Herbert L. and Margaret W. DuPont Master Clinical Teaching Award: Dr. Francisco Fuentes

Posted on Friday, October 2nd, 2009

Dr. Francisco Fuentes, professor of internal medicine in the Division of Cardiovascular Medicine, is the recipient of the 2009 Herbert L. and Margaret W. DuPont Master Clinical Teaching Award.

Established in 2001 and made possible by a gift from the DuPonts, the award recognizes and preserves the essence and quality of the master clinical teacher, reflecting the Medical School’s top priority of quality clinical medical education.

“I am very honored and humbled to receive the DuPont award and recognize the brilliance, devotion and inspiration of my teaching mentors, and especially Dr. Kirkendall and Dr. DuPont,” Fuentes said.

Fuentes is the director of the Cardiology Fellowship Program and holder of the Theodore & Maureen O’Driscoll-Levy Professorship in Cardiology Research. His free annual Preventive Cardiology Forum has benefited health professionals and the general public for nearly two decades.

A native of Spain, Fuentes received his medical degree from the University of Valencia. Fluent in multiple languages, he completed internship and residency training in both Spain and the United States, including a residency in internal medicine at Morristown Memorial Hospital in New Jersey and fellowship training at Baylor College of Medicine.

Since joining the UT Medical School faculty in 1978, Fuentes has received the Dean’s Teaching Excellence Award numerous times and has long been recognized by students and faculty as a physician role model for outstanding patient care, student teaching, and professional mentorship.

“I am grateful to The University of Texas, colleagues, and staff for allowing me the privilege to educate the young and aspiring future leaders in medicine for the last 30 years,” he said. “The young women and men that we train are our more important legacy. We pass to them the torch of medicine, science, and humanism with generosity of spirit, compassion, enthusiasm, and optimism.”

In 2000, he served as national president for the American Society for Preventive Cardiology — one of many professional organizations he actively supports and serves. His honors and awards include a long list of local, state, and national recognition, including the 2002 Gold Medal by Murcia Regional Government from the President of Murcia.

Previous recipients of the award are Cheves Smythe, M.D., 2008; Eugene Toy, M.D., 2007; John Sparks, M.D., 2006; Victor Lavis, M.D., 2005: Philip Orlander, M.D., 2004; Ian Butler, M.D., 2003; Patrick Brosnan, M.D., 2002; and Frank Arnett, M.D., 2001.

— Darla Brown, Office of Communications, Medical School

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