Schaffner, Frye named distinguished alumni of VUSM
William Schaffner, M.D., professor and chair of the Department of Preventive Medicine, and Robert Frye, M.D., professor of Medicine at the Mayo College of Medicine and consultant in cardiovascular diseases at the Mayo Clinic, received the Distinguished Alumni Awards for the Vanderbilt University School of Medicine on Oct. 22 as part of Vanderbilt's Alumni Reunion weekend events.
William Schaffner, M.D., above, and Robert Frye, M.D., were named Distinguished Alumni of Vanderbilt University School of Medicine at last weekend’s Medical Alumni Reunion. (photos by Mary Donaldson)
Schaffner and Frye each delivered a keynote address during the celebration. Frye gave a talk entitled “Ruminations on Clinical Trials & Why We Do What We Do in Cardiology,” while Schaffner spoke about “Chasing Epidemics: Revealing Collaborations with Public Health.”
Schaffner, a graduate of Yale and Cornell, came to Vanderbilt for the first time in 1962 as a resident in Medicine and fellow in Infectious Diseases.
He eventually became chair of Preventive Medicine and currently serves as president of the National Foundation for Infectious Diseases.
Schaffner is a favorite spokesperson on the topics of public health and infectious diseases, and can frequently be seen on national and international news programs such as CNN's Headline News, ABC's Good Morning America and NBC's Nightly News.
Frye received his M.D. from VUSM in 1956.
Today, he is chair of the Division of Cardiovascular Diseases and Internal Medicine, Director of the Cardiac Laboratory, president of the Mayo Clinic Staff, and, for 12 years, chair of Mayo's Department of Internal Medicine.