J. Randall Curtis receives Hastings Center Cunniff-Dixon Physician Award

The Cunniff-Dixon Physicians Award recognizes clinicians who dedicate their time to patients near the end of life through clinical work, research or service to the community.

This award is one of the top honors for physicians practicing palliative care in the United States, and Dr. Curtis joins a very special community of 55 physicians chosen over the last 12 years who represent early, mid and senior career leaders in the field of palliative care. 

The awards are based on technical competence, personal integrity, empathic dialogue with patients, active engagement with the family and loved ones, practical and heartfelt communication regarding advance directives, and compassionate alleviation of suffering.

Curtis is a pulmonary, critical care, and palliative care physician at Harborview Medical Center at the University of Washington. He also holds the A. Bruce Montgomery – American Lung Association Endowed Chair in Pulmonary and Critical Care Medicine at UW Medicine His research focuses on improving palliative care for patients with serious illness as well as for patients’ families.

Dr. Curtis has made mentoring in palliative care research a priority. He has received several awards for his research and teaching in palliative care including a Lifetime Achievement Award and Mentoring Award by the American Academy of Hospice and Palliative Medicine.