George Soros Receives Dean’s Award, Announces New Program George Soros accepted the Dean’s Award for Distinguished Service and announced the launch of his Medicine as a Profession program. Millionaire philanthropist George Soros was presented with the College of Physicians & Surgeons Dean’s Award for Distinguished Service at the April 15 meeting of the Columbia-Presbyterian Health Sciences Advisory Council held at Bard Hall. Mr. Soros delivered a speech to the council in which he announced his plans to use $15 million from his Open Society Institute to launch Medicine as a Profession (MAP), a program that will encourage altruism over economic gain within the field of health care. The Dean’s Award recognizes individuals who have had a strong commitment and impact in the health sciences, especially health care. The medallion, which is emblazoned with the original seal of the College of Physicians & Surgeons, was given to Mr. Soros by Dr. Herbert Pardes, vice president of Health Sciences. The $15 million Mr. Soros is using to start MAP will go toward research, lectures, and training programs on professionalism and ethics in modern medicine. One of the goals of this project is to help young doctors better serve patients outside the medical mainstream. In a prepared statement, Mr. Soros explained the need for this initiative: "Health care companies are not in business to heal people or save lives; they provide health care to make profits . . . power has shifted from physicians and patients to insurance companies." David Rothman, Schoenberg Professor of Social Medicine and director of Columbia’s Center for the Study of Society and Medicine, will lead the MAP program. Professor Rothman has enlisted Columbia’s Dr. Gerald Thomson, senior associate dean of P&S, and Dr. Eli Ginsberg, Hepburn Professor Emeritus of Economics, along with many respected scholars and leaders from various medical institutions. Established by Columbia’s trustees in 1981, the Advisory Council pursues three goals for Columbia-Presbyterian Medical Center: attracting unrestricted funds that can be directed to urgent or unforeseen needs in the Health Sciences; raising the visibility of Columbia Presbyterian’s achievements; and responding to policy issues that affect both the hospital and the university. The council meets twice annually. This most recent meeting focused on alternative medicine. Mr. Soros earned his fortune by managing the international investment fund he founded in 1956. The native of Budapest, Hungary, has garnered renown for philanthropic work around the globe, especially in Eastern Europe.