Dr. Richard Shemin, chief of the division of cardiac surgery at UCLA Health, has been selected as the 2025 recipient of the Sherman M. Mellinkoff Faculty Award — one of the highest honors awarded by the David Geffen School of Medicine at UCLA.
A faculty member since 2007, Shemin is nationally recognized for his contributions to the field of cardiothoracic surgery and has played a key role in advancing care for patients with complex heart disease, as well as training surgical residents and fellows.
Shemin, who holds the Robert and Kelly Day Chair in Cardiothoracic Surgery and was named a distinguished professor of surgery in 2020, is known among peers and patients for his calm presence, technical skills, innovation, clinical judgment and commitment to compassionate patient care.
His work reflects the values recognized by the Mellinkoff Award, which honors physicians who demonstrate exceptional dedication to the doctor-patient relationship and the science of medicine. The award was established in 1979 to mark the 25th anniversary of the medical school and to honor Dr. Sherman Mellinkoff, who served as dean of the school for 24 years.
