All Children's Hospital Foundation

ALLEN ROOT WAS a young doctor with big plans. He and his wife, Janet, were ready to head off to Phoenix, Arizona, where Root would set up shop as a general pediatrician and Janet would pursue her passion for the arts. But then Root got the teaching bug. As a pediatric resident from 1960–1962 at the Hospital of the University of Pennsylvania, Root encountered Lewis Barness, M.D., then the acting chief of pediatrics, whose style and substance infused Root with a passion for teaching. As Barness built a national reputation for pioneering the study of human breast milk, he influenced Root and many others. In 1972, Barness became the founding chairman of the University of South Florida College of Medicine's pediatric medicine program. Within a year, he lured Root to join him. "We had plans to move to Phoenix, but it didn't happen because of Dr. Barness' influence," Root says. "He was a legend in pediatrics and a fabulous colleague." Root became director of the pediatric residency program at USF, where he shaped young doctors for decades by showing them clinical and research skills in conjunction with his work at what was then called All Children's Hospital. He has been involved in and supportive of graduate medical education programs at USF and what now is Johns Hopkins All Children's Hospital ever since. "The primary focus of my professional activities has been educational," Root says. "The clinical work I did, of course, was focused on patients, but it also served as a teaching tool to provide examples for students. The same is true of my research, which introduced students to the possibilities of a research path alongside a clinical career." Root continues to support graduate medical education. In June, he presented the Allen W. Root Award for Continuous Excellence in Residency to John Morrison, M.D., Ph.D., at the inaugural Johns Hopkins All Children's Residency Program graduation. "I am honored to have received this award from Dr. Root, whose unparalleled dedication to medicine as a lifelong journey is something to which I aspire," says Morrison, who remains at Johns Hopkins All Children's as a chief resident and hospitalist fellow. Root established the Root Award, which will be given annually, through an endowment to the Johns Hopkins All Children's Foundation. The endowment also creates an award in honor of Root's wife, who died last year after decades leading the arts and humanities program at Shorecrest Preparatory School. The inaugural Janet G. Root Award for Outstanding Research by a Fellow will be presented in June 2018. Root believes philanthropy is critical to producing outstanding physicians. He encourages donors to give as a way to build and support Johns Hopkins All Children's growing list of graduate medical education programs. "You're not going to have good doctors if you don't have good training programs," Root says. "Good training programs are not self-supporting, but they're critical for developing young doctors." To learn more about supporting the Johns Hopkins All Children's graduate medical education programs, contact the Johns Hopkins All Children's Foundation at 727-767-4199. Allen Root, M.D., a longtime supporter of residency programs, presented the Allen W. Root Award to John Morrison, M.D., Ph.D., at the inaugural graduation of the Johns Hopkins All Children's Residency Program. A Teacher Turns to Philanthropy to Continue His Mission Allen Root, M.D., endows awards to enhance the Johns Hopkins All Children's Hospital graduate medical education programs. 16 Johns Hopkins All Children's Foundation | GiveToAllKids.org ■ Face of Philanthropy

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