UI Health’s chief medical officer named ‘Physician of the Year’

The Chicago Medical Society presented UIC’s Dr. Terry Vanden Hoek with the Physician of the Year Award during its meeting Nov. 20.

Dr. Terry Vanden Hoek, professor and head of emergency medicine.

The society presents the award each year to a local physician who has made notable contributions to the field of medicine and toward improving the lives of patients in local, national and international initiatives.

“As a clinician, academic and health care leader, Dr. Vanden Hoek continues to implement innovative ideas that are making a significant impact in our communities,” said Dr. Robert Barish, vice chancellor for health affairs at the University of Illinois at Chicago. “We are pleased that the society has recognized him with this honor for his ground-breaking research and programmatic initiatives that often have life-changing outcomes for our patients.”

Vanden Hoek, professor and head of emergency medicine in the UIC College of Medicine, and chief medical officer of the University of Illinois Hospital & Clinics, was nominated and selected for the award for his involvement with UI Health’s Better Health Through Housing initiative, which places chronically homeless emergency department patients into permanent housing, and his ongoing research to improve survival of cardiac arrest through Illinois Heart Rescue and the development of new medical treatments for CPR. In 2017, Vanden Hoek received a $1.2 million four-year grant from the National Institutes of Health to investigate new biological agents that mimic the effects of lowering the body’s core temperature, which can reduce the risk of long-term heart and neurological effects if provided during or immediately after the administration of CPR. Vanden Hoek also spearheaded the development of the UIC CHAMPIONS NETWork program designed to expose Chicago high school students at underserved high schools to health care as a potential career path. The program started in 2016.

Founded in 1850, the Chicago Medical Society cultivates the science and art of medicine, promotes the sharing of professional experience, and encourages enthusiasm for the profession among its members. Membership is composed of nearly 7,000 professionals who reside in or practice in Cook County.