Wake Forest Medical Alumni Recognize Three with 2012 Awards

November 8, 2012

Cooper, Petrozza, Welfare Honored during Dean’s Leadership Circle Dinner

WINSTON-SALEM, N.C. – Nov. 8, 2012 –
The Medical Alumni Association (MAA) of Wake Forest School of Medicine recognized the achievements of M. Robert Cooper, M.D., Patricia H. Petrozza, M.D., and Terri M. Welfare during its annual Dean’s Leadership Circle dinner on Oct. 28.

Edward Abraham, M.D., dean of the School of Medicine, presented Cooper with the Distinguished Achievement Award, Petrozza with the Distinguished Faculty Award and Welfare with the Distinguished Service Award.

Cooper, a 1962 graduate of the medical school and a resident of Winston-Salem, is professor emeritus of internal medicine, section on hematology/oncology, and director of emeritus affairs at the School of Medicine. He earned his undergraduate degree from N.C. State University and attended medical school as one of the original William Neal Reynolds Scholars. He completed an internship at the University of Virginia, and served his residency and oncology fellowship at Wake Forest Baptist Medical Center.

In addition to teaching, Cooper has served Wake Forest Baptist as deputy head of the section on hematology/oncology and clinical director. He played a key role in developing the Comprehensive Cancer Center, serving as active director from 1991-93 and later as associate director for Community Research and Education.

Cooper was part of one of the first translational research programs at the Medical Center, developing with colleagues a research team addressing white blood cell function. He was also one of the early group of researchers who pioneered the use of multiple drug regimens in the treatment of lymphoma and Hodgkin’s disease.

Petrozza, a resident of Statesville, is professor of neuroanesthesiology at Wake Forest Baptist and served as associate dean of graduate medical education from 2001-11. She received her undergraduate education at Chestnut Hill College and her M.D. from Jefferson Medical College, and completed her residency in anesthesiology with the University of Maryland Medical System.

Petrozza serves on the editorial board of the Journal of Neurosurgical Anesthesiology, and was named to Best Doctors in America. Her professional memberships include: American Association of Neurological Surgeons; Society of Education in Anesthesia; Society for Executive Leadership in Academic Medicine; Society of Neurosurgical Anesthesia and Critical; Southern Medical Association American College of Physician Executives; American Heart Association; American Medical Association; American Medical Women's Association; American Society of Anesthesiologists; Association of Women Faculty and Administrators of Wake Forest University; Forsyth County Medical Society; Graduate Resident Affairs Group of the Association of American Medical Colleges; and International Anesthesia Research Society.

Welfare, a resident of Winston-Salem, was senior director of alumni development at Wake Forest Baptist from 1996-2010, and had served in alumni relations with the Medical Center since 1991. During her service, alumni participation rates and total giving exceeded goals and ranked among the highest in the country for medical school annual funds.

Her work in events planning, annual funds coordination and special fund development reached M.D. alumni as well as alumni of other medical education programs based at the Medical Center, including biomedical sciences, nursing, nurse anesthesia, physician assistant and pastoral care programs.

She is a graduate of the University of North Carolina at Greensboro, and her community activities have included Leadership Winston-Salem, Junior League of Winston-Salem, Meals on Wheels, Food Bank (Galax, Va.), Chestnut Creek School of the Arts and First Presbyterian Church.

Winners of MAA awards are selected annually from nominations made to and approved by the MAA Award and Nominations Committee, which is composed of past presidents of the MAA.

Media Relations

Eric Whittington: ewhittin@wakehealth.edu, 336-716-5318

Mac Ingraham: mingraha@wakehealth.edu, 336-716-3487