Dr. Thomas R. Martin, professor of medicine in the Division of Pulmonary and Critical Care Medicine, has been appointed vice chair of the UW Department of Medicine and chief of the Medicine Service at Veterans Affairs Puget Sound Health Care System. At the VA, he is also manager of the primary and specialty medical medical care service line. Martin came to the UW as an intern in 1973 after graduating from the University of Pennsylvania Medical School. After residency, he completed a fellowship in pulmonary and critical care medicine in 1980 and has been a faculty member since then. His research focuses on mechanisms of inflammation and injury in the lungs. He is associate editor of the American Journal of Respiratory and Critical Care Medicine and is slated to be president of the American Thoracic Society in 2002.

Dr. Richard P. Frank, professor of prosthodontics in the School of Dentistry, recently received the Giddon Award for Distinguished Research in Behavioral Sciences from the International Association of Dental Research. The award is given annually by the Behavioral Sciences and Health Services Research Group of the IADR to recognize a single research paper published that year in fields of behavioral sciences as applied to dentistry. Frank has been a faculty member in the UW School of Dentistry since 1972 and was chair of the Department of Prosthodontics from 1989 to 1995.

Dr. William O. Robertson, professor of pediatrics and a past president of the Washington State Medical Association, is one of the panelists for a City Club luncheon forum June 1 on “Can Our Health Care System Be Fixed? The State of the Washington Health Care Industry.” Jean Enerson of KING TV will be the moderator. The forum costs $35 for non-members; call (206) 682-7395 by May 26 to register.

Dr. Noel Chrisman, professor of psychosocial and community health in the School of Nursing, has been named president-elect of the Society for Applied Anthropology. The 2,500-member international society was founded in 1941 to promote invesitgation of the prinicples of human behavior and application of these principles to contemporary issues and problems. Christman will take office as president at the annual meeting in March 2001 in Merida, Mexico.

Dr. Kevin O’Brien, associate professor of medicine in the Division of Cardiology, has been elected to become the next president of the American Federation for Medical Research. O’Brien recently completed a term as chair of the AFMR’s Western Section. The organization, established in 1940, includes nearly 4,000 scientists engaged in all areas of biomedical research. The group aims to promote understanding of recent advances in biomedical science, to facilitate the exchange of ideas and information, and to improve health by fostering medical research through public policy initiatives and educational programs.

UW Physicians (UWP) has given its 1999-2000 Annual Service Award to the faculty and staff of the Pioneer Square Clinic. The award recognizes the clinic’s distinguished service to patients in greater Seattle. Opened in 1971 to provide primary care to homeless or low-income patients, the clinic serves about 1,000 patients per month. Approximately 50 percent of the patients have no insurance, while 70 percent have been homeless at least once in a calendar year. Dr. Nancy Sugg, associate professor of medicine, directs the clinic. UWP is a medical group practice of about 800 physicians working at UW Medical Center, Harborview Medical Center, UW Physicians Network clinics, and other sites. ¶