Giving back and impacting others is something near and dear to Gary L. Mueller, MD ’72, FACP, FACE, FEAA. His notable career of generosity connects back to his tenure as a student at the University of Missouri. Dr. Mueller achieved both a medical degree and Bachelor of Arts in Zoology (Honors) at MU and notes the impact his faculty made long-term.
“I remember taking courses while completing my undergraduate degree that immediately helped me succeed when beginning medical school, which gives credit to our great faculty,” said Dr. Mueller. “It always meant a lot to me and my classmates that so many faculty members were open and willing to help us both inside and outside the classroom.”
Dr. Mueller, a retired endocrinologist with subspecialties in Endocrinology & Metabolism, remains clinically active today with a faculty appointment at the Vanderbilt University School of Medicine Endocrinology Division. Among his other faculty appointments, he was an Associate Dean of the Uniformed University of the Health Sciences School of Medicine at the Malcom Grow USAF Medical Center at Andrews AFB in Washington D.C. Dr. Mueller’s desire to educate and mold the next generation of healthcare leaders continues to be a passion to this day.
In 2001, Dr. Mueller received the Distinguished Alumni Award from the MU School of Medicine Alumni Organization, recognizing his substantial contributions in volunteer work. Additionally, he was previously honored as the outstanding volunteer physician for the state of Tennessee by the American College of Physicians, celebrating his volunteer work with the Boy Scouts of America. Dr. Mueller became an Eagle Scout in 1960 and later received the Silver Beaver Award from the Middle Tennessee Council, BSA.
Dr. Mueller, a retired Colonel in the U.S. Air Force Medical Corps following 28 years of service, was bestowed a slew of honors during his service. Among his military decorations, he received an Outstanding Volunteer Service Medal and Humanitarian Service Medal from the U.S. Department of Defense. Additionally, during his service with the Medical Corps, Dr. Mueller served as a fellowship program director, medicine department chairman in a major medical center, and medical-legal consultant to the U.S. Air Force Surgeon General.
Fifteen years ago, Dr. Mueller and his wife, Carolyn R. Mueller, PhD, RN, established an endowment at MU for an Honors College/Medical School scholarship. The gift is used to benefit a student enrolled in the Honors College and who has been accepted and matriculating into the School of Medicine.
“After graduating in 1968 from the Honors College and four years later from the Medical School, I always had an affinity for those two sectors of campus,” said Dr. Mueller. “When I first worked with Mizzou Advancement on how I could start giving back, they noted there were only three gifts at the time through the Honors College. This joint endowed scholarship would assist students who have a similar path to my own more than 50 years ago.”
With his generous gift, Dr. Mueller hopes the scholarship recipients will be able to lessen their future burden of having to cover expenses from being a medical student graduate.
As he enjoys retirement following more than five decades across the healthcare landscape, Dr. Mueller offers the current classes of School of Medicine students with simple advice as they complete their curriculum – listen to your faculty!
“I recall one of my first days of medical school when the chairman of anatomy at the time addressed my new class and stated, ‘You are the student and you will learn, and we are the faculty and we will teach’ and that laid the groundwork for everyone,” said Dr. Mueller. “They are there to help you and bestow wisdom on to you. It’s ok to let them know that you don’t understand something specifically, instead of assuming you know it all already. If you trust your faculty to provide you the tools necessary to succeed and you apply them accordingly, then you will thrive.”
