Professor Wins Distinguished Educator Award

Fred is called a ‘national treasure in medical education’

Herbert L. Fred, M.D., professor of internal medicine at The University of Texas Medical School at Houston, has won the statewide TIAACREF Distinguished Medical Educator Award.

Herbert L. Fred, M.D.

Fred was formally honored at a June 20 award ceremony. He has received at least one teaching award every year, over 50 years as a full-time medical educator.

“Dr. Fred is a national treasure in medical education,” said Michael Speer, M.D., chairman of the award steering committee. “For five decades, he has taught excellence in patient care, focusing on compassion for the patient and the appropriate use of the newest techniques for diagnosis and management. He exemplifies the finest qualities of a distinguished medical educator.”

In 2002 Fred’s former trainees established The Herb Fred Medical Society Inc. to honor his bedside medical education. More than 100 former students are now members, including a chancellor, a health science center president, three deans, two chairs of medicine and nine division chiefs. The TIAA-CREF Distinguished Medical Educator Award, founded by TIAA-CREF and supported by the John P. McGovern Museum of Health & Medical Science, is given annually to honor teaching health care professionals for their outstanding work, significant contributions and exceptional influence in medical education.

It carries a $10,000 honorarium from TIAACREF. In addition, 20 scholarships for underprivileged youths to attend the museum’s Mini-Medical School Summer Camp will be given in Fred’s name.

The steering committee selected to govern the award and to evaluate nominations was composed of leading medical professionals from the Baylor College of Medicine, the Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center, the UT Health Science Center at Houston, the UT Southwestern Medical Center at Dallas, Texas Children’s Hospital, the UT School of Nursing at Houston and the UT Medical Branch School of Nursing at Galveston.

TIAA-CREF is a national financial services group of companies and a provider of retirement services in the academic, research, medical and cultural fields.