Memorial for Dr. Mark Udden
A Message from Morie Gertz, MD, MACP, Chair, ABIM Hematology Board
On behalf of ABIM, the Hematology Board and the hematology community, we were all grieved to learn of the recent death of Dr. Mark Udden, who served as chair before me from 2017 to 2023. I have worked alongside many great hematologists, and Dr. Udden stands out as having had the broadest knowledge of all aspects of hematology of anyone I ever met in the field.
Dr. Udden spent his entire career at Baylor College of Medicine where he was Chief of Benign Hematology and Professor of Medicine, and Ben Taub General Hospital, where he was Chief of Hematology. An active teacher and mentor, his long career demonstrated his devotion to advancing the profession and knowledge of his specialty in each new generation, and he touched thousands of lives through clinical service and medical education.
His service with ABIM stretches back to 2008, when he joined the Subspecialty Board in Hematology. Subsequent roles included chair of the Hematology Board Examination Committee and two terms as chair of the Hematology Board. I had the privilege of working alongside him on the Exam Committee and later as a member of the Hematology Longitudinal Knowledge Assessment (LKA®) Approval Committee, and witnessed firsthand his vast knowledge of the specialty, both benign and malignant. He had the unique ability to design questions that accurately tested the knowledge of hematologists in a succinct and direct fashion.
My colleague, Dr. Robert T. Means Jr., Chair of the Hematology Traditional 10-Year Maintenance of Certification (MOC) Exam Approval Committee, met Dr. Udden in 1983 on rotation in Houston. On learning of his passing, Dr. Means wrote, “Mark was an outstanding teacher and mentor who played a major role in the education of residents and students at Baylor and elsewhere, particularly but not exclusively those interested in hematology.
“Above all, he was an outstanding physician,” continued Dr. Means. “I think of Mark as a true ‘Classical Hematologist’ given that his practice at Ben Taub covered the entire spectrum of hematology, benign and malignant, from alloimmunization to histiocytosis X, with a strong base in blood and bone marrow morphology, and a deep understanding of the diagnostic laboratory basis of the specialty. Mark was also a genuinely kind person, a loyal friend, and a devoted husband and father, deeply proud of the accomplishments of his wife and two daughters.”
Dr. Ishmael Jaiyesimi, whose service on the Hematology Board began when Dr. Udden was chair, remarked, “He was a great human being and a superb hematologist, someone that I looked up to during his time as chair. I have lost a friend who brought me to the ABIM Hematology Board, opening the door for me and others. I am lucky I got to know him.”
During his time in ABIM Governance, Dr. Udden also worked with Dr. Furman S. McDonald, President and CEO of ABIM and the ABIM Foundation, who at the time held the position of Senior Vice President for Academic and Medical Affairs. “I first met Dr. Udden when he joined the ABIM Hematology Board and got to know Mark as he served as member of this Specialty Board, then chair and ABIM Councilor,” Dr. McDonald recalled. “He was thoughtful, careful, open to the ideas of others and ensured that all views were heard in even the most complex deliberations. His commitment to excellence was apparent in all that he did even as he brought good humor and kindness to every interaction. We miss him profoundly and offer our sincerest sympathies to his family.”
Dr. Udden was recognized widely for his contributions to the field as both clinician and educator. He received numerous teaching awards, including the Barbara and Corbin J. Robertson, Jr. Presidential Award for Excellence in Education in 2008 and the Master Clinician Lifetime Award in 2013. In 2024, he received the Baylor College of Medicine Alumni Award. His legacy encompasses the impact he had on his profession as well as his kindness, intelligence and warmth.
I am honored to have known and served with Dr. Udden and extend my heartfelt condolences to his family and loved ones.
Morie Gertz
