Caption: Ruth Rodgers accepts awards on behalf of her late husband, Dr. Kevin Rodgers
Prominent Indianapolis physician and Indiana University School of Medicine professor Kevin Rodgers, MD, who died tragically in a homicide in November, was honored posthumously with the Sagamore of the Wabash Award, Indiana’s highest civilian honor. Accepting the award on Dr. Rodgers’ behalf was his wife Ruth Rodgers, vice president for student development and dean of students at Marian University.
The Sagamore of the Wabash Award is a tribute given to those who have rendered a distinguished service to the state or to the governor, and was presented on behalf of Governor Eric Holcomb by Jennifer Walthall, MD, MPH, secretary of the Indiana Family and Social Services Administration, during the opening ceremonies of the annual Society for Academic Emergency Medicine (SAEM) meeting on Wednesday, May 16. Dr. Rodgers was also the posthumous recipient of the SAEM Hal Jayne Excellence in Education Award which honors outstanding contributions to the field of emergency medicine through the teaching of others and the improvement of pedagogy.
A well-respected faculty educator at IU School of Medicine, Dr. Rodgers was heavily involved in the emergency medicine residency training program for 25 years. At the time of his passing, he was the residency director emeritus for the Department of Emergency Medicine.
In addition, Dr. Rodgers was actively involved in several emergency medicine organizations, including the American Academy of Emergency Medicine (AAEM) in which he served as president for 12 years. He was a the recipient of both the AAEM Joe Lex Educator of the Year Award, and the AAEM/RSA Program Director of the Year Award.
Dr. Rodgers was also an integral part of SAEM, serving on the SAEM Annual Meeting Program Committee for several years and also as chair of the Resident Leadership/Chief Resident Forum. He was also a reviewer for Academic Emergency Medicine journal.
Locally, Dr. Rodgers served as a longtime assistant lacrosse coach and team physician at Cathedral High School in Indianapolis.
