Redman, Jack Curry, 1924-1994

Jack Redman, M.D.

Born in Alamosa, Colorado on September 20, 1924, Jack Curry Redman (1924-1994) moved with his family to Albuquerque, New Mexico at the age of five. As a self-proclaimed University of New Mexico "faculty brat," Dr. Redman, whose mother, Bess Redman, was a Professor of Voice at the university, had a lifelong connection to UNM and the Albuquerque area. Dr. Redman attended Albuquerque High School where he was quarterback on the football team and played against future governor of New Mexico Bruce King. He enrolled at the University of New Mexico as a pre-medical student but was called to duty with the United States Navy one semester shy of his graduation in 1945. In 1987, forty-two years after his expected graduation from UNM, Dr. Redman received his degree from the University of New Mexico using his transfer credits from Colorado.

After service Dr. Redman completed his Bachelor of Science degree in Boulder, Colorado. In 1946 he was accepted to the University of Colorado School of Medicine where he graduated with his M.D. in 1950. After graduation from medical school, Dr. Redman accepted an internship at the United States Naval Hospital in Portsmouth, Virginia and served in the Korean War for fourteen months. During his internship, Dr. Redman delivered his first babies and made the decision to go into family practice. In 1951, Dr. Redman returned to Albuquerque, New Mexico to open a private practice in general and family medicine. Over his many years of practice he would deliver over 3,000 babies.

During his forty years of medical practice, Dr. Redman became a prominent activist, both locally and nationally. He ran unsuccessfully as the Republican candidate for the U.S. Congress in 1962 and then again in 1964. In the summer of 1967, Redman served sixty days in Vietnam with the Volunteer Physicians for Vietnam of the American Medical Association, where he provided medical care to injured civilians. As a result of his volunteer service in Vietnam, Jack Redman received the New Mexico Medical Society's P.H. Robins Community Service Award. In 1975, Dr. Redman was honored for being the first doctor to successfully treat Pneumocystis carinnii in a young Vietnamese girl in Albuquerque. In 1977, Dr. Redman initiated the development of the New Mexico Skin Cancer Project, which focused on educating the people of New Mexico about the risk of skin cancer. His involvement led him to lecture in several foreign countries and placed Dr. Redman at the forefront of melanoma education. In addition to numerous other honors, he was awarded the St. George Medal in recognition of outstanding contribution to the control of cancer by the American Cancer Society in 1988. In 1985, Dr. Redman presented a resolution entitled the "The Total Woman Resolution" that recommended an annual cervical cancer examination for women rather than the standard every three years. Dr. Redman's advocacy of the resolution influenced the American Medical Association's 1987 recommendation for annual breast and pelvic exams for women. Jack Redman remained active in educating the public about the risks of cancer until his death on September 15, 1994.

From the guide to the Jack Curry Redman Collection, 1947-1994, (New Mexico Health Historical Collection, UNM Health Sciences Library and Informatics Center.)

Jack C. Redman, M.D.

Born in Alamosa, Colorado on September 20, 1924, Jack Curry Redman (1924-1994) moved with his family to Albuquerque, New Mexico at the age of five. As a self-proclaimed University of New Mexico "faculty brat," Dr. Redman, whose mother, Bess Redman, was a voice professor at the university, had a lifelong connection to UNM and the Albuquerque area. Dr. Redman attended Albuquerque High School, where he was quarterback on the football team and played against future governor of New Mexico Bruce King. He enrolled at the University of New Mexico as a pre-medical student but was called to duty with the United States Navy one semester shy of his graduation in 1945. In 1987, forty-two years after his expected graduation from UNM, Dr. Redman received his undergraduate degree from the University of New Mexico.

After his military service, Dr. Redman completed his Bachelor of Science degree in Boulder, Colorado. In 1946 he started medical school at the University of Colorado, where he graduated with his M.D. in 1950. After graduation from medical school, Dr. Redman accepted an internship at the United States Naval Hospital in Portsmouth, Virginia and served in the Korean War for fourteen months. It was during his internship that Dr. Redman delivered his first babies and made the decision to go into family practice. In 1951, Dr. Redman returned to Albuquerque, New Mexico to open a private practice in general and family medicine. Over his many years of practice he would deliver more than 3,000 babies.

During his forty years of medical practice, Dr. Redman became a prominent activist, both locally and nationally. He ran unsuccessfully as the Republican candidate for the U.S. Congress in 1962 and then again in 1964. In the summer of 1967, Redman served sixty days in Vietnam with the Volunteer Physicians for Vietnam of the American Medical Association, where he provided medical care to injured civilians. As a result of his volunteer service in Vietnam, Jack Redman received the New Mexico Medical Society's P.H. Robins Community Service Award. In 1975, Dr. Redman was honored for being the first doctor to successfully treat pneumocystis carinnii in a young Vietnamese girl in Albuquerque. In 1977, Dr. Redman initiated the development of the New Mexico Skin Cancer Project, which focused on educating the people in the state about the risk of skin cancer. His involvement led him to lecture in several foreign countries and placed Dr. Redman at the forefront of melanoma education. In addition to numerous other honors, in 1988, he was awarded the American Cancer Society's St. George Medal in recognition of outstanding contribution to the control of cancer. In 1985, Dr. Redman presented a resolution entitled "The Total Woman Resolution" that recommended an annual cervical cancer examination for women rather than the standard every three years. Dr. Redman's advocacy of the resolution influenced the American Medical Association's 1987 recommendation for annual breast and pelvic exams for women. Jack Redman remained active in educating the public about the risks of cancer until his death on September 15, 1994.

From the guide to the Jack Curry Redman Oral History Collection, 1987, (New Mexico Health Historical Collection, UNM Health Sciences Library and Informatics Center.)