Dr. Ira J. Gelb

Ira J. Gelb, M.D., FACC, assistant dean for prebaccalaureate programs, clinical professor for the Charles E. Schmidt College of Biomedical Science at Florida Atlantic University, and affiliate professor of Medicine at UMMSM at FAU was recently nominated for the prestigious 2009 Heroes in Medicine Awards.

The 6th Annual Heroes in Medicine awards luncheon was hosted by the Palm Beach County Medical Society Services and Palm Beach County Medical Society at the Kravis Center's Cohen Pavilion on April 30, 2009.

The Heroes in Medicine Awards recognizes individuals and organizations that utilize their skills in the field of healthcare to provide outstanding services which meet the needs of people in local, national and/or global communities. The purpose of the awards program is to encourage and stimulate commitment to service, community and corporate involvement.

Dr. Gelb was nominated in the category of Physician Hero-Advancements in the Profession of Medicine. This award recognizes an M.D. or D.O. who embodies the characteristics of skill, compassion and dedication to the ideals and beliefs of the profession and he or she has contributed in a significant way to the betterment of healthcare locally, nationally and/or globally, as well as physicians who have made outstanding contributions to medical education.

Dr. Gelb's nomination came as a result of his dedication to improving medical education, health care and health awareness in the South Florida Region for more than 16 years. His exemplary dedication and remarkable contribution to the College of Biomedical Science at Florida Atlantic University and the community has significantly impacted the lives of countless students and individuals in innumerable ways.

As one of the original founders of the UMMSM at FAU Regional Medical Campus, Dr. Gelb has been very successful in generating support for countless fundraising endeavors, including an endowed chairship in Cardiovascular Research, a student scholarship fund, and was instrumental in the fundraising efforts to construct the Disaster and Emergency Healthcare Training Facility. Dr. Gelb also initiated a program with Boca Raton Community Hospital that provided echocardiographic screenings of all FAU student athletes after a sudden cardiac arrest claimed the life of an FAU student athlete on the basketball court with an undiagnosed congenital heart abnormality.

Dr. Gelb was selected among a large pool of distinguished and highly respected physicians as one of three finalists in the category. We congratulate Dr. Gelb on this well deserved nomination.