Ramos ’77 receives Leadership and Service Award

Cornell College awarded Douglas Ramos ’77—medical doctor, professor, and leader in NCAA medical safeguards—with the 2024 Leadership and Service Award during Homecoming and Reunion Weekend.

The Leadership and Service Award is presented annually by the Alumni Association and the college during Homecoming Convocation. Recipients have demonstrated outstanding leadership in their careers or professions, their work has contributed to the betterment of their community and its citizens, or their commitment to the college has remained strong for many years.

Since 2000 Ramos has operated a plastic surgery practice in Omaha, where he works alongside his wife Tammy, who practices vascular surgery. He has mentored and inspired the next generation of medical professionals, with a rich history of teaching at medical institutions. He’s currently teaching at the Creighton University School of Medicine and Boston College.

His work has also expanded beyond the hospital and into athletics. He has played an integral role in the NCAA, where he has served as the chair of several committees, including the Committee on Competitive Safeguards and Medical Aspects of Sports, the Drug Education, Testing, and Appeals Subcommittee, and chair of the Big East Conference Health and Safety Group. Ramos has also served on countless national committees. 

Following his graduation from Cornell, Ramos earned his medical degree from Creighton University, completed his post-doctoral research fellowship at MIT, completed his surgical residency at Tufts Medical School, and then finished his plastic surgery residency at Harvard Medical School. He became an assistant professor at Stanford School of Medicine and Stanford Medical Center. During his time at Stanford, Ramos and a colleague earned a Guinness World Record for removing a 306-pound tumor.

He has credited his success to his liberal arts education at Cornell, saying, “I’m an absolute believer in the liberal arts; it was the greatest education I could ever wish for. I think it is important that we don’t become too technical or mechanical and ignore the liberal arts education of the people who, ultimately, do have specialized careers, because the perspective that it gives is so very valuable.”

Listen to his Oct. 5, 2024, speech during Homecoming Convocation at Mount Vernon United Methodist Church: