Satish S. C. Rao, MD, PhD, FACG

Dawn T. Provenzale, MD, FACG

(1955-2021)

The American College of Gastroenterology (ACG) celebrates the life of Dawn T . Provenzale, MD, FACG, and recognizes her numerous contributions to clinical research, education, mentorship, and patient care . At the time of her death in April 2021, Dr . Provenzale served as Professor of Medicine in the Division of Gastroenterology at the Duke University School of Medicine and as Director of the Cooperative Studies Program Epidemiology Center at the Durham Veterans Affairs Medical Center .

She was a co-investigator on a Veterans Administrations trial, “Colonoscopy vs . Fecal Immunochemical Test in Reducing Mortality from Colorectal Cancer (CONFIRM)” with Dr . Jason Dominitz and Dr . Douglas Robertson .

She served as a Member of ACG’s Board of Trustees from 2001 to 2007 . Dr . Provenzale chaired the College’s Research Committee from 2000 to 2004, and in this role was an At-Large member of the Board of the ACG Institute . She was an associate editor of The American Journal of Gastroenterology from 1998 to 2003 .

Within a short time after her arrival at Duke in 1992, Dr . Provenzale initiated the first training program in health services research in gastroenterology in the United States . Over the last 25 years, this program has trained numerous undergraduates, medical students, graduate students, and junior faculty .

Dr . Provenzale made important contributions to the understanding of colorectal cancer screening and surveillance, Barrett’s esophagus surveillance, and the risk of esophageal cancer, and inflammatory bowel disease . As the Director of GI Outcomes Research at Duke University, she headed a research program that integrates observational research, and measurement of patient-centered outcomes in gastrointestinal cancer screening, surveillance and quality of care with a focus on genetic epidemiology, health services genomics in gastroenterology and gastrointestinal cancer . She served as Chair of the National Comprehensive Cancer Network Guideline Committee for Colorectal Cancer Screening .

Dr . Provenzale graduated with Distinction with a BS in Nursing from Cornell University . She received her MD from Albany Medical College and completed her residency training at the University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, and fellowships in gastroenterology and clinical decision making at New England Medical Center in Boston . In 1991 she earned a master’s degree in epidemiology from the Harvard School of Public Health . In 1999 and 2001, she received the American College of Gastroenterology Governors Award for Excellence in Clinical Research – Best Scientific Paper . In 2008, she was recognized with the AGA Foundation’s 2008 Outstanding AGA Women in Science .