followed a decades-long career in the U.S. Air Force, which culminated in serving as the joint staff surgeon at the Pentagon. Dr. Friedrichs provided medical advice for the chairman of the joint chiefs of staff on Department of Defense operations and served as medical advisor to the Department of Defense COVID-19 Task Force. In this role, he coordinated all issues related to health services to include operational medicine, force health protection and readiness among the combatant commands, the Office of the Secretary of Defense and the services. He also served as U.S. representative to the NATO Committee of the Chiefs of Military Medical Services.
Dr. Friedrichs is an expert on major domestic and international responses to natural disasters and biologic outbreaks, on global health diplomacy and on health systems. As a clinician, he has cared for patients in combat and under austere conditions, including in Antarctica.
Dr. Friedrichs is an alumnus of Tulane University and of the National War College. He earned his MD from the Uniformed Services University and has earned numerous honors and medals, including the Bronze Star.
Dr. Friedrichs will conduct a Breakthrough Thinking Conference presentation titled “Rethinking Biopreparedness” at the medical center earlier in the day on Dec. 15.
The UNMC commencement ceremony will be livestreamed. Access the video link here.