Alan B. Gazzaniga ’58

Alan B. Gazzaniga ’58, M.D.,passed away on June 17 at his home in Orange County, California. A zoology major at Dartmouth, Al played football for three years and was a member of Sigma Chi, Sphinx, Green Key, and Newman Club. He completed his M.D. at Harvard and received cardiac and pediatric heart surgery training at Brigham and Boston Children’s Hospitals, plus two years of residency in the U.S. Navy. In 1970 he returned to Orange County as faculty at University of California Irvine Medical School and he managed surgical services at UCI Medical Center. During his tenure as chief of cardiac surgery, he assisted on the first heart transplant in Orange County and developed an advanced life support technique now used in intensive care units throughout the world. In addition to pioneering many new surgical techniques, he created the concept of paramedics for emergency pre-hospital care and published Emergency Care, the first textbook for paramedics. A dedicated teacher and mentor to generations of medical students and residents, he also published more than 100 research papers that have influenced surgical practice worldwide. He said: “Since the second grade, I wanted to be a physician like my dad. I never wavered from that goal. Looking back on my life, that choice was perfect for me. I must have infected my children, since three of four are practicing medicine.” Al is survived by Sheila, his wife of 58 years; sons David ’89, DMS’94, and Mike, DMS’96; and two daughters.