Dr. Gerard V. Aranha. (Photo: Courtesy, Medical Media, Hines VA Hospital)

Dr. Gerard V. Aranha, professor of surgery at Loyola University of Chicago Dtritch School of Medicine, received the 2004 ‘Distinguished Physician Award’ from the Indian American Medical Association (IAMI) in Chicago, IL, for his contributions to the field of surgical oncology on Nov. 6, said a press release. “In addition to the honor of receiving the award, it’s a privilege to be recognized by the other physicians of Indian origin in America for contributions in my field of surgical oncology,” Dr. Aranha told News India-Times.

Dr. Aranha serves as the chief of surgical oncology, Department of Surgery at Loyola University Health System in Maywood, IL, as well as the associate director of the Cardinal Bernardin Cancer Center at the university Medical Center. He is also the former director of Loyola’s Breast Care Center. An immigrant from India, Dr. Aranha received his medical degree from Bangalore Medical College in India; completed his residency at Loyola; and completed a fellowship in surgical oncology from the University of Minnesota, Minneapolis. In his acceptance speech at the award ceremony, he made a plea for Indian American physicians to be more involved in academic medicine as he felt that if Indian Americans want to change things in medicine, they would have to work both in private sectors as well as in the academic centers, the doctor told News India-Times.