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ASA NEWSLETTER
 
 
August 1996
Volume 60
Number 8
 

Martin Helrich, M.D., to Receive ASA's Highest Honor

Wilson C. Wilhite, Jr., M.D., Chair
1995 Committee on Distinguished Service Award



The ASA 1995 Distinguished Service Award will be presented to Martin Helrich, M.D., during the ASA Annual Meeting in New Orleans, Louisiana, at the Emery A. Rovenstine Memorial Lecture on Monday, October 21, 1996.

The ASA Distinguished Service Award is the highest award bestowed by the Society on an anesthesiologist for meritorious service and achievement during a career in anesthesiology.

A native of New York, Dr. Helrich received his undergraduate degree from Dickinson College, Carlisle, Pennsylvania, and his M.D. degree from the University of Pennsylvania in 1946. He completed his anesthesiology residency in 1950 and a research fellowship in 1951 at New York University Bellevue Medical Center, New York, New York.

Dr. Helrich is Professor Emeritus, University of Maryland School of Medicine, Baltimore, Maryland, where his career spanned more than 30 years as Professor and Chair of the Department of Anesthesiology (1956-87). The competence and successes of the more than 300 anesthesiology residents who trained during his tenure were complemented by a prodigious research program. The esteem and respect of his colleagues are reflected by the naming of the Martin Helrich Chair and, more recently, the dedication of the school's anesthesia library in his name.

He recently completed his service as Executive Director of the Foundation for Anesthesia Education and Research (FAER), having served in that capacity from 1987 to 1995. His effectiveness in establishing important liaisons with industry, corporations, funding agencies and individuals were in large measure responsible for FAER's success in supporting and fostering many careers in anesthesiology. He retired in January 1995.

Among many other prestigious posts he held were his chairship of the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) Advisory Committee on Respiratory and Anesthetic Drugs (1970-74) and Consultant Medical Officer to the FDA (1986-88). He was a long-time Consultant to the National Naval Medical Center in Bethesda, Maryland; Veterans Administration Hospitals in Baltimore and Fort Howard, Maryland; Walter Reed Army Medical Center, Washington, D.C.; and U.S. Army Hospital, Fort Meade, Maryland.

Dr. Helrich was also active on the American Board of Anesthesiology, serving as a Director (1976-86), Assistant Secretary-Treasurer (1976-81), Secretary-Treasurer (1981-85) and President (1985-86), and adding greatly to the development of the specialty during that time. He served 12 years as a member of the Residency Review Committee for Anesthesiology, culminating in his chairship (1978-82).

It is for these lifelong achievements that ASA will appropriately confer upon Dr. Helrich its highest honor for distinguished service.

 


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