110-LS-02

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

July 11, 2002

MEDIA ADVISORY

BOOK SIGNING EVENT CELEBRATES LIFE OF DR. FOREST GRUNIGEN

EVENT:
The UC Irvine Libraries present a program and book signing event to celebrate the publication of "A Strength Born of Giants: The Life & Times of Dr. Forest Grunigen" by Dolores Grunigen and Jay O'Connell. Grunigen, the son of an early national park ranger, was one of California's leading physicians. His biography chronicles nearly a century of adventures and accomplishments as well as his role in the history of UCI's College of Medicine. The program will feature a discussion about the challenges involved in bringing the College of Medicine to the Irvine campus.

DATE:
Wednesday, July 17, 2002

TIME:
2 p.m. to 3:30 p.m.

LOCATION:
The Forest J. Grunigen, M.D. Library and Medical Education Center,
UCI Medical Center, Orange

BACKGROUND:
Grunigen became an osteopathic doctor, practicing urology, in 1931. At the time, the California College of Medicine, located in Los Angeles, granted only osteopathic degrees, not M.D.s. Training, licensing and accreditation were different for each degree. From 1961 to 1962, Grunigen led the successful attempt to merge training and licensing of the two disciplines. In combining the instruction and certification, the College of Medicine was created, began granting medical degrees and, in 1968, moved to UCI's campus. Grunigen became a doctor of medicine in 1962.

Dolores Grunigen, wife of the late physician, has served as a legislative advocate with the State Board of Medical Examiners.

O'Connell is a historian and UCI graduate. He is the author of "Co-Operative Dreams: A History of the Kaweah Colony" and writes a regular historical column for a local newspaper serving the Three Rivers, Calif., area and Sequoia National Park.

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Contact:
Lisa Stieler
(949) 824-7687
lstieler@uci.edu

UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA, IRVINE: A TOP-10 PUBLIC UNIVERSITY

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