July 28, 2006

Career of longtime MGH physician celebrated

The distinguished career of Gerald S. Foster, MD, of MGH Internal Medicine, was honored recently at a special reception hosted by the MGH Clinical Policy and Record Committee as he retired after 55 years of service at the hospital.

Foster graduated from Harvard Medical School (HMS) in 1951 and then joined the MGH for internship and residency training, beginning his career as an internist and attending physician for the Department of Medicine. As an associate clinical professor of Medicine at HMS, Foster taught at every level of the curriculum and for many years coordinated the course that introduced HMS students to clinical medicine at the MGH. From 1982 to 1998, he served as faculty associate dean for Admissions, presiding over the selection of almost 3,000 medical students.

At the MGH, Foster served on the Internship Selection Committee for the Department of Medicine for 40 years. He also chaired for 30 years the Patient Record Committee, which later became the Clinical Policy and Record Committee that he co-chaired with Sally Millar, RN, of Patient Care Services.

"Dr. Foster leads by example, both in his clinical practice and in the way he documented that practice," said Millar at the reception. "Over the years, we have had a lot of laughs intertwined with good work."

Maryanne Spicer, a member of the committee and director of MGH Compliance, added, "Dr. Foster is a wonderful teacher and mentor. His untiring work to improve care at the MGH and his exceptional leadership of the Record Committee will influence generations of clinicians in years to come."

From left, Millar, Foster, Deborah Adair, director of Health Information Services, and Eric Weil, MD, who now will co-chair the Clinical Policy and Record Committee