Kerry H. Levin, MD Receives 2021 Distinguished Physician Award

AANEM honors one member who has provided distinguished service for a number of years as a clinician and/or educator in overall support of AANEM activities each year. This year, Kerry H. Levin, MD has been chosen for this honor for his commitment as both a clinician and as an educator.

Dr. Levin has been a dedicated member of AANEM since his EMG fellowship in 1982. He currently works as a neurologist in the Department of Neurology and the Neuromuscular Center at Cleveland Clinic. He has had many roles within the clinic including serving as chair of the Department of Neurology, the director of the Neuromuscular Center at the Neurological Institute, program director for neurophysiology and NM fellowships, and professor at the Cleveland Clinic Lerner College of Medicine, Case Western Reserve University.

Dr. Levin earned his medical degree from Johns Hopkins University in Baltimore and continued onto his residency in a dual program for internal medicine and neurology. He later completed a fellowship in EMG at the Mayo Clinic in Rochester, Minnesota.

“My membership has been a wonderful venue for education, scholarly contribution, and friendships,” shares Dr. Levin in regard to his time spent with AANEM. Dr. Levin states that mentors throughout his own schooling were critical to his success as a neurologist and teacher today. “I have to give Dr. Jasper Daube credit for jumpstarting my academic career in NM and EMG. Other mentors in medical school, residency, and fellowship all served as role models as well.”

He has discovered that there is no greater reward than for caring for patients and mentoring trainees as a physician.

“I have found that it is wonderfully gratifying to see a trainee learn skills, develop a passion for the work that we do, and incorporate compassion in the practice of medicine,” Dr. Levin states. Aside from helping future physicians grow into their careers, he also enjoys providing opportunities for career advancement for members of his own department of neurology.
Dr. Levin advises for those just starting out, “it is important to develop a subspecialty interest within your specialty to provide a focus and a protection against burn out. Especially for those who remain primarily generalists in their specialty.”

Dr. Levin has always enjoyed taking part in the annual meetings that AANEM offers. Just like in past years, he says he is most excited for the opportunities to learn, teach and of course, to reunite with old friends at the upcoming meeting.

Dr. Levin will be honored with the Distinguished Physician Award at the upcoming annual meeting in Aurora, Colorado taking place October 13-16, 2021.