Dr. Gordon Green

Professor Emeritus Dr. Gordon Green, who served as Dean of UT Southwestern School of Health Professions from 1991 to 2006, has been honored by the establishment of the Gordon Green, M.D. Endowed Scholarship Fund to accelerate the dreams of students pursuing allied health careers.

The fund is supported by an endowment from Southwestern Medical Foundation as well as the UT System Board of Regents and will be used for student scholarships at the School of Health Professions.

“It’s a great honor for me to be recognized by contributors to this fund in support of students,” said Dr. Green, who retired in 2016. “Even though I stepped down as Dean of the School of Health Professions in 2006, this perpetual endowment fund will help to assure that generations of students will be educated and trained to meet the health needs of Texans on into the future.”

“It has been such an inspiration to work with faculty and staff of the School of Health Professions to see this dream become reality,” said Kathleen M. Gibson, President and CEO of Southwestern Medical Foundation. “Dr. Green is an extraordinary example, and this fund in his honor will help future students understand how much he contributed in advancing training, both at UT Southwestern and in health professions broadly.”

Dr. Jon Williamson, current Dean of the School of Health Professions, said the fund honors an outstanding educator and administrator.

“As Dean, he brought with him a vision of how the school could shape the future of health care in Texas, and beyond,” Dr. Williamson said. “One of Dr. Green’s most distinctive characteristics is his belief in investing in good people and inspiring them to do their best. The future ‘Green Scholars’ will be selected from the best and brightest students of their classes to receive financial assistance toward fulfilling their potentials to become future health care leaders.”

While leading what was then known as UT Southwestern Allied Health Sciences School, Dr. Green supervised a revamp of a number of programs, an accomplishment he still takes pride in.

“Everyone realizes that health care has changed rapidly in recent years, as have the demands on health care providers,” Dr. Green said. “I’m proud that our educational programs have changed to meet those new demands! One example: During my 16-year tenure as Dean, our Physical Therapy Program evolved from a bachelor’s degree program, to a master’s degree program, then to a program of doctorally prepared graduates.

“Other academic program advancements were made in Prosthetics-Orthotics, Physician Assistant Studies, Rehabilitation Counseling, and Clinical Nutrition. We moved briskly, proudly, into the 21st century.”

A graduate of Rice University, Dr. Green earned his medical degree from UT Southwestern in 1968 before completing his pediatrics residency at the University of Washington (1971), and Master of Public Health degree from the University of California, Berkeley (1972).

Dr. Green then served in significant public health posts for almost two decades, including as Director of the Dallas County Health Department, Deputy Director of Health Service Delivery for Region VI of the U.S. Public Health Service, and Director of Occupational Health and Safety for the National Center for Toxicological Research.

In 1991, Dr. Green joined UT Southwestern as Dean, prepared to lead the school through a rapidly changing educational landscape. The need for nonphysician health professionals was being recognized at the federal level, and the government offered assistance to more than 20 schools to upgrade such programs. The current School of Health Professions was one of those schools selected.

Twenty-six years later, Dr. Green said not much has changed in the demand for highly trained health professions personnel.

“Many health care providers in this country are nonphysician health professionals,” he said. “Our students – coming from all walks of life – will continue to be well prepared to meet the many health needs of our diverse, burgeoning population. They’ll be ready to take their places in the complex health care teams of Texas and beyond.”

For more information, or to make a donation to the Green Fund, please visit the donation page, or call the Office of Development at 214-648-2344.