DR. EDWARD W. HOOK JR. RECEIVES THE  
UNIVERSITY OF VIRGINIAŐS HIGHEST HONOR

	CHARLOTTESVILLE, Va., Oct. 25 -- Dr. Edward Watson Hook Jr.,
a longtime clinician, teacher and leader at the University of
Virginia School of Medicine, received U.Va.Ős highest honor, the
Thomas Jefferson Award, at Fall Convocation ceremonies today.
	Given annually since 1955, the award honors an individual
who exemplifies in character, work and influence the principles and
ideals of the UniversityŐs founder.  
	"Today, we honor a man of remarkable breadth, depth, and
accomplishment -- in his profession of medicine and in the
community," U.Va. President John T. Casteen III said in presenting
the award before hundreds of faculty, students and parents gathered
on the Lawn. "It is entirely fitting that the Thomas Jefferson Award
recipient is a person whose intellectual accomplishments, leadership
qualities and generosity of spirit know no bounds."
	Hook, the Mulholland Professor of Medicine, who was chairman
of internal medicine from 1969 until 1990, is nationally recognized
for his clinical research in infectious diseases.  During his 21
years as chairman, he built the department of internal medicine,
recruiting highly trained division leaders and initiating several
programs that have benefitted not only the School of Medicine, but
health care far beyond.  
	In 1969, he founded an international health exchange program
with the Federal University of Cera in Brazil.  This continuing
partnership has had dramatic results for health care in Brazil,
Casteen noted.
	Hook also developed and led U.Va.Ős hospital ethics
committee.  He began a primary care residency program in medicine
and started a faculty-teaching practice program in Orange County.
Under his leadership, the departments of psychiatry and internal
medicine developed a division of behavioral medicine and initiated a
five-year residency training program in both medicine and
psychiatry. 
	During the 1970s and 80s, Hook was a national leader in
internal-medicine manpower, clinical skills evaluation and the
fostering of humanitarian attributes among physicians.  He was an
important leader in a national effort to define the role of the
physician in death and dying.
	After stepping down as department chairman in 1990, Hook
founded another successful program:  the humanities in medicine
program.  This program is designed to reinforce humanitarian
qualities in medical students.  Hook also helps lead the Medical
Center Hour, a weekly conference open to the public for discussion
of health issues.
	Throughout his career, Hook has been active in national
internal-medicine programs.  He has been president of several
leading medical organizations, including the American College of
Physicians, the American Clinical and Climatological Association,
the Association of Professors of Medicine and the Infectious
Diseases Society of America.  He was also chairman of the board of
directors of the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation.  
	He is a member of the prestigious Institute of Medicine of
the National Academy of Sciences, the Association of American
Physicians and the American Society for Clinical Investigation.	
	The recipient of numerous awards for professional service,
Hook was awarded a distinguished citation for contributions to
infectious diseases study and to the entire field of medicine in
1994 by the Infectious Diseases Society of America.  In 1995, after
completing 12 years as a U.S. delegation member of the U.S.-Japan
Cooperative Medical Science Program, he was honored for fostering
scientific exchange between medical investigators in the U.S. and
Japan. He also has received the distinguished medical achievement
award from the Emory University Medical Alumni and the founder's
medal of the Southern Society for Clinical Investigation.	
	Hook, a native of Sumter, S. C., received his medical degree
from Emory University in 1949.
	Last yearŐs recipient of the Thomas Jefferson Award was
Linda K. Bunker, professor of education.
###
October 25, 1996