Michael Lin, MD, SFHM, is an Associate Professor of Medicine and Senior Fellow of Hospital Medicine in the Division of Hospital Medicine. Dr. Lin is an integral part of the division and the hospital, having served on multiple committees for both WashU Medicine and BJC, and as the president-elect of the Barnes-Jewish Hospital Medical Staff Association. He has dedicated over 10 years to the division and has been honored with numerous awards and accolades throughout his tenure, including the ICARE Award for Patient Recognition and the PRAISE Award.
When Mark Thoelke, MD, stepped down as Division Chief in 2020, Dr. Lin rose to the occasion, demonstrating incredible leadership during the height of the unprecedented COVID-19 pandemic. Hospitalists were at the front lines of treating hospitalized patients with COVID at the inception of the first surge in St. Louis. During a stressful time of uncertainty and fear, Michael Lin supported the division with an outstanding commitment to patient care and provider safety. He helped devise a strategic plan to manage the disease, spending many hours finalizing standard operating procedures. Dr. Lin even took it upon himself to drive to every Lowes and Home Depot in the area to buy eye protection gear when the hospital ran out, ensuring that hospitalists were adequately protected. Under his leadership, a hospitalist-based care model was created, which “protected the most vulnerable medical students, residents, fellows, senior faculty, and those with health comorbidities.” In this model, hospitalists delivered the majority of direct COVID-19 care, often working extra shifts to accommodate service expansion during multiple surges. Ultimately, they provided care for more hospitalized COVID-19 patients than any other group of physicians in the St. Louis area.
“Michael Lin never complained, never asked for anything, and was always willing to step up, do more, and always thought of ways to improve patient care and put patients first. He is a quiet, steady rock of a leader. He is an outstanding clinician and teacher…He is the doctor’s doctor and someone you would always want taking care of you or your family member.”
Chair of the Department of Medicine Vicky Fraser, MD, shared her thoughts on Dr. Lin’s leadership as Interim Chief, saying, “Mike always led from the front, he was always actively engaged and communicating with his faculty about their needs, well-being, and clinical operations…I don’t think he took a day off in 18 months (during COVID). He never complained, never asked for anything, and was always willing to step up, do more, and always thought of ways to improve patient care and put patients first. He is a quiet, steady rock of a leader. He is an outstanding clinician and teacher…He is the doctor’s doctor and someone you would always want taking care of you or your family member.”
“A consummate leader, he was calm, proactive, and always thinking about how to put patients first and ensure his team had everything required to provide safe, effective care…His leadership is among the biggest reasons for the department’s and the hospital’s success during the pandemic.”
In recognition of Dr. Lin’s masterful leadership, he received the 2023 Dean’s Impact Award. “Lin and his team also developed educational programs for residents and educational programs, policies, and procedures for medical students to be engaged in COVID-19 care, as appropriate,” the award stated. “A consummate leader, he was calm, proactive, and always thinking about how to put patients first and ensure his team had everything required to provide safe, effective care…His leadership is among the biggest reasons for the department’s and the hospital’s success during the pandemic.”
With Dr. Mark Williams’ departure as Division Chief in 2025, he wanted to impart Dr. Lin with another recognition that would make an impact for years to come. Dr. Williams gifted Dr. Lin with a plaque that states his impact during his time as Interim Chief and created the Master Clinician and Leadership lecture series in his honor. Each year, the division will host a speaker and add their name to the plaque, ensuring that Dr. Lin’s legacy lives on.