Distinguished Service Award
Allen S. Lichter, M.D.
Allen S. Lichter (M.D. 1972), professor emeritus of radiation oncology and dean emeritus of the University of Michigan Medical School, currently serves as executive vice president and chief executive officer of the American Society of Clinical Oncology.
Dr. Lichter spent the majority of his career at the U-M, first as chair and professor of radiation oncology from 1984-98, then as dean of the Medical School from 1998-2006. He was named the first Isadore Lampe Professor of Radiation Oncology and also honored as a Newman Family Professor of Radiation Oncology in 2000.
Among his accomplishments as dean, Dr. Lichter introduced an innovative curriculum to meet the needs of future medical students and oversaw the creation of the Biomedical Science Research Building. Prior to his tenure at the U-M, Dr. Lichter was director of the Radiation Therapy Section of the National Cancer Institute Radiation Oncology Branch. There, he conducted one of the pivotal trials that found the use of lumpectomy and radiation therapy for breast cancer to be as effective as the traditional treatment of mastectomy.
Dr. Lichter’s research in breast cancer and in three-dimensional treatment planning and conformal dose delivery of radiation therapy led to a Gold Medal from the American Society for Therapeutic Radiology and Oncology (ASTRO). He was elected to the Institute of Medicine of the National Academies of Science, recognizing his outstanding contribution to the field. He has held active positions in numerous professional societies, including the board of directors for the Liaison Committee on Medical Education, the Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education, and ASTRO.