January 18, 2002

Room 207C in the Bulfinch Building is just an ordinary conference room no longer. It has been transformed into a living tribute to one of the MGH's most beloved physicians: W. Gerald Austen, MD.

In a special celebration Jan. 7, the room was officially dedicated to Austen with the help of many friends and colleagues. Among the guest speakers were James J. Mongan, MD, president of the MGH; Andrew Warshaw, MD, chief of MGH Surgery; Larry Ronan, MD, of MGH Internal Medicine Associates; Dan Ginsburg, president and chief operating officer of the Massachusetts General Physicians Organization (MGPO); and Peter Slavin, MD, chairman and CEO of the MGPO, who served as the event's emcee.

According to Slavin, transforming the MGPO meeting room into the W. Gerald Austen Conference Room resulted from a unanimous vote by the MGPO Executive Committee and was meant to be a tribute to Austen for his creation and leadership of the MGPO.

Filling the bookshelves of the conference room are awards of achievement bestowed on Austen from organizations such as the American Heart Association, the American College of Surgeons, MIT and Harvard Medical School (HMS), as well as books autographed by some of Austen's famous patients and friends. Lining the walls are many photographs and paintings — some of Austen alone and some of him with famous dignitaries such as former president Jimmy Carter. Among his favorites are photos with his colleagues and the residents and medical students that he taught. Framed newspaper articles detailing noteworthy moments in his professional life also adorn the walls, as do special awards commemorating an outstanding career that has spanned more than 46 years at the MGH.

Austen first came to the MGH in 1955 to complete his internship and surgical residency at the hospital, later serving as chief surgical resident in 1960. In 1966, he had the honor of being named the second youngest full professor of Surgery at HMS at the age of 36. Shortly following this distinction, he became chief of MGH Surgical Services in 1969 at the age of 39, a position he held for almost 29 years. During his tenure as chief of Surgery, Austen became the first CEO of the MGPO, helping to create the physician organization in 1994.

Even though he stepped down from his official MGPO duties in 1999, Austen has stayed very much involved in the hospital and the MGPO, continuing as chairman of the MGH Chiefs' Council, remaining active in fundraising for the hospital and serving as an adviser to Mongan, Slavin and to Samuel O. Thier, MD, Partners president and CEO. Austen still is active at HMS, where he is the Edward D. Churchill professor of Surgery.

"Jerry Austen's enormous contributions have done much to help shape this institution and the MGPO," says Mongan. "His wisdom and understanding of the MGH and its complexities have helped guide the hospital and our physicians during challenging times in this ever-changing health care environment. We are extremely grateful for the wonderful relationship Jerry has fostered between the hospital and the physicians over the years. He truly has been an extraordinary friend, adviser and colleague to all of us."

Austen and his wife, Patricia