With an interest in helping others and a persevering attitude, Paul Friedmann, MD always knew he wanted to be physician. He and his family immigrated to the United States from Vienna, Austria in 1938 and from then on, Dr. Friedmann wanted to give back to others. He obtained a Bachelor of Arts from the University of Pennsylvania in 1955 and Doctor of Medicine from Harvard University in 1959. He is also certified as a diplomate in general surgery by the American Board of Surgery. In 1971, Dr. Friedmann was appointed chairman of the surgery department at Baystate Medical Center in Springfield, MA. He served in the position for nearly 30 years before becoming the senior vice president of academic affairs in 1996. In 2005, he joined the Pioneer Valley Life Sciences Institute as the executive director, holding this position for nearly a decade before retiring in 2013.
In addition to his primary roles as a physician and surgeon, Dr. Friedmann has also served as an educator in order to pass his knowledge on to others in the field. In 1985, he became a professor of surgery at the Tufts University School of Medicine in Boston, MA. During his tenure at Tufts University, he served as chairman of the School of Medicine and chairman ad interim of the department of surgery before earning the title of professor emeritus in 2007. Dr. Friedmann also currently holds the title of dean’s professor in biomedical innovation at the Isenberg School of Management at the University of Massachusetts Amherst. Civically, Dr. Friedmann served his country as a captain in U.S. Air Force. Locally, he has been active as the board chairman and president of the Springfield Symphony. He also served as the chairman of the Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education (ACGME), and was able to help develop it into an independent organization, which has had tremendous effects on medical education in the United States. For his accomplishments in the field of medicine, Dr. Friedmann received the President’s Medallion from West New England University and the John C. Gienapp Award from the ACGME.
Throughout his career, Dr. Friedmann has attributed his success to his mentors. He was greatly influenced by the surgeons at Harvard Medical School during his studies, which included Dr. Andrew Jessiman, Dr. David Grice, and Dr. Francis Moore. In addition, he was mentored by the chief at Penn Presbyterian Medical Center, Dr. Lloyd Stevens, as well as Dr. Daton Cooley in Texas and Dr. Dominick Delaurentis.
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