PHS Honors Advocate, Mentor, and Friend, Neal Gault, MD

Neal Gault, MD, has been a long-time advocate of sexual health education, especially to medical students. Gault spent his career and much of his retirement educating physicians. He helped to build and improve medical education in Seoul, the Ryukyu Islands, Okinawa, and Hawaii. Gault graduated from the University of Minnesota Medical School in 1950, and in 1972 he became the Dean, a position he held for twelve years. During his career he consulted in more than twelve foreign countries for various private organizations and the United States Government.

People who meet Gault comment not on his remarkable résumé, but on his tremendous character. He is genuine, straightforward, funny, and generous. At PHS we are grateful for his continued involvement as a mentor and friend. He serves on the PHS Leadership Council, and his presence bridges the fundamental principles of medical education to future endeavors. In a recent discussion, Gault suggested a clear solution to opening up the sexual health dialogues: they must start with medical providers, “It is essential to get doctors to be more comfortable in talking about sex.” As always this remains a steadfast principle of PHS education.

In the past months, Gault was diagnosed with cancer of the pancreas. His amazing attitude toward life has not waned, and he continues to celebrate each day as a gift and opportunity. He was recently honored by the University with the much deserved Alumni Service Award. Gault spends his days surrounded by family, friends, and colleagues.