I just got an email from ACEP:
John G. Wiegenstein, MD, founder of the American College of Emergency Physicians, was killed yesterday in a tragic car crash near his home in Naples, Florida. His grandson, Parker Meyer, age 6, was also killed, according to the Florida Highway Patrol.
Dr. Wiegenstein?s car was struck by another vehicle as he attempted to turn left at an intersection in Bonita Springs, police reports stated. Dr. Wiegenstein and his grandson were transported by helicopter to Lee Memorial Hospital where they were pronounced dead.
…
Dr. Wiegenstein was instrumental in the formation of the specialty of emergency medicine. As a medical student and resident in the 1950s, he gained an understanding of the specialized training needed to provide quality emergency medical care. In 1968, Dr. Wiegenstein and seven other physicians founded the American College of Emergency Physicians.Dr. Wiegenstein steered the College through the lengthy process that culminated in the recognition of emergency medicine as a new medical specialty in 1979. He was also a past president of the American Board of Emergency Medicine, served as emergency medicine’s first delegate to the American Medical Association and the American Board of Medical Specialties. He received the AMA?s Distinguished Service Award, the association?s highest honor, in 2001.
My specialty is brand new, in medical time, and wouldn’t exist at all without the incredible efforts of men and women like Dr. Wiegenstein. Thanks, Sir.
