Tom Hazinski, M.D.
Research society renames award in honor of Hazinski
The late Tom Hazinski, M.D., was honored with the Society for Pediatric Research's (SPR) Distinguished Service Award at the Pediatric Academic Societies’ annual meeting in San Francisco earlier this month.
It was announced at the ceremony that the award would be renamed the Thomas A. Hazinski Distinguished Service Award.
The annual award was established to honor an individual who has provided exceptional and dedicated service to the society over an extended period of time.
His wife, Mary Fran Hazinski, R.N., M.S.N., clinical nurse specialist in Pediatric Emergency and Critical Care, accepted the award.
“It was a tremendous honor to accept the award acknowledging Tom's service to the SPR. He loved working with and admired the staff and members of the SPR. Tom felt that the society's mission is extremely important not only for the value of the research accomplished, but because he believed so strongly in the importance of mentoring the next generation of physician-scientists,” Hazinski said. “It is wonderful that the SPR Distinguished Service Award will now bear his name.”
The SPR encourages scientific investigation on topics that will benefit the health and wellbeing of children and focuses on providing opportunities for young investigators to present their work.
“Tom had unwavering devotion to promoting the success of the pediatric physician-scientist,” said Phil Shaul, M.D., president of the SPR. “He had the unique ability to provide both effective support at a personal level to hundreds of his contemporary and younger colleagues, and to positively impact pediatric research at the national and international level.”
“His dedication to the SPR went well beyond his formal roles as president of the society in 2000-2001, as a council member before that, and as a representative of SPR in numerous national organizations,” Shaul said. “We are all extremely saddened by his recent passing. With this award, we celebrate Tom's contributions to the SPR and remind ourselves of the fantastic example of service that he has provided.”
Hazinski served as the director of the Division of Pediatric Pulmonary Medicine at the Monroe Carell Jr. Children's Hospital at Vanderbilt and associate dean for Faculty Affairs.