John Allen Dicks Cooper (December 22, 1918 – January 27, 2002) was an American physician and educator.[1]
Cooper was born on December 22, 1918, in El Paso, Texas.[2] He grew up in the bilingual and bicultural environment of Las Cruces, New Mexico and attended the New Mexico State University from which he graduated with his B.S. degree in chemistry in 1939. His interest in science and friendship with Dr. Robert J. McBride, a Las Cruces practitioner, were instrumental in his decision to pursue further education in the sciences. Dr. Cooper said, "Financially I wasn't able to go to medical school. But fellowships for graduate work were offered by a number of schools and I chose Northwestern." In 1943, he earned his Ph.D. in biochemistry. Dr. Cooper continued at Northwestern and served as a Biochemistry instructor there from 1943-1947 and as an assistant professor from 1947-1951. In 1951, he earned his M.D. from Northwestern.[3]
This bilingual, bicultural background led to international involvement in the medical field; and for four months in 1956, Dr. Cooper lived in Brazil where he taught the first courses for medical doctors in radioisotopes and biology. Two years later, he lived in Argentina for four months and once again taught physicians about radioisotopes and biology. Cooper was single-handedly responsible for training most of the Latin doctors in these areas of medicine. Dr. Gabriel Velazquez-Palau, who was a visiting professor of social medicine at Harvard Medical School, once introduced Dr. Cooper as "the only Anglo-American Latin" he had ever met. Dr. Cooper pushed for forming a federation of medical colleges in South America. Although the idea was initially rejected, the Pan American Federation of Associations of Medical Schools (PAFAMS) was later formed and had a substantial effect on medical education. Dr. Cooper was on the board of PAFAMS from 1963-1976.[3]
He also had a strong sense of service to both the medical community and the wider community it served. Dr. Cooper was an associate dean of the Northwestern Medical School from 1959-1963. He started the "Charter 25" program, which allowed students to begin medical training straight out of high school and become doctors in six rather than eight years. He directed this program and served as a full-time mentor to the program participants from 1960-1968. From 1962-1969, he served on the editorial board for the AAMC's Journal of Medical Education, was a member of the Illinois Board of Public Health Advisors, and was part of the Illinois Legislative Commission on Atomic Energy. Dr. Cooper became even more involved with the AAMC and medical education when in 1969 he was asked to become the first president of the Association of American Medical Colleges (AAMC), which up until then had been run by an Executive Director. Dr. Cooper helped bring the AAMC and its role in medical education to the forefront of the public's attention. He moved the AAMC's offices from Evanston, Illinois to Washington, D.C. shortly after assuming its presidency, and rapidly established the AAMC and himself as a credible voice for medical education and research. He grew the Association from a small staff in Evanston to a staff of several hundred in Washington, organizing and operating the MCAT test, the AMCAS centralized application service, and conducting leading-edge educational research. He also expanded the AAMC's role from one of a "dean's club" to one that also spoke for medical school faculty, researchers and hospital administrators. He also helped to organize the National Intern and Resident Matching Program. In 1981, he was named by U.S. News & World Report as one of the five most influential people in medicine and health education. Dr. Cooper retired from his position as AAMC president in 1986.[3]
He was also a writer and a scholar, and throughout his life and career as a physician, Dr. Cooper published more than 300 articles on biomedical research, medical education, health policy, and medical care in both scientific and professional journals. He was also the recipient of a number of honorary degrees, including a Doctor of Science Degree from Duke University and an honorary Doctor of Medical Science Degree at the Medical College of Pennsylvania. Additionally, he received the Health Services Award by the Charleston Area Medical Center in May 1973. Dr. Cooper died on January 27, 2002, at the age of 84 in Birmingham, Alabama.[3]
Referencesedit
^Saxon, Wolfgang (2002-02-08). "John Cooper, 83; Led Medical Colleges Group". The New York Times. Retrieved 2019-03-24.
^Matheson, N. W. (2002). "John A. D. Cooper, M.D., 1909–2002". J Med Libr Assoc. 90 (3): 364. PMC116423.
john, cooper, this, article, needs, additional, citations, verification, please, help, improve, this, article, adding, citations, reliable, sources, unsourced, material, challenged, removed, find, sources, news, newspapers, books, scholar, jstor, september, 20. This article needs additional citations for verification Please help improve this article by adding citations to reliable sources Unsourced material may be challenged and removed Find sources John A D Cooper news newspapers books scholar JSTOR September 2016 Learn how and when to remove this template message John Allen Dicks Cooper December 22 1918 January 27 2002 was an American physician and educator 1 Cooper was born on December 22 1918 in El Paso Texas 2 He grew up in the bilingual and bicultural environment of Las Cruces New Mexico and attended the New Mexico State University from which he graduated with his B S degree in chemistry in 1939 His interest in science and friendship with Dr Robert J McBride a Las Cruces practitioner were instrumental in his decision to pursue further education in the sciences Dr Cooper said Financially I wasn t able to go to medical school But fellowships for graduate work were offered by a number of schools and I chose Northwestern In 1943 he earned his Ph D in biochemistry Dr Cooper continued at Northwestern and served as a Biochemistry instructor there from 1943 1947 and as an assistant professor from 1947 1951 In 1951 he earned his M D from Northwestern 3 This bilingual bicultural background led to international involvement in the medical field and for four months in 1956 Dr Cooper lived in Brazil where he taught the first courses for medical doctors in radioisotopes and biology Two years later he lived in Argentina for four months and once again taught physicians about radioisotopes and biology Cooper was single handedly responsible for training most of the Latin doctors in these areas of medicine Dr Gabriel Velazquez Palau who was a visiting professor of social medicine at Harvard Medical School once introduced Dr Cooper as the only Anglo American Latin he had ever met Dr Cooper pushed for forming a federation of medical colleges in South America Although the idea was initially rejected the Pan American Federation of Associations of Medical Schools PAFAMS was later formed and had a substantial effect on medical education Dr Cooper was on the board of PAFAMS from 1963 1976 3 He also had a strong sense of service to both the medical community and the wider community it served Dr Cooper was an associate dean of the Northwestern Medical School from 1959 1963 He started the Charter 25 program which allowed students to begin medical training straight out of high school and become doctors in six rather than eight years He directed this program and served as a full time mentor to the program participants from 1960 1968 From 1962 1969 he served on the editorial board for the AAMC s Journal of Medical Education was a member of the Illinois Board of Public Health Advisors and was part of the Illinois Legislative Commission on Atomic Energy Dr Cooper became even more involved with the AAMC and medical education when in 1969 he was asked to become the first president of the Association of American Medical Colleges AAMC which up until then had been run by an Executive Director Dr Cooper helped bring the AAMC and its role in medical education to the forefront of the public s attention He moved the AAMC s offices from Evanston Illinois to Washington D C shortly after assuming its presidency and rapidly established the AAMC and himself as a credible voice for medical education and research He grew the Association from a small staff in Evanston to a staff of several hundred in Washington organizing and operating the MCAT test the AMCAS centralized application service and conducting leading edge educational research He also expanded the AAMC s role from one of a dean s club to one that also spoke for medical school faculty researchers and hospital administrators He also helped to organize the National Intern and Resident Matching Program In 1981 he was named by U S News amp World Report as one of the five most influential people in medicine and health education Dr Cooper retired from his position as AAMC president in 1986 3 He was also a writer and a scholar and throughout his life and career as a physician Dr Cooper published more than 300 articles on biomedical research medical education health policy and medical care in both scientific and professional journals He was also the recipient of a number of honorary degrees including a Doctor of Science Degree from Duke University and an honorary Doctor of Medical Science Degree at the Medical College of Pennsylvania Additionally he received the Health Services Award by the Charleston Area Medical Center in May 1973 Dr Cooper died on January 27 2002 at the age of 84 in Birmingham Alabama 3 References edit Saxon Wolfgang 2002 02 08 John Cooper 83 Led Medical Colleges Group The New York Times Retrieved 2019 03 24 Matheson N W 2002 John A D Cooper M D 1909 2002 J Med Libr Assoc 90 3 364 PMC 116423 a b c d Dr John A D Cooper Papers Finding Aid PDF Association of American Medical Colleges Retrieved 2019 03 24 Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title John A D Cooper amp oldid 1162764873, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
