John S. Atwater, 1935
B.A., Denison University
M.D., John Hopkins University
M.S., University of Minnesota, Duluth
Citation awarded June, 1985
Following graduation from Denison, Dr. John Spencer Atwater received his doctor of medicine from Johns Hopkins University in 1939 and followed that with internships and graduate work at the University of Chicago, the Mayo Clinic, and the University of Minnesota.
He served in the Pacific Theater during World War II as a Lieutenant in the Medical Corps of the USNR, and following that service began his medical practice in Atlanta, Georgia.
His practice, with internal medicine as the specialty and gastroenterology as a sub-specialty, included appointments as staff or consultant to all the major Atlanta hospitals as well as many national and regional medical groups. He serves his profession by actively participating on numerous hospital or medical association boards and committees, including the American Medical Association and the Medical Association of Georgia, as well as the Atlanta hospitals.
Throughout his career he has continued scholarly research in his specialty as evidenced by his numerous articles published in medical journals.
Dr. Atwater’s interests have extended beyond his profession. He has served on 16 boards of both profit and non-profit institutions as diverse as the American Bank of Atlanta and the Atlanta Ballet, with particularly dedicated service to both the Boys and Girls Clubs of Atlanta.
He has belonged to the Second Ponce de Leon Baptist Church since 1946; he has been an active member of the Kiwanis Club of Atlanta; and has served the Johns Hopkins Alumni Association.
John Atwater’s father graduated from Denison in 1907 and his maternal grandfather served on the board of trustees. His daughter is a member of the class of 1973.
