The Quiet Volunteer

BCM alumnus Alan Lambert, M.D., humbly accepts his Lifetime Achievement Award, given for his dedicated service to his profession, to his alma mater and to the community.

Alan Lambert, M.D., was by his wife's side for her back surgery in 1992. So was a surgeon and an anesthesiologist, both former students that Lambert had taught gross anatomy to at BCM years before.

"It is nice to know some of the students I taught have done so well," said Lambert.

The BCM Alumni Association honored Lambert, Class of 1952, with the Lifetime Achievement Award in 2007.

Lambert, who has often been called the "quiet doctor," looks out through his bifocals and says he doesn't deserve it, but his compassionate and philanthropic life asserts the contrary.

Lambert graduated from high school on his 17th birthday. Back then, students only went to school through the 11th grade, he recalled. Having grown up in Galena Park, he was all set to venture out and attend The University of Texas in Austin as a physics major.

"World War II was going on and I wanted to be a pilot, navigator or bombardier," said Lambert. "I figured math and science would help me achieve that goal."

After 12 months at UT, he was accepted into the United States Army Air Corps, which is today called the Air Force. During training, he ran into people who were either doctors themselves or had physician relatives and he began to toy with the idea of entering the field of medicine.

"I had thought about it in my youth," he said. "When I came back from military service, I decided to go premed and never turned back."

Lambert entered BCM in 1948, a member of only the second class to go through the four-year program in the new Cullen Building location. He recalls the full days in lectures and lab.

He noted that the students today have to learn so much more than he did. There have been so many advances in the field of medicine and new things arise all the time. The enthusiastic and immensely knowledgeable professors that BCM has to offer help students contend with the exciting yet overwhelming innovations and findings.

Lambert knows, however, that book smarts will only get you so far in medicine. Compassion is an essential part in the effective treatment of patients. For this reason, he was instrumental in establishing the annual lecture series "Compassion and the Art of Medicine," which features presenters who demonstrate compassion and/or art in dealing with the ill, injured or disabled person.

Lambert has himself volunteered countless hours of service. In addition to being a full-time family doctor, he volunteered as a city health officer and as the athletic physician for the Galena Park Independent School District. He, along with 25 other doctors, built the Pasadena Bayshore Hospital (now Bayshore Medical Center) to improve the health care facilities for patients in that area.

Lambert retired from BCM's Department of Family and Community Medicine in 1978 and now enjoys traveling with his wife. During his years as a solo practitioner, he did not venture far from the office.

"Few general practitioners deliver babies, but I delivered more than 1,100 babies in the 23 years I practiced," he said. "With patients due at various times, it was hard to get away."

The BCM Lifetime Achievement Award recognizes alumni/faculty who have achieved great accomplishments in their careers and who have inspired others to emulate their pioneering spirit, inventiveness and desire for service. They have made a significant impact on society and demonstrated a dedication to the success and direction of BCM, all of which Lambert has certainly done.

He is still an avid volunteer. He serves on the Alumni Association's Executive Committee as an Emeritus Member and works tirelessly to raise funds for BCM.

"Dr. Lambert has been a loyal supporter of BCM and a valuable member of the Family Medicine faculty," said Robert E. Rakel, M.D., Professor and past Chair of the Department of Family and Community Medicine. "He is a physician with high ethical standards and over the years has provided quality health care to a large number of Houston patients. It has truly been a pleasure knowing and working with him."

The Lifetime Achievement award is only in its second year of existence. Last October, Michael E. DeBakey, M.D., was honored with the award, and during the 2007 Medical Alumni Reunion this April, both Lambert and the late James R. Schofield, M.D., Class of 1947 and past Dean of Academic Affairs, received the distinguished designation.

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Volume 3, Issue 2, Summer 2007


	The Quiet Volunteer by Laura Madden-Fuentes BCM alumnus Alan Lambert, M.D., humbly accepts his Lifetime Achievement Award, given for his dedicated service to his profession, to his alma mater and to the community. Alan Lambert, M.D., was by his wife's side for her back surgery in 1992. So was a surgeon and an anesthesiologist, both former students that Lambert had taught gross anatomy to at BCM years before. "It is nice to know some of the students I taught have done so well," said Lambert. The BCM Alumni Association honored Lambert, Class of 1952, with the Lifetime Achievement Award in 2007. Lambert, who has often been called the "quiet doctor," looks out through his bifocals and says he doesn't deserve it, but his compassionate and philanthropic life asserts the contrary. Lambert graduated from high school on his 17th birthday. Back then, students only went to school through the 11th grade, he recalled. Having grown up in Galena Park, he was all set to venture out and attend The University of Texas in Austin as a physics major. "World War II was going on and I wanted to be a pilot, navigator or bombardier," said Lambert. "I figured math and science would help me achieve that goal." After 12 months at UT, he was accepted into the United States Army Air Corps, which is today called the Air Force. During training, he ran into people who were either doctors themselves or had physician relatives and he began to toy with the idea of entering the field of medicine. "I had thought about it in my youth," he said. "When I came back from military service, I decided to go premed and never turned back." Lambert entered BCM in 1948, a member of only the second class to go through the four-year program in the new Cullen Building location. He recalls the full days in lectures and lab. "We got a great education," he said, "and it remains great today." He noted that the students today have to learn so much more than he did. There have been so many advances in the field of medicine and new things arise all the time. The enthusiastic and immensely knowledgeable professors that BCM has to offer help students contend with the exciting yet overwhelming innovations and findings. Lambert knows, however, that book smarts will only get you so far in medicine. Compassion is an essential part in the effective treatment of patients. For this reason, he was instrumental in establishing the annual lecture series "Compassion and the Art of Medicine," which features presenters who demonstrate compassion and/or art in dealing with the ill, injured or disabled person. Lambert has himself volunteered countless hours of service. In addition to being a full-time family doctor, he volunteered as a city health officer and as the athletic physician for the Galena Park Independent School District. He, along with 25 other doctors, built the Pasadena Bayshore Hospital (now Bayshore Medical Center) to improve the health care facilities for patients in that area. Lambert retired from BCM's Department of Family and Community Medicine in 1978 and now enjoys traveling with his wife. During his years as a solo practitioner, he did not venture far from the office. "Few general practitioners deliver babies, but I delivered more than 1,100 babies in the 23 years I practiced," he said. "With patients due at various times, it was hard to get away." The BCM Lifetime Achievement Award recognizes alumni/faculty who have achieved great accomplishments in their careers and who have inspired others to emulate their pioneering spirit, inventiveness and desire for service. They have made a significant impact on society and demonstrated a dedication to the success and direction of BCM, all of which Lambert has certainly done. He is still an avid volunteer. He serves on the Alumni Association's Executive Committee as an Emeritus Member and works tirelessly to raise funds for BCM. "Dr. Lambert has been a loyal supporter of BCM and a valuable member of the Family Medicine faculty," said Robert E. Rakel, M.D., Professor and past Chair of the Department of Family and Community Medicine. "He is a physician with high ethical standards and over the years has provided quality health care to a large number of Houston patients. It has truly been a pleasure knowing and working with him." The Lifetime Achievement award is only in its second year of existence. Last October, Michael E. DeBakey, M.D., was honored with the award, and during the 2007 Medical Alumni Reunion this April, both Lambert and the late James R. Schofield, M.D., Class of 1947 and past Dean of Academic Affairs, received the distinguished designation.		Search all issues: Features Saving Twins Before Birth Blessing to Botswana Preserving Brains Cocaine Vaccine Shows Promise News Building, Bucks & BBQ DNA Discoverer Gets His Own BCM Cancer Center One of Select Few Spotlight Bert O'Malley: A Pioneer in Molecular Endocrinology Making Sense of the Sense of Touch Tissue Samples Go Digital Severe Skin Conditions Take a Back Seat at Camp Dermadillo Health Economist Must Put Price Tag on the Priceless Doctor Creates Cartoon that "Bugs" Kids About the Risks of Tobacco Briefs Living Longer is Smelly Business Clinical Trials for Cancer Southward Bound Green Tea Component Blocks HIV Cell Entry Genetics Technique Takes Bite out of Research Barriers Sports Legends Lend Helping Hands, Arms to College Development & Alumni News Mitchell Gift Furthers Brain Research Lambert Receives Lifetime Achievement Award Kleberg Foundation Gift Establishes RNAi Screening Core Facility Alumnus Named White House Fellow New Trustees Announced Tailoring Technology to Benefit You, the Patient

	Volume 3, Issue 2, Summer 2007



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