Michael C. Tomlanovich, MD Endowed Chair of Emergency Medicine

Dr. Michael Tomlanovich graduated from medical school at Wayne State University in 1970 and completed an Internal Medicine internship at Detroit General Hospital before going on to the University of Chicago to train in Emergency Medicine under Dr. Peter Rosen.

In 1975, Dr. Tomlanovich returned to Detroit introducing Emergency Medicine to Henry Ford Hospital. Shortly thereafter, he started the Emergency Medicine Residency Training Program that has since graduated over 500 world class emergency physicians. He built the Department of Emergency Medicine from a division within Internal Medicine and became its first Chairman in 1983 serving in this role for over 20 years.

Under Dr. Tomlanovich’s visionary leadership, the academic mission of the department was cultivated and vigorously supported in a time when Emergency Medicine education and research were limited. This staunch support led to innovations in resuscitation, use of biomarkers, and stroke and sepsis care that have internationally defined our specialty.

Never afraid to speak up for what he believed in, Dr. Tomlanovich was a tireless supporter of Emergency Medicine and steadfast advocate of our patients and community. This has never changed. Dr. Tomlanovich created the environment and culture that has enabled Emergency Medicine to thrive at Henry Ford, and for this we are, and forever will be, thankful to him.

The purpose of this campaign is to fund an endowed Chair of Emergency Medicine at Henry Ford Hospital. The minimum amount for an endowed chair at Henry Ford Health is $1.5 million. This amount serves as the corpus and is never directly spent. The interest that is generated by this corpus is approximately $75,000 per year.

The funds generated by the endowed chair will be used by the Chairman of the Department of Emergency Medicine enhance, support and advance the education and development of the department’s residents and staff physicians. This funding will enhance, support, and advance both the care of patients in the HFH DEM as well as the overall working environment of the department.

The success of this campaign in reaching our goal of the establishment of the Michael C. Tomlanovich MD Endowed Chair of Emergency Medicine will be a fitting tribute to the patriarch and founder of Emergency Medicine at Henry Ford Hospital.

There is currently just over $315,000 in the MCT Endowment Fund so we are well on our way to funding the Chair. We are asking all alumni to pledge “10 shifts” (i.e. $10,000) over 5 years to the Endowed Fund. Surely your training at HFH ER is worth such a contribution. Donors who pledge $10,000 or greater to this campaign will receive a custom-designed Pewabic tile that commemorates Emergency Medicine at Henry Ford Hospital. Our plan is to complete this fund-raising campaign well before the 50th Anniversary celebration of the HFH ER Residency in 2026. Go to www.henryford.com/EDAlumni to donate.