Newswise — (ROCHESTER, Minnesota, July 21, 2020) – The American Association of Neuromuscular & Electrodiagnostic Medicine (AANEM) is honoring Jacqueline J. Wertsch, MD, with the 2020 AANEM Lifetime Achievement Award for her contributions to the fields of neuromuscular (NM) and electrodiagnostic (EDX) medicine.
Dr. Wertsch is the first woman to receive the Lifetime Achievement Award. She remembers battling the stereotype of being a woman trying to break into the medical field.
“Women weren’t doctors in those days – it actually never occurred to me to become a doctor. I planned on going to nursing school,” said Dr. Wertsch. “But I desired to attend medical school because I found it so interesting. I had no preconceived notions of what being a physician was. So I went for it.”
Dr. Wertsch has authored 100 scientific review publications, 25 book chapters and countless national and international presentations.
Dr. Wertsch has been an important contributor to the AANEM. She served on the AANEM Board of Directors as President and Board Member, and on multiple AANEM Committees as a member and chair. She served on the Editorial Board of Muscle & Nerve and received AANEM’s Distinguished Researcher Award in 2003.
“I know many of the other people who have received this Lifetime Achievement Award. I consider them true friends, and that’s a big part of AANEM: the networking, and the support for each other. When I saw the list of past winners, it struck me that I know all of these people quite well. There’s no question about AANEM’s value with regards to networking, AANEM’s vast educational resources, and the tremendous support system of thousands of members at your disposal,” Dr. Wertsch said.
Dr. Wertsch was on the faculty at the Medical College of Wisconsin for 30 years until 2010, when she retired from clinical practice. She was awarded an emeritus professor appointment and continues teaching activities through EduDoc LLC. She received her undergraduate degree from the University of Wisconsin and graduated from Medical School from The Medical College of Pennsylvania. She did her postgraduate training at the University of Illinois-Rockford, Northwestern University, and the Medical College of Wisconsin.
About the American Association of Neuromuscular & Electrodiagnostic Medicine (AANEM)
Based in Rochester, Minnesota, the American Association of Neuromuscular & Electrodiagnostic Medicine (AANEM) is the premier nonprofit membership association dedicated to the advancement of neuromuscular (NM), musculoskeletal and electrodiagnostic (EDX) medicine. The organization and its members work to improve the quality of patient care and advance the science of NM diseases and EDX medicine by serving physicians and allied health professionals who care for those with muscle and nerve disorders.
For more information about AANEM, visit aanem.org or find us on Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn and YouTube.
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