November 14, 2024

By Mayo Clinic College of Medicine and Science staff

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The Distinguished Alumni Award acknowledges and shows appreciation for the exceptional contributions of Mayo Clinic alumni to the field of medicine. Award recipients have been recognized nationally and internationally. Learn more about this year's recipients.

Six outstanding Mayo Clinic alumni have been honored with this year's Mayo Clinic Distinguished Alumni Awards. The recipients have made remarkable contributions to medical practice and research, including vital work in the areas of cancer detection and treatment, Alzheimer's disease, valvular disorders, otolaryngology, orthopedic surgery, and neurosurgery.

The Distinguished Alumni Award was established in 1981 by the Mayo Clinic Board of Trustees to acknowledge and show appreciation for the exceptional contributions of Mayo alumni to the field of medicine, including medical practice, research, education and administration. Alumni receiving this award are recognized nationally — and often internationally — in their fields.

This year's recipients were honored at the Mayo Foundation House in Rochester in October.

The 2024 recipients are:

• Clifford Jack Jr., M.D.
  Dr. Jack is a professor of Radiology and the Alexander Family Professor of Alzheimer's Disease Research at Mayo Clinic College of Medicine and Science. He is a consultant within the Division of Neuroradiology at Mayo Clinic in Rochester. Dr. Jack is a preeminent leader of imaging biomarkers and a field-shifting Alzheimer's pathophysiology researcher. His contributions laid the scientific groundwork for the development of disease-modifying, amyloid-lowering therapies for Alzheimer's disease.   
• Nita Maihle, Ph.D.
  Dr. Maihle is a professor of medicine at the University of Mississippi Medical Center in Jackson, Mississippi. She is the associate director for research at the UMMC Cancer Center and Research Institute. Dr. Maihle is a pioneer of translational cancer research and biomedical research training. Her work has improved cancer detection, prevention, and treatment, particularly in cancers that affect women.
• Alexandre Nehme, M.D.
  Dr. Nehme was instrumental in creating the Saint George University of Beirut Medical School in Beirut, Lebanon. The school's development was interrupted by a chemical explosion that destroyed over 80% of Saint George Hospital. Dr. Nehme played a pivotal role in evacuation efforts. In the months that followed, he and colleagues proceeded with faculty and curriculum development for the medical school. Today, Dr. Nehme is the dean and a professor of clinical orthopedic surgery at the university.
• Rick Nishimura, M.D.
  Dr. Nishimura is an emeritus professor of medicine at Mayo Clinic College of Medicine and Science in Rochester. Dr. Nishimura has received many awards for his work as an outstanding educator. He is also recognized worldwide as a master clinician with unparalleled experience in hemodynamics and the treatment of valvular disorders.
• Kerry Olsen, M.D.
  Dr. Olsen is an emeritus professor of Otolaryngology at Mayo Clinic College of Medicine and Science in Rochester. He is a global expert in head and neck oncologic surgery. He has held many influential leadership and education roles, including serving on the Mayo Clinic Board of Governors, Board of Trustees, and as elected president of Mayo Clinic staff in Rochester.
• Robert Wharen Jr., M.D.
  Dr. Wharen is an emeritus professor of Neurosurgery at Mayo Clinic College of Medicine and Science in Florida. Dr. Wharen was the inaugural chair of the Department of Neurosurgery at Mayo Clinic in Jacksonville. Today, it's considered a premier neurosurgery department with a world-class functional neurosurgery program, thanks in large part to Dr. Wharen's leadership as the chair for more than 30 years.