Joseph S. Dillon, MB, BCh, BAO, has been awarded one of the highest distinctions the Carver College of Medicine grants, the Dr. Ernest O. Theilen Clinical Teaching and Service Award. This award, sponsored by the Office of Faculty Affairs and Development, recognizes a faculty member each year who embodies the ideals Theilen exemplified in his compassion and dedication to students and patients on an individual basis, as well as his commitment to the college and hospital.

Dillon is a professor of internal medicine in the Division of Endocrinology and Metabolism. A member of the University of Iowa for thirty years, he has distinguished himself in a variety of clinical roles, as a researcher and an educator, and as a leader and innovator. Currently he is one of the leaders of the Specialized Program of Research Excellence (SPORE) grant funded by the National Cancer Institute to investigate neuroendocrine tumors (NET). This is the only NET SPORE grant in the United States, which has led to its designation as the only Center for Excellence by the European Neuroendocrine Tumor Society.

The cross-departmental nature of this organization fits neatly with Dillon’s long track record of working across specialties to make new discoveries and to speed healing for patients. Endocrinology Division Director Ayotunde Dokun, MD, PhD, FACE, cited Dillon’s approach to multidisciplinary care as a “hallmark of Dr. Theilen’s vision.” Moreover, Dokun said, the creation of these kinds of programs “demonstrates humility and selflessness . . . ensuring patients receive cutting-edge therapies and personalized care.”

In her letter Professor and Associate Dean Amal Shibli-Rahhal, MD, MS, MME, praised Dillon’s talents as an educator, identifying him as a mentor of hers from her days as a resident working with him on research. Shibli-Rahhal called him “one of the finest clinical teachers I have ever known” and described her gratitude that even after becoming faculty herself, Dillon remained “a trusted mentor and a valued colleague and advocate to this day.” She cites his “exceptional clinical acumen” as part of what makes him a gifted consultant. “He is the colleague we all turn to when faced with a difficult diagnosis or treatment dilemma, and his insights invariably guide us toward the best possible patient care.”

For nearly ten years, Dillon led the endocrinology fellowship as program director and then followed that as chair of the clinical competency committee for another six years. More than 40 formal mentees, including graduate students, post-grads, and fellows, can all point to significant moments in their career where Dillon has had an outsized impact on the course of their training. One recent fellowship grad and now assistant professor in endocrinology, Kathleen Robinson, MD, PhD, described the time and care Dillon spent in helping her navigate clinical and research responsibilities. “Dr. Dillon,” she wrote, “embodies a generosity of spirit and a dedication to excellence and compassion rarely encountered.” In one final anecdote in her letter she wrote:

As an early career attending I struggled to publish a particular manuscript. He helped me to navigate this difficult and painful experience, by sharing words of wisdom and his own challenges in academic publishing and the importance of perseverance. I have rarely felt so cared for as a colleague, friend and mentee. As a truly outstanding mentor, clinician, and physician, he fostered a sense of connection and purpose in my work.

Clinical Assistant Professor Amr Wahba, MD, works alongside Dillon in the NET clinic, where, he wrote, Dillon’s “example as a physician and an educator has been invaluable.” Wahba cites patient responses, both specific and in the aggregate, which have placed Dillon among the Top 10% in the nation for patient satisfaction, year after year. Though maybe less headline-grabbing, Wahba also points to dedicated service on multiple committees, including the Institutional Review Board, so critical to the advancement of research at Iowa. Wahba closes his letter with this summary:

His career reflects a lifelong commitment to excellence in patient care, teaching, and service. As an early-career endocrinologist, clinician, and educator myself, I can attest that Dr. Dillon has profoundly shaped the physician I aspire to become. His humility, compassion, and intellectual precision continue to guide my daily practice, while his presence as a mentor and trusted colleague has left an indelible imprint on my professional values.