2007 Hewlett Award Winner
The Department of Medicine announces the 2007 Albion Walter Hewlett Award recipient: Dr. Oscar Salvatierra, Jr. Professor of Surgery and Pediatrics, Active Emeritus Advising Dean
“Reflections on an Academic Career”
Medical Grand Rounds, Wednesday, October 17th, 2007
A large number of pediatric kidney transplant patient have benefited from the accomplishments of Stanford Professor Oscar Salvatierra MD, the recipient of this year’s Albion Walther Hewlett Award.
Salvatierra’s work focuses on overcoming the obstacles of transplanting adult sized kidneys into infants. Included in the presentation were statistics of increased survival rates in kidney transplant recipients under the age of two, and compelling anecdotes, inspiring photographs, and descriptions from parents regarding the progress of his young patients. “The concept that life is about people has been the foundation of my career.”
When he entered the transplantation field in 1972, working at UCSF kidney transplants were considered experimental, and according to Salvatierra, limited to patients with cash on the table. He joined Stanford’s faculty in 1994 and was instrumental in establishing a pediatric kidney transplant program that now treats patients referred by medical centers worldwide.
In addition to his medical contributions, Salvatierra spent two years working with Vice President Al Gore to help pass of the National Organ Transplant Act. Their combined efforts led to the establishment of a Nationwide Organ Registry. According to Vice President Gore, “Dr. Salvatierra showed single minded determination to overcome circumstances that would have dissuaded most others. He’s made life better for thousands of transplant patients.”
Watch Video Presentation: "Reflections on an Academic Career."