A ‘Transforming’ Donation
Dr. George Lerner’s planned gift to otolaryngology will support education for years to come
By Ana Veciana-Suarez
Photography by Sonya Revell
Chair recipient Dr. Christine T. Dinh plans to empower learners to “explore their passions and reach their full potential.”
A generous gift made in the 1990s by a former Miller School professor will soon substantially impact the education of residents and students in the Department of Otolaryngology. The planned gift from the late George Lerner, M.D., underscores a lifelong commitment to training the next generation of ear, nose and throat specialists.
“Dr. Lerner cared a great deal about teaching, and he was a great teacher,” recalled W. Jarrard “Jerry” Goodwin, M.D., professor emeritus, who met Dr. Lerner in the 1970s when Dr. Goodwin was a resident in the UM/Jackson Health System. The two men worked together again when Dr. Goodwin returned to Miami after a stint in the Air Force and a fellowship in Houston. “His career was his life, and teaching and mentoring were a vital part of that,” Dr. Goodwin recalled.
Dr. Fred F. Telischi remembers Dr. Lerner as “a terrific teacher, the type of guy who enjoyed sharing his knowledge with the new generation.”
Dr. Lerner served as a volunteer faculty member for 30 years, a tradition in which physicians in private practice volunteer in medical schools. In 1996, he told Dr. Goodwin, who was then chair of the Department of Otolaryngology, that he wanted to support medical education by bequeathing his life’s savings to the Miller School. His one condition: that the income from the donation would support his brother and sister-in-law during their lifetimes. The full amount would benefit the school after their deaths.
“He was passionate about resident education, and this legacy gift was a particularly inspiring way of showing it,” said Dr. Goodwin, who was also director of Sylvester Comprehensive Cancer Center for three years.
Fred F. Telischi, M.D. ’85, Residency ’90, M.E.E., the James R. Chandler Chairman of the Department of Otolaryngology, met Dr. Lerner when he was a medical student working at the UM/Jackson Memorial ENT clinic. Like Dr. Goodwin, he remembers Dr. Lerner as “a terrific teacher, the type of guy who enjoyed sharing his knowledge with the new generation. The endowment was the final thing he could do to further his passion for medical education.”
Through a series of previous gifts, Dr. Lerner also created the George Lerner Fund at the department’s Chandler Library.
Dr. Telischi explained that the latest donation is “transforming” because it provides a perpetual income stream for the department’s educational activities. “A gift from someone who knows what it takes to support the excellence of a department shows an appreciation for our work,” he said. “It’s an honor to receive it.”
The recipient of the donation will be Christine T. Dinh, B.S. ’05, M.D. ’08, Residency ’13, Fellowship ’15, associate professor of clinical otolaryngology, who will become the George Lerner University Chair in Otolaryngology.
“We are immensely grateful to Dr. George Lerner and his family for their generous donation toward the creation of an endowed university chair,” Dr. Dinh said. “Receiving a university chair reflects one of the highest levels of distinction for an academic otolaryngologist, as it honors past and future contributions to education and teaching. I am blessed to be the recipient of this gift and hope to honor Dr. Lerner’s legacy by focusing attention on developing comprehensive educational platforms, implementing innovative teaching strategies, and empowering learners to explore their passions and reach their full potential.”
For more information on planned giving, visit the Office of Estate and Gift Planning page. 
