Alexander Norbash, M.D. ’86, is the UMKC Alumnus of the Year, the top award given each year. Norbash is an interventional neuroradiologist, a highly technical specialty that addresses life-and-death matters with techniques requiring high precision and composure. At the University of California San Diego he is chair and professor of the Department of Radiology, associate vice chancellor for Diversity, Equity and Inclusion, and adjunct professor of neurosurgery. Norbash has been instrumental in inventing and implementing new technologies which are less invasive and more effective for treating strokes and brain aneurysms.
The UMKC Alumni Awards each year also honor a graduate from each professional school and major departments. This year’s UMKC School of Medicine Alumni Achievement Award goes to Kevin J. Blinder, M.D. ’85. As an ophthalmologist, Blinder is a leading specialist in vitreoretinal diseases — which affect the back of the eye and fluid around it. Blinder is a partner at the Retina Institute in St. Louis and a professor of ophthalmology at Washington University, where he has trained countless residents and fellows in retina education.
Look for more about these distinguished School of Medicine alumni in the next issue of UMKC Medicine.
