Karin Muraszko '81: Virginia Kneeland Frantz '22 Awardee for Distinguished Women in Medicine

Karin Muraszko '81 was presented with the Virginia Kneeland Frantz '22 Award for Distinguished Women in Medicine at the VP&S Alumni Reunion on May 19, 2024 in New York City.

Dr. Muraszko was the first woman admitted to the neurosurgery residency at Columbia's New York Neurological Institute, followed by training there in pediatric neurosurgery. She worked for two years at the National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke at the NIH. One of the world's leading surgeons for tethered spinal cords and pediatric brain tumors, in 2005, she became the first woman in the United States to chair a pediatric neurosurgery department at the University of Michigan. She was elected in 2020 to the National Academy of Medicine in pediatric neurosurgery.

Each year, during the VP&S Alumni Reunion Weekend, alumni receive Gold Medal awards for distinguished service and achievements in clinical and academic medicine. Medalists are nominated by their peers or self-nominated and chosen by a committee of their peers. Submissions are accepted on a rolling basis. Learn more.