Kathryn Kirkland, MED ’86, Named to Distinguished Endowed Chair

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The professorship in palliative medicine is named for Dorothy and John J. Byrne Jr.

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Kathryn Kirkland
Kathryn Kirkland, MED ’86, is the Dorothy and John J. Byrne, Jr., Distinguished Chair in Palliative Medicine. (Photo by Mark Washburn)
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Read the full story, published by Geisel NewsCenter.

Kathryn Kirkland, a professor of medicine at the Geisel School of Medicine, section chief and director of the Palliative Medicine Program at Dartmouth-Hitchcock, and a 1986 graduate of the medical school, has been named the Dorothy and John J. Byrne, Jr., Distinguished Chair in Palliative Medicine.

The chair was established in 2007 with a generous gift from Jack and Dorothy Byrne, whose long-term support has been integral to the development of palliative care at Geisel and Dartmouth-Hitchcock. Palliative care interdisciplinary teams work to address the social, emotional, spiritual, and physical needs of seriously ill patients and to ensure that they receive health care that is aligned with their values and preferences.

Endowed chairs support distinguished faculty members in their multiple roles of physicians, teachers, and researchers, allowing them the time and resources to mentor students and trainees and to collaborate with fellow faculty.

“I am very pleased to see Kathy recognized for her excellent work and leadership in palliative medicine,” says Duane Compton, dean of the Geisel School of Medicine. “The support from the Byrne Chair will allow her to build the palliative program and to help educate students and clinicians in the best practices for caring for patients and their families under the most difficult of circumstances.”

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