Curriculum vitae
Oliver Sacks, MD, FRCP
Born July 9, 1933, London
Citizenship: British (Permanent resident of U.S.)
Education and Post-Graduate Training
1954 Queen’s College, Oxford, B.A., Physiology and Biology
1954-55 Laboratory of Human Nutrition, Oxford University, Research Fellow
1955-58 Middlesex Hospital, London
1958 M.A., B.M., B.Ch. (Oxford)
1959 Middlesex Hospital, London, internships in medicine, and neurology
1960 Queen Elizabeth Hospital, Birmingham, house surgeon
1961-62 Mt. Zion Hospital, San Francisco, rotating internship
1962-65 Univ. of California, Los Angeles, residency in neurology,neuropathology
Appointments
1960-61 Mt. Zion Hospital, San Francisco, Research Asst, Parkinsonism unit
1965-66 Albert Einstein College of Medicine, Bronx, NY, Fellow in neuropathology and neurochemistry
1966-75 Albert Einstein College of Medicine, Instructor in Neurology
1966-68 Montefiore Hospital, Bronx, NY, Consulting Neurologist, Headache unit
1966-2007 Beth Abraham Hospital, Bronx, NY, Consulting Neurologist
1966-91 Bronx Psychiatric Center, Bronx, NY, Consulting Neurologist
1972- Little Sisters of the Poor, NY, Consulting Neurologist
1974-76 Bronx Developmental Services, Consulting Neurologist
1975-78 Albert Einstein College of Medicine, Assistant Professor of Neurology
1978-85 Albert Einstein College of Medicine, Associate Professor of Neurology
1985-2007 Albert Einstein College of Medicine, Clinical Professor of Neurology
1992-2007 NYU School of Medicine, Adjunct Prof of Psychiatry (assigned to Neurology)
1999-2007 NYU Comprehensive Epilepsy Center, Consulting Neurologist
2007- Columbia University Medical Center, Professor of Neurology and Psychiatry
2007- Columbia University Artist
Honorary Degrees
1990 Georgetown University, Doctor of Humane Letters
1991 Tufts University, Doctor of Science
1991 College of Staten Island, CUNY, Doctor of Humane Letters
1991 New York Medical College, Doctor of Science
1992 Medical College of Pennsylvania, Doctor of Medical Science
1992 Bard College, Doctor of Science
2001 Queen’s University, Kingston, Ontario, Doctor of Laws
2003 Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, Doctor of Medical Science
2005 Gallaudet University, Doctor of Laws
2005 University of Oxford, Doctor of Civil Law
2006 Pontificia Universidad Católica del Perú
2008 Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory, Watson School of Biological Sciences,
Doctor of Science
Honorary Fellowships
American Academy of Arts and Letters
American Academy of Arts and Sciences
American Neurological Association
Association of British Neurologists
Jonathan Edwards College, Yale University
New York Academy of Sciences
New York Institute for the Humanities at NYU
Queen’s College, Oxford
Royal College of Physicians
University of California, Santa Cruz, Cowell College
Board Positions (partial listing)
Institute for Music and Neurologic Function (hon. medical advisor)
National Aphasia Association (hon. board member)
Neurosciences Institute, San Diego
New York Botanical Garden (Board of Managers and Botanical Science Committee)
Tourette Syndrome Association New York City Chapter (hon. board member)
Tourette Syndrome Association USA (hon. Chair, Research Program)
Memberships
Alpha Omega Alpha
American Academy of Neurology
American Fern Society
Authors’ Guild
New York Mineralogical Club
PEN
Society for Neuroscience
Selected Awards and Honors
1970 Alpha Omega Alpha, Albert Einstein College of Medicine
1973 Book of the Year, The Observer, Awakenings
1974 Hawthornden Prize for Imaginative Literature, Awakenings
1988 American Psychiatric Association, Oskar Pfister Award
1989 American Academy & Institute of Arts and Letters, Harold D. Vursell Memorial Award
1989 Guggenheim Fellowship (for work on the neuro-anthropology of Tourette’s Syndrome)
1991 The Scriptor Award, University of Southern California, Awakenings
1991 Odd Fellows Social Concern Book Award, Seeing Voices
1991 Prix Psyche’
1991 National Headache Foundation, Professional Support Award
1991 American Academy of Neurology, Presidential Citation
1991 American Neurological Association, Special Presidential Award
1991 The Royal National Institute for the Deaf, Communicator of the Year Award
1991 Assn of Neuroscience Depts & Programs, Award for Education in Neuroscience
1994 George S. Polk Award for Magazine Reporting, “An Anthropologist on Mars”
1994 National Association of Science Writers Award, “An Anthropologist on Mars”
1995 Esquire/Apple/Waterstone’s Book of the Year, An Anthropologist on Mars
1996 Mainichi Publishing Culture Award, Tokyo, Best Natural Science Book,
Seeing Voices
2000-06 Cornell University, A.D. White Professor-at-Large
2001 New York Times Editors’ Choice, Uncle Tungsten
2002 Lewis Thomas Prize for the Scientist as Poet, Rockefeller University
2002 Alfred P. Sloan Foundation fellowship (Music and the Brain)
2002 Jewish Quarterly Wingate Prize, Uncle Tungsten
2004 National Science Foundation Public Communication Award
2004 Tanner Lecturer in Human Values, Yale University
2004 Coalition of Voluntary Mental Health Associations, Mental Health Award
2004 E.A. Wood Scientific Writing Award, American Crystallographic Association
2004 New York City Mayor’s Award for Excellence in Science and Technology
2004 Literature Award of the German Chemical Industry Fund, Uncle Tungsten
2008 Commander of the British Empire
