Jerome H. Modell and Shirley Graves Modell

Jerome H. “Jerry” Modell and Shirley Graves Modell are anesthesiologists known nationally and locally for their contributions to human health. Both served on the University of Florida faculty for more than 32 years before retiring. They maintain offices at the medical school and have maintained relationships by volunteering at the medical school and the veterinary school, where Jerry now is a courtesy professor of large animal clinical sciences and involved in teaching anesthesiology to veterinary students. His work as a physician, teacher, researcher and administrator culminated in his stint as associate vice president for health affairs at the UF Health Science Center.

While at UF, he chaired the Department of Anesthesiology for more than 23 years and held numerous administrative posts, including executive associate dean and interim dean of the College of Medicine. Modell also has held many national leadership posts, serving on various medical and scientific groups and boards. In 1994, a million-dollar endowed professorship in anesthesiology was established at the medical college in his name.

Shirley joined the UF anesthesiology department in 1970 and a few years later established UF’s division of pediatric anesthesiology. The pediatric ICU was named after her and James Talbert, longtime chief of pediatric surgery. She received the University Medallion for Service to UF, is a past president of the Florida Society of Anesthesiologists and has held numerous leadership positions in various medical organizations. Shirley is one of the most accomplished women in anesthesiology and is recognized by many as the “mother of Pediatric Anesthesiology.”