Awards

National Academies - 1906

American Association for the Advancement of Science

About Burton Myers

Burton Dorr Myers was born on March 30, 1870 in Attica, Ohio. He received a bachelor of philosophy degree from Buchtel College (now the University of Akron) in 1893, a master’s degree from Cornell University in 1900, and earned his M.D. at the University of Leipzig in 1902. He was an assistant professor in physiology at Cornell, 1898-1900, and an assistant professor in anatomy at Johns Hopkins University, 1902-1903. Myers came to Indiana University in 1903 as professor and head of the Department of Anatomy. He served in the School of Medicine as Secretary, 1903-1920, Assistant Dean, 1920-1927, and Dean, 1927-1940. At the time of his death, he was credited with most of the significant developments in the creation of the IU School of Medicine, insisting on high educational standards for the medical profession and the outlawing of medical diploma mills. After his retirement in 1940, he wrote three books, History of Indiana University v.2, History of Medical Education in Indiana, and Trustees and Officers of Indiana University 1820-1950.

Myers was past district governor and international trustee with Kiwanis, past president of the Bloomington Chamber of Commerce, past president of the Monroe County Tuberculosis Association, and past president of the American Medical Colleges. He was a member of the American Association of Anatomists, the American Medical Association, Phi Beta Kappa, Sigma Xi, and Alpha Omega Alpha honorary medical society, and was active with the Bloomington First Methodist Church. Myers was elected as a fellow of the Indiana Academy of Science and the American Association for the Advancement of Science. Myers died February 28, 1951 at the age of 80.