The Board of Directors of the Colegio Médico Colombiano (the Colombian Medical College), an institution representing all physicians in Colombia and that provides recognition and accreditation to the medical practice, has unanimously given ISAPS President, Dr. Lina Triana, the esteemed distinction of medical merit: the Medal Esculapio José Félix Patiño Restrepo, Colombia’s highest medical award for physicians. Dr. Triana received this honor for her exemplary practice and contribution to the medical profession, dedication to the education of future generations, the health of Colombians, and the environment.

In addition to serving as ISAPS President, Dr. Lina Triana is the former President of the Asociación Colombiana de Sociedades Científicas (Colombian Association of Scientific Societies) that includes more than 40,000 medical specialists in the country, and the first woman to hold that title. Dr. Triana is also the former President of the Sociedad Colombiana de Cirugía Plástica Estética y Reconstructiva (Colombian Society of Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery), and also the first woman to be elected President of this Society. Currently, Dr. Triana is  Presidente del Consejo Directivo del IETS, Instituto de Evaluación Tecnológica en Salud (President of the Board of Directors of the Institute of Health Technological Evaluation) that includes, among others, the Minister of Health, Minister of New Technologies, the Director of INVIMA (equivalent to the FDA in Colombia) who evaluate cost-efficiency of new drugs, medical devices, and technologies before being covered by the Colombian National Health System.

ISAPS is fortunate to have Dr. Lina Triana serve as our leader and we congratulate her for this award that recognizes her contributions to public health, the medical profession, and to patients’ safety during the COVID-19 pandemic and looks forward to her continued success in our specialty.