Abraham Verghese

Abraham Verghese, MD, MACP, is Professor and Linda R. Meier and Joan F. Lane Provostial Professor, and Vice Chair for the Theory and Practice of Medicine at the School of Medicine at Stanford University. He is also a critically acclaimed, best-selling author and a physician with an international reputation for his focus on healing in an era where technology often overwhelms the human side of medicine. In February 2014, he received a Heinz Award from Teresa Heinz and the Heinz Family Foundation. The awards given annually in the areas of Arts and Humanities; Environment; Human Condition; Public Policy; and Technology, the Economy and Employment, celebrate the enduring spirit of hope and the power of innovation.

Professional Education

• Medical Education: Madras University Medicine (1980) India
• Residency: East Tennessee State University Medicine (1983) TN
• Board Certification: American Board of Internal Medicine, Internal Medicine (1983)
• Fellow in Infectious Diseases, Boston Univ School of Medicine, Infectious Diseases (1985)
• Board Certification: American Board of Internal Medicine, Infectious Disease (1986)
• Board Certification: American Board of Internal Medicine, Pulmonary Disease (1988)
• Master of Fine Arts, The University of Iowa, Fiction (1991)

Clinical Focus

• Internal Medicine
• Medical Education
• Bedside Exam
• The Patient-Physician relationship
• Medical Errors
• Story and Ritual of Medicine

Honors & Awards

• Fellow, Guggenheim Foundation (2023-24)
• Doctor of Humane Letters (Honorary), College of the Holy Cross (2022)
• Doctor of Science (Honorary), McMaster University, Hamilton, Ontario (2017)
• National Humanities Medal, President Obama and the National Endowment for the Arts (2016)
• Fellow of the Royal College of Physicians, Edinburgh, Royal College of Physicians, Edinburgh (2014)
• Honorary Doctorate, Royal College of Surgeons of Ireland (2014)
• The Heinz Award in Humanities, The Heinz Foundation (2014)
• Doctor of Humane Letters (Honorary), Upstate Medical University, SUNY Syracuse (2012)
• Member, Institute of Medicine, National Academy of Sciences (2011)
• Doctor of Humane Letters (Honorary), University of Northern Illinois (2007)
• John P. McGovern Medal, Osler Society, Montreal (2007)
• Member, Association of American Physicians, Association of American Physicians (2006)
• Master, American College of Physicians (2005)
• Doctor of Science (Honorary), Swarthmore College (2001)