Biography: Deacon Rod Mortel
Dr. Rodrigue Mortel was born and educated in Haiti. After practicing general medicine for two years in rural Haiti following his graduation from the Medical School of Port-au-Prince, he spent one year of graduate study in Montreal before entering the United States in 1963. Dr. Mortel received training in the field of obstetrics and gynecology at the Hahnemann Medical College and Hospital in Philadelphia and then subspecialized in gynecologic oncology at the Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center in New York City.
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Subsequently, he joined the Penn State University College of Medicine in 1972 as an Assistant Professor, quickly climbed the academic ladder to become full Professor in the Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology in 1977. Six years later, he became the first black foreign educated to Chair one of the 126 United States medical schools department of obstetrics and gynecology, a position he occupied for nearly 13 years before his promotion in 1995 to Associate Dean and founding Director of the Penn State University Cancer Center.
Dr. Mortel was always recognized as one of the best teachers at Penn State and consequently received outstanding performance evaluations by medical students, residents, and fellows. His reputation as one of the best cancer surgeons has crossed over the borders of the state of Pennsylvania to reach the entire United States as well as European and Asian countries. That was confirmed in 1993 and 1997 when Dr. Mortel was named one of the Best 401 Doctors for Women in the United States.
Dr. Mortel is also a scientist. After studying in one of the best cancer research laboratories at the University of Paris, he became a fellow of the Ligue Nationale Francaise Contre le Cancer, professeur ā la Fondation de France and conducted extensive research in his laboratory at Penn State and delivered to the academic community a new method of treating a group of women with endometrial cancer.
In 1988, Dr. Mortel competed successfully to be one of the six Robert Wood Johnson Health Policy Fellows selected by the Institute of Medicine of the National Academy of Sciences. He served for one year as a health aide to Congressman Sander Levin of the Health Subcommittee of the House Ways and Means Committee. He was a member of the advisory board of the National Cancer Institute from 1979 to 2000 and served as legislative watchdog for the Society of Gynecologic Oncologists while he lead the Society’s effort in establishing a gynecologic oncology section within the National Cancer Institute.
Dr. Mortel has published two books, 135 articles and chapters in books as well as editorials in the New York Times and the Washington Post. For his numerous achievements, Dr. Mortel received many awards and occupied leadership positions in all prestigious obstetrical and gynecological societies in this country. He received the United States Public Health Service Award in 1970, the prestigious Horatio Alger Award in 1985 (From Rags to Riches), and in 1986 the highly coveted Faculty Scholar Medal from the Pennsylvania State University for outstanding achievement in the area of Health Sciences. In 1980, He created and chaired the Gynecologic Cancer Foundation (GCF) and became in 1994, President of the elite American Society of Gynecologic Oncologists (SGO). For 6 years he chaired the education committee of the International Gynecologic Cancer Society (IGCS). He was an examiner for the American Board of Obstetrics and Gynecology and the Australian Board of Gynecologic Oncology.
Dr. Mortel and his wife have endowed at Penn State University two (2) visiting scholar lectures, one in the department of Obstetrics and gynecology and the other in the Penn State Cancer Institute.
Since 1986, Dr. Mortel has become a motivational speaker to high school students, keynote speakers at college graduation ceremonies and appeared twice on the Robert Schuller’s television program “Hour of Power”. Dr. Mortel was the recipient in 1997 of the Award for Excellence in Education and Health from the National Organization for the Advancement of Haitians (NOAH). In May 1999, he received an award from the Haitian Institute in Montréal, for outstanding achievement in medical, education and research. On May 18, 2002 Dr. Mortel received “The Drs. Kienle’s Humanistic Medicine” award from Penn State College of Medicine for demonstrating the highest standards in dealing with patients, colleagues and community. In 2013 the Penn State College of Medicine established four learning societies one of which is named “Mortel society”. Mortel is also a 2015 recipient of the Penn State Honorary Alumni Award for making significant contributions to Penn State’s welfare, reputation and prestige.
Dr. Mortel remains deeply rooted in Haiti. He created in 1997 “The Mortel Family Charitable Foundation, a 501C (3) organization incorporated in the State of Pennsylvania. The Foundation is responsible for the operational costs of “Les Bons Samaritains” (The Good Samaritans) a school built in St. Marc, Haiti, to serve exclusively the economically, socially and intellectually deprived children of Haiti. It also finances the operation of literacy school which serves adults of both sexes in a four year program. In September 2011 the Foundation opened a high school (James Stine College) to provide secondary education especially to the graduates of the Good Samaritans School. “A trade school” the Cardinal Keeler Center” is located in Gonaives. A preschool with 100 3 year olds and 100 4 year olds is all set to open in September, 2015.
Dr. Mortel entered the Diaconate formation program in 1998, studied for three years at St. Mary’s Seminary University in Baltimore and was ordained permanent deacon on July 5, 2001. He was a member of the Commission on Social Doctrine in the Diocese of Harrisburg and served on the Board of Directors of Weston Jesuit School of Theology in Boston. He is presently serving as Director of the Missions Office for the Archdiocese of Baltimore, and deacon at St Joan of Arc parish in Hershey.
Dr. Mortel was always recognized as one of the best teachers at Penn State and consequently received outstanding performance evaluations by medical students, residents, and fellows. His reputation as one of the best cancer surgeons has crossed over the borders of the state of Pennsylvania to reach the entire United States as well as European and Asian countries. That was confirmed in 1993 and 1997 when Dr. Mortel was named one of the Best 401 Doctors for Women in the United States.
Dr. Mortel is also a scientist. After studying in one of the best cancer research laboratories at the University of Paris, he became a fellow of the Ligue Nationale Francaise Contre le Cancer, professeur ā la Fondation de France and conducted extensive research in his laboratory at Penn State and delivered to the academic community a new method of treating a group of women with endometrial cancer.
In 1988, Dr. Mortel competed successfully to be one of the six Robert Wood Johnson Health Policy Fellows selected by the Institute of Medicine of the National Academy of Sciences. He served for one year as a health aide to Congressman Sander Levin of the Health Subcommittee of the House Ways and Means Committee. He was a member of the advisory board of the National Cancer Institute from 1979 to 2000 and served as legislative watchdog for the Society of Gynecologic Oncologists while he lead the Society’s effort in establishing a gynecologic oncology section within the National Cancer Institute.
Dr. Mortel has published two books, 135 articles and chapters in books as well as editorials in the New York Times and the Washington Post. For his numerous achievements, Dr. Mortel received many awards and occupied leadership positions in all prestigious obstetrical and gynecological societies in this country. He received the United States Public Health Service Award in 1970, the prestigious Horatio Alger Award in 1985 (From Rags to Riches), and in 1986 the highly coveted Faculty Scholar Medal from the Pennsylvania State University for outstanding achievement in the area of Health Sciences. In 1980, He created and chaired the Gynecologic Cancer Foundation (GCF) and became in 1994, President of the elite American Society of Gynecologic Oncologists (SGO). For 6 years he chaired the education committee of the International Gynecologic Cancer Society (IGCS). He was an examiner for the American Board of Obstetrics and Gynecology and the Australian Board of Gynecologic Oncology.
Dr. Mortel and his wife have endowed at Penn State University two (2) visiting scholar lectures, one in the department of Obstetrics and gynecology and the other in the Penn State Cancer Institute.
Since 1986, Dr. Mortel has become a motivational speaker to high school students, keynote speakers at college graduation ceremonies and appeared twice on the Robert Schuller’s television program “Hour of Power”. Dr. Mortel was the recipient in 1997 of the Award for Excellence in Education and Health from the National Organization for the Advancement of Haitians (NOAH). In May 1999, he received an award from the Haitian Institute in Montréal, for outstanding achievement in medical, education and research. On May 18, 2002 Dr. Mortel received “The Drs. Kienle’s Humanistic Medicine” award from Penn State College of Medicine for demonstrating the highest standards in dealing with patients, colleagues and community. In 2013 the Penn State College of Medicine established four learning societies one of which is named “Mortel society”. Mortel is also a 2015 recipient of the Penn State Honorary Alumni Award for making significant contributions to Penn State’s welfare, reputation and prestige.
Dr. Mortel remains deeply rooted in Haiti. He created in 1997 “The Mortel Family Charitable Foundation, a 501C (3) organization incorporated in the State of Pennsylvania. The Foundation is responsible for the operational costs of “Les Bons Samaritains” (The Good Samaritans) a school built in St. Marc, Haiti, to serve exclusively the economically, socially and intellectually deprived children of Haiti. It also finances the operation of literacy school which serves adults of both sexes in a four year program. In September 2011 the Foundation opened a high school (James Stine College) to provide secondary education especially to the graduates of the Good Samaritans School. “A trade school” the Cardinal Keeler Center” is located in Gonaives. A preschool with 100 3 year olds and 100 4 year olds is all set to open in September, 2015.
Dr. Mortel entered the Diaconate formation program in 1998, studied for three years at St. Mary’s Seminary University in Baltimore and was ordained permanent deacon on July 5, 2001. He was a member of the Commission on Social Doctrine in the Diocese of Harrisburg and served on the Board of Directors of Weston Jesuit School of Theology in Boston. He is presently serving as Director of the Missions Office for the Archdiocese of Baltimore, and deacon at St Joan of Arc parish in Hershey.
Archive of Deacon Mortel In the Media