Howard J. Dworkin, MD Receives Central Chapter’s Distinguished Service Award

Helena R. Balon and Howard J. Dworkin, M.D.

Howard J. Dworkin, MD receives Gold Medal from CCSNM President Helena R. Balon, MD.

Howard J. Dworkin, MD, long time director of the Nuclear Medicine Department at the William Beaumont Hospitals in Royal Oak, Michigan received the Distinguished Service Award or Gold Medal at the 2007 CCSNM Meeting in recognition to his dedicated service to organized nuclear medicine.

In 2005 the leadership of the Central Chapter decided to honor a Chapter member for exceptional service to the Chapter and to nuclear medicine with a Distinguished Service Award or Gold Medal. This award is named after Dr Steven Pinsky, past President of the Central Chapter and former Chairman of Radiology at the University of Illinois. Dr Pinsky passed away in 2004.

Dr. Dworkin graduated from Med School in Albany NY and trained as an internist in Rochester, NY followed by a nuclear medicine fellowship at the University of Michigan in Ann Arbor. He briefly headed the Nuclear Medicine Department at Princess Margaret Hospital in Toronto and at the National Naval Medical Center in Bethesda, MD, before becoming the founding Director of the Nuclear Medicine Department at William Beaumont Hospital, Royal Oak, MI in 1969. He held this position for over 33 years.

Throughout his entire career, he has been active in many professional organizations. He held many offices, including Central Chapter President 1976-77, American College of Nuclear Physicians President in 1978-79, offices at SNM, including President in 1986-87. He was Chairman of ACCME (Accreditation Council for Continuing Medical Education), and was actively involved at many other national Boards and organizations, including ABNM, ABMS, ACGME, JRCNMT, ACME, (where he is still active). He is a Fellow of the American College of Nuclear Physicians and American College of Physicians. Doctor Dworkin has always been a model professional society servant and an enthusiastic educator and a supportive mentor.

He was Program Director of the Nuclear Medicine residency and the School of Nuclear Medicine Technology at William Beaumont Hospital. He has been a true pioneer since the early days of NM and RIA laboratories. He built a 1st class department ‘from scratch’ and trained generations of nuclear physicians and technologists. He contributed numerous scientific articles and book chapters, as well. The Central Chapter Distinguished Service Award is a well-deserved honor for Dr Dworkin’s lifetime achievements and contributions to the field of nuclear medicine.

The 1st gold medal was given to Renae Henkin, past Executive Director of the Chapter, who passed away prematurely just a few months ago (see article elsewhere in this issue). The 2nd gold medal was given to Dr James J. Conway last year.