Alberto Galofré, M.Ed. M.D.: 1937-2023

06/08/2023

Alberto Galofré M.Ed. M.D., professor emeritus of Internal Medicine and former Associate Dean for Curriculum with the Saint Louis University School of Medicine, died May 10, 2023. He was 85.

Galofré was born on Dec. 10, 1937, in Santiago, Chile. He earned his bachelor of science degree from the University of Chile in 1959. He earned his doctor of medicine degree from Chile University in 1962 and his master of education degree from the University of Illinois, Urbana in 1974. He completed a post-doctoral Kellogg fellowship in Pediatrics and Developmental Biology at Stanford University in Palo Alto, California, and a fellowship in medical education at the University of Illinois in Chicago under the direction of George Miller.

Galofré began his teaching career at Catholic University in Santiago in 1960. From there, he went on to teach at Michigan State University before ending up at Saint Louis University in 1978.

At SLU, Galofré taught classes and served as Associate Dean for Curriculum starting in 1995. 

While at SLU, he served as the chairperson for the Curriculum Management Committee, the committee responsible for the design and management of an integrated and coordinated curriculum for the MD Degree Program. He also oversaw the Liaison Committee on Medical Education (LCME) Accreditation process for the MD program.

He was the past chair of the Association of American Medical College's national Group on Educational Affairs (GEA) in 1991 and served as chair of the Central Region GEA in 1988-89. In addition to his duties as a member of a number of committees at the medical school, Galofré served as a consultant in medical education for the Pan-American Health Organization, Washington, DC., a member of the Expert Advisory Panel on Health Manpower, World Health Organization, Geneva, Switzerland, and served on the editorial review board of Academic Medicine. 

In 2002, he was awarded the prestigious Merrell D. Flair Award by the AAMC for his achievements in medical education. This award is presented for outstanding leadership and major career contributions to medical education in North America.

He retired from SLU in 2003 with emeritus status. 

He is survived by his daughters, Ana Margarita-Galofré Smith, Christine Allen, and Mary Galofré, and his seven grandchildren. He is also survived by a large family in Santiago, Chile, including his sister, Rosa Maria Galofré, brother Estanislao Jorge Galofré and many nieces and nephews. 

Galofré will be cremated and laid to rest in his family's Mausoleum in Santiago, Chile.