Newsletters

POSTED: April 20th, 2021
POSTED IN: EM Pulse - The Official Newsletter of MOCEP, March/April 2021, MOCEP, News,

Theodore Harper, MD, was selected to receive the 2021 Missouri College of Emergency Physicians’ (MOCEP) R.R. Hannas Resident of the Year Award. He was nominated by Craig Krausz, MD, both from Saint Louis University (SLU). The award will be presented to Dr. Harper at the Missouri Emergency Medicine Symposium on May 27, 2021, in Columbia, Mo.

Dr. Harper is a graduate of Southern Illinois University School of Medicine. His professional experience includes a role as a microbiologist at the Centers for Disease Control and serving as a student researcher at Morehouse School of Medicine immediately after receiving his Bachelor of Science degree in chemistry from the College.

Having received accolades from the nursing and ancillary staff at his facility, he is known for compassionate patient care at his Level 1 trauma center. Whether sharing happy news of favorable test results or conveying the gravity of a new life-threatening diagnosis, he connects easily with patients and their families from diverse backgrounds. He has a reputation for his warmth and empathy, but is also known for his approachability, attention to detail and receives frequent compliments from his patients about his bedside manner.

Dr. Harper is well-liked by his peers and goes out of his way to help teach other residents by setting up airway practice simulations outside of the formal residency curriculum. His generosity does not stop there. Dr. Harper is a local, regional and national mentor to underrepresented minority students and serves as the Vice President of MediQUES. The mission of MediQUES is to mentor and facilitate educational opportunities for minority students interested in pursuing careers in medicine, dentistry, and veterinary medicine. The organization was founded and is comprised of Omega Psi Phi members. In 2016, Dr. Harper assisted in expanding MediQUES to more than 200 active members with a vision to change the narrative of healthcare as it relates to minority representation and collaboration.  

Dr. Harper actively mentors other undergraduates and medical students at Saint Louis University and is currently the resident liaison for the SLU Emergency Medicine Interest Group. In this role, he helps facilitate lectures and simulation sessions to promote and further educational proficiencies. Dr. Harper also is actively involved in mentoring youth and is a member of Georgia’s High Aspirations Foundation. This community-focused education program offers structured leadership training for young men ages 11 to 14 years old. The program’s primary mission is to guide young men in establishing a clear and realistic understanding of adulthood by providing a snapshot of what authentic manhood looks like.

The R.R. Hannas Award is presented to an emergency medicine physician and resident each year, and is named after Dr. Ralston R. Hannas, a “founding father” of Emergency Medicine. Dr. Hannas is a past president of the American College of Emergency Physicians and was the co-organizer, with Dr. Wiegenstein, of the first Scientific Assembly in 1969. He was also chairman of the committee that founded the American Board of Emergency Medicine, served on the Board for twelve years and was the organization’s fourth president. Dr. Hannas was also instrumental in helping organize the fifth Emergency Medicine residency program in the country, at Northwestern University, in 1973. In 1976 he moved to Kansas City where he practiced emergency medicine for 21 years.

To learn more about the R.R. Hannas Award, or MOCEP, please visit www.MOCEP.org. The Missouri College of Emergency Physicians (MOCEP) is a not for profit organization created to support and advocate for emergency medicine physicians practicing in the state of Missouri. MOCEP is a state chapter of the American College of Emergency Physicians (ACEP).