Jamie Barkin, M.D. ’70, B.S. ’65, has spent a lifetime pushing the frontiers of gastroenterology, elevating the science and bringing its impact to patient care. A world-renowned clinician, educator and innovator, he has left an indelible mark on medicine, education and the Miller School of Medicine.

A proud ’Cane from undergrad through medical school to professorship at the Miller School, Dr. Barkin forged a decades-long bond with his alma mater, which shaped his extraordinary career.

“I had great mentors in medical school who taught me the power of meaningful learning,” he said. “They inspired me to find solutions where none existed.”

And he did. His groundbreaking research in pancreatic and gastrointestinal disease led to transformative innovations: small bowel enteroscopy, video-capsule endoscopy and diagnostic aspiration of pancreatic lesions. Always guided by patient needs, his work reshaped how gastroenterology is practiced worldwide.

At the core of Dr. Barkin’s success is an unwavering commitment to people — both patients and students. Driven by the clinical challenge and the chance to heal, he found purpose in every diagnosis. As a teacher and mentor, he trained hundreds of future leaders in medicine, and many are now at the forefront of the field.

“It’s our responsibility to make the next generation better,” he said. Few have done more to fulfill that mission.

A prolific scholar with more than 500 publications, Dr. Barkin is also past president of the American College of Gastroenterology (ACG), the Florida Gastroenterologic Society and the Bockus International Society of Gastroenterology. His honors include the George F. Paff Teaching Award, the Berk/Fise Clinical Achievement Award and induction into the Miller School Alumni Hall of Fame in 1998.

His service extended beyond medicine. As a retired major general in the U.S. Army Reserve, he earned high military honors, including the Legion of Merit and the Distinguished Service Medal.

Dr. Barkin’s medical passion extends within his family. His wife, Faith Barkin, M.D. ’74; his son, Jodie Barkin, M.D. ’11, associate professor at the Miller School; and his daughter-in-law, Heather Barkin, M.D. ’13 (all Miller School alumni) continue the family tradition of care and innovation.

“My legacy is the people I’ve trained and the family I’ve raised,” he said. “Medicine is an unbelievable profession — and we’re proud to be part of the ’Canes family.”

Though retired, Dr. Barkin remains a vital voice in medicine — still reading, still questioning and still inspiring the next generation.