Herzl R. Spiro, MD, PhD Honored for Excellence in Psychiatry and Education

    MILWAUKEE, WI, April 14, 2021 /24-7PressRelease/ -- Herzl R. Spiro, MD, PhD has been included in Marquis Who's Who. As in all Marquis Who's Who biographical volumes, individuals profiled are selected on the basis of current reference value. Factors such as position, noteworthy accomplishments, visibility, and prominence in a field are all taken into account during the selection process.

Driven by hope, passion, kindness, and a strong desire to give back to his Jewish community, Herzl R. Spiro, MD, PhD, has established himself as an accomplished psychiatrist, educator, and leader over the course of more than 50 years. Honored with the title of Professor Emeritus of Psychiatry and Psychology from the University of Wisconsin-Madison since 1999, he has most recently excelled as a practicing psychiatrist at Aurora Sinai Medical Center and at Outreach Community Health, providing outpatient psychiatry to the homeless.

Growing up, Dr. Spiro was greatly inspired by his father, a renowned Rabbi during the Holocaust. Greatly distraught by that horrifying moment in history, he dedicated himself to helping those of the Jewish faith, a mission that Dr. Spiro has been proud to carry on. In fact, by the time he was 19, he was teaching Hebrew school on Sundays. Additionally, from a young age, he took to heart famous words of another Herzl—playwright and political activist Theodore Herzl: "If you will it, it is no dream." Under the guidance of supportive and inspiring parents, teachers, and a strong education, he embarked on his professional path. He first earned a Bachelor of Arts in Government, with minors in History and Literature, and then a Doctor of Medicine from the University of Vermont, from which he graduated cum laude in 1955 and 1960, respectively. He followed up these degrees with an internship at New York Hospital-Cornell Medical Center from 1960 to 1961 and a psychiatric residency at Johns Hopkins Hospital from 1961 to 1964.

Dr. Spiro advanced from an instructor of psychiatry to an associate professor at the Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine between 1964 and 1971, during which time he also found success at the institution as a lecturer on the subject of mental hygiene. He served as the Director of the Rutgers Mental Health Center, an Adjunct Professor of Psychology at Rutgers University, and a Professor of Psychiatry and Community Medicine from Rutgers University Medical School from 1971 to 1975—and also obtained a Doctor of Philosophy in Psychology from the university in the midst of his professional appointments there. He subsequently balanced responsibilities as the Director of Mental Health at the Mental Health Complex in Milwaukee County from 1975 to 1981, President of the medical staff at Milwaukee Psychiatric Hospital from 1975 to 1982, and Professor and Chair of the Department of Psychiatry and Mental Health Sciences at the Medical College of Wisconsin from 1975 to 1982.

Dr. Spiro held a private practice at Columbia Hospital and Milwaukee Psychiatric Hospital from 1983 to 1988 and continued teaching as a Professor of Psychiatry at the University of Wisconsin-Madison from 1988 to 1999—by which point he had taught thousands of psychiatric residents. Between 1999 and 2020, he operated out of a private practice and then a full-time practice through Aurora Medical Group and Aurora Sinai Medical Center—offering consultations in outpatient and inpatient services, addiction, forensics, geropsychiatry, and liaison psychiatry. With no plans to retire, Dr. Spiro plans to continue working hard to help people of the inner city through his services at the Community Mental Health Program—a facility that lost its funding in the 1980s, but that he's working full-time for now to acquire grant money.

While he considers his entire psychiatric career as a highlight, Dr. Spiro is most proud of his the work he's done in Israel, having commuted there for 20 years helping secure housing, healthcare, and employment to up to 1,256,000 refugees entering the country in Western Asia. He also served as the President of his local synagogue. In addition, he has found much success with written works, contributing to numerous books, monographs, and journal articles over the years, as well as authoring the book, "Of Hope: A Memoir" in 2020. In the book, he chronicles the overwhelming "hope" he has felt throughout each stage of his life—from his upbringing to his education and beyond—and wants to pass onto others. As a testament to his myriad accomplishments, Dr. Spiro has received several accolades, including recognition as "Best Alumnus" by the University of Vermont, the Anton Boisen Award in Psychiatry and Religion, a Distinguished Service Award from Virginia, a Distinguished Alumni Award from the University of Vermont Medical School, and a Woodbury Prize, among many others.

Though, despite all his professional achievements, Dr. Spiro values most his family and community. "Care for your family first and do all the things like serving your community and humankind afterward, so that you don't fail," he said. With his wife of more than 40 years, Dr. Spiro is the proud father of three successful children and grandfather of 14.

About Marquis Who's Who®
Since 1899, when A. N. Marquis printed the First Edition of Who's Who in America®, Marquis Who's Who® has chronicled the lives of the most accomplished individuals and innovators from every significant field of endeavor, including politics, business, medicine, law, education, art, religion and entertainment. Today, Who's Who in America® remains an essential biographical source for thousands of researchers, journalists, librarians and executive search firms around the world. Marquis® now publishes many Who's Who titles, including Who's Who in America®, Who's Who in the World®, Who's Who in American Law®, Who's Who in Medicine and Healthcare®, Who's Who in Science and Engineering®, and Who's Who in Asia®. Marquis® publications may be visited at the official Marquis Who's Who® website at www.marquiswhoswho.com.

# # #