Newswise — Englewood Cliffs, N.J., 7, October, 2013- A standing room only crowd of nearly 400 joined The Arnold P. Gold Foundation at WGBH in Boston on October 1, 2013 to witness the induction of all four deans of Massachusetts’ medical schools into the foundation’s Gold Humanism Honor Society (GHHS). Dr. Karen Antman, Dean of Boston University School of Medicine, Dr. Harris Berman, Dean of Tuft’s University School of Medicine, Dr. Jeffrey Flier, Dean of Harvard University Medical School and Dr. Terence Flotte, Dean of University of Massachusetts Medical School were initiated into the national society, comprised of individuals recognized for practicing patient-centered care by modeling the qualities of integrity, excellence, compassion, altruism, respect and empathy.

Part of The Gold Foundation’s The Golden Thread: Weaving Science and the Human Side of Medicine inaugural event in Boston, the induction of the deans into GHHS celebrated of the creation of The Arnold P. Gold Foundation Massachusetts Council of Deans. This council demonstrates the deans’ shared commitment to advancing humanism in medicine and patient-centered care through education at the four medical schools of Massachusetts and their collaboration with the foundation.

“An oncologist, an internist, an endocrinologist and a pediatrician….tonight we celebrate four deans with over 800 scholarly papers, a myriad of awards, and innumerable accomplishments in education, research, care, advocacy, and most importantly in developing in this state, the kind of medical culture that supports not only the highest levels of care and cure, but one that allowed the physicians and the great hospitals of this medical metropolis to perform as they did on April 15, 2013,” said Richard I. Levin, MD, President and CEO of The Arnold P. Gold Foundation as the deans were inducted.

The event also included the presentation of Humanism in Medicine Awards to International AIDS advocate, artist, and author, Mary Fisher, and nationally known and beloved Daniel D. Federman Professor of Medicine and Medical Education at Harvard Medical School (HMS) and Master of the HMS Peabody Society, Ronald A. Arky, M.D. for their exemplary work as advocates for compassionate healthcare.

Funds raised by the event will support the Gold Foundation’s programs in Boston’s medical schools and affiliated hospitals, including the foundation’s Research Institute for humanism in medicine housed at the Cambridge Health Alliance.

About the Arnold P. Gold Foundation: The Arnold P. Gold Foundation, established in 1988, is a not-for- profit organization dedicated to improving the quality of healthcare by enhancing the healthcare professional-patient relationship. It encourages the development of physicians who combine the high tech skills of cutting-edge medical science with the high touch skills of communication, empathy and compassion. Learn more at humanism-in-medicine.org.