Page 16 - Delaware Medical Journal - July/August 2020

Save the Date: Tilton Award Ceremony, October 16
On October 16, the Tilton Society of Delaware will be honoring Garrett H.C. Colmorgen, MD with the Tilton Award for Medical Achievement. To be considered for the Tilton Award, named after James Tilton, MD, the first U.S. Army Surgeon General of the United States, as well as the first President of the Medical Society of Delaware, the candidate must be a leader with vision, have an innovative and pioneering spirit, and be highly focused
on advancing the profession of medicine. The candidate must have a life-long commitment to service for the betterment of patients, community, and the nation. The candidate must also be highly principled, and have courage, tenacity, and perseverance. And finally, the candidate must be a member of the Medical Society of Delaware to appropriately honor the first President, Dr. James Tilton.
The 2020 Tilton Award will be presented to Colmorgen for his tireless dedication in reducing the mortality rate for
infants and mothers and his commitment above and beyond to all his patients — including the ones not yet born. “He gives it all to his profession. He has made a mark and set a standard for care and statesmanship and stewardship that is unparalleled. Maternal health care in Delaware benefitted greatly when Garrett Colmorgen came to town,” said MSD President Joseph J. Straight, MD.
The event will be held in the Tilton Mansion, home to the University & Whist Club of Wilmington. The Tilton Mansion is the former home of Dr. Tilton. To purchase tickets, please go to https://bit.ly/Tilton2020, or call 302-658-5125.
different positions, including Chairman of the Delaware Chapter, Secretary of the Board of Directors, Chair of the Prematurity Campaign, and Chair of the Program Services Committee for both the Eastern and Southern Region of the March of Dimes.
After leaving ChristianaCare, Colmorgen took a brief position at Crozer-Keystone Health Network, and since 2008 has served as the Director of Obstetrics and Maternal-Fetal Medicine at Bayhealth Medical Center and the Chair of Bayhealth Medical Group Operating Council. He is also a Clinical Assistant Professor of Obstetrics and Gynecology
at Philadelphia College of Osteopathic Medicine, and a Clinical Associate Professor of Obstetrics and Gynecology at Jefferson Medical College in Philadelphia.
UNFALTERING DEDICATION TO PATIENTS
The years have gone by and Colmorgen’s dedication to reducing the infant and maternal mortality rates in Delaware continues without faltering. Those who know him share many stories of the countless volunteer hours he has dedicated for more than 30 years. He has raised millions of dollars in grant money and has
been appointed to a variety of positions by almost every Governor for the past three decades. “All the committees he serves on are as a volunteer. None of it is salaried. The fact that he has been able
to carve time out while maintaining a very busy practice, speaks volumes to his commitment to both his specialty and the women that we care for,” said Henderson.
Colmorgen has collected a long list of awards along the way as well, including the March of Dimes Katherine Esterly Health Care Award, the ChristianaCare Unsurpassed Excellence Gold Award, the Children & Families First J. Thompson Brown Award, the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists (ACOG) District III President’s Community Service Award, the Distinguished Service Award from the Perinatal Association
of Delaware, and the 2010 Champions for Children Award from Prevent Child Abuse Delaware, to name just a few.
Despite the many hours Colmorgen gives to his volunteer work and projects, it is the way he treats his patients that makes him renowned in the community. “He insists that physicians treat patients well. If he notices someone is doing something less than kind, he will stop and go over and rectify the situation. He will make sure it was right. He treats every single patient
like they are the only patient that matters,” said Petrella.
Colmorgen has been an instrumental and active member of the Medical Society
of Delaware (MSD) since arriving in the First State 35 years ago. He served more than 20 years as the Chair of the MSD Maternal-Child Care Committee and continues to this day in that role. He is a member of the Delaware Medical Political Action Committee (DELPAC), and he served as Vice President of the Delaware Medical Education Foundation, Ltd.
Throughout his interview, Colmorgen questioned why he deserved the Tilton Award for Medical Achievement. He continually emphasized the work still left to be done, the goals still not met, the need to help more people to “help themselves,” and the statistics he wishes would improve. others was, he responded, “Be good. Be
CONTRIBUTING AUTHOR
■ MARY S. FENIMORE is the Manager of Community Relations and Communications for the Medical Society of Delaware.
160
Del Med J | July/August 2020 | Vol. 92 | No. 4