Charles C. Norland, MD

Charles C. Norland, MD ’59, professor emeritus of clinical medicine, is a dedicated, active alumnus of Washington University and was one of the St. Louis area’s most highly respected gastroenterologists until his retirement in 1998.

Throughout his career, Norland has demonstrated an exceptional dedication to teaching. For more than 30 years, he served as a teaching attending at Barnes Hospital/Barnes-Jewish Hospital with medical students and house staff and as an attending in the gastroenterology service with trainees at all levels at Barnes-Jewish, St. Louis City Hospital and the John Cochran VA Hospital. Trainees hold him in high regard for his depth of knowledge, clinical judgment and teaching skills.

Norland has been a clinical leader in the St. Louis area for his entire career. He played a leadership role at the St. Louis Medical Clinic — formerly Grant Medical Clinic — and at St. Luke’s Hospital and Missouri Baptist Medical Center. He was chief of gastroenterology at both hospitals. At Missouri Baptist, he served a term as chief of staff and was a member of the hospital board and numerous other leadership groups. With the St. Louis Metropolitan Medical Society, he held a number of elected offices and spearheaded an important community-wide smoking cessation project. He also represented the society at the local, state and national levels as a lobbyist supporting patients’ rights in dealing with managed care.  In 1996, the Missouri State Legislature passed House Bill #335, which gave new rights and disclosures to citizens when purchasing health insurance.  He wrote more than 30 articles on medical ethics, support for medical education, nicotine and its effects, malpractice reform, healthcare reform, and patients’ rights that were published in the society’s journal and in local media.

An active alum, Norland served as president of the Washington University Medical Center Alumni Association in 1983-84 during his 25th reunion year and has served on his class’ reunion committee every five years since 1979.  In his “second career,” Norland is an accomplished photographer whose work is on display at Missouri Baptist Medical Center and other locations in the St. Louis area.

Norland earned his bachelor’s degree from Washington State University, graduating magna cum laude, in 1955 and medical degree from Washington University in 1959. He completed internship and residency training at Albany Medical Center. After two years in the United States Public Health Service, he completed his gastroenterology fellowship training at the University of Chicago and served on its faculty for two years. In 1968 he returned to St. Louis to join the Washington University faculty.

The Washington University Medical Center Alumni Association is pleased to present its Alumni Achievement Award to Dr. Norland.