October 22, 2008
Weaver, Merati lauded by national medical society
(UW Medical Center)
The American Academy of Otolaryngology — Head and Neck Surgery recently presented Distinguished Service Awards to Dr. Albert L. Merati, UW associate professor and chief of laryngology in the Department of Otolaryngology, and Dr. Edward M. Weaver, UW associate professor and chief of sleep surgery at Harborview Medical Center in the Department of Otolaryngology. The awards were presented at the academy’s annual meeting in Chicago.
Merati and Weaver were honored as two of 17 recipients of the award, out of more than 12,000 otolaryngologists across the country. The Academy presents Distinguished Service Awards to medical professionals in recognition of extensive meritorious service through the presentation of instructional courses, scientific papers, participation on a continuing education committee, or Academy leadership position.
“To have two meritorious physicians from the same department receive this award in the same year is a unique event,” said Dr. Neal Futran, UW professor and chairman of the Department of Otolaryngology, and director of head and neck surgery. “This represents dedication to education, scholarly activity, superb patient care, and being on the forefront of new developments in otolaryngology that are core values of our faculty at the University of Washington.”
Weaver is chief of sleep surgery at Harborview Medical Center and directs the UW Otolaryngology Outcomes Research Unit. He completed two terms as chairman of the Academy’s Sleep Disorders committee and is in his second consecutive term as chairman of the Academy’s Outcomes Research Committee. Weaver is also the founder and principal investigator of the UW Sleep Apnea Research Group, which studies sleep apnea treatment and outcomes. Merati serves as chairman of two Academy committees, including the Neurolaryngology Subcommittee and the Airway and Swallowing Committee. He also founded and serves as president of the Northwest Voice Foundation, a group established to promote and enhance voice education, healthy voice practices, and an open dialogue and improved understanding among voice-related professionals within and around the Pacific Northwest.
