About the Chapter
Governor
Lauren Nelson, MD, FACP
Dr. Nelson serves as the official representative of the College for the Nebraska Chapter, providing a link between members at the local level and leadership at the national level. To learn more about Dr. Nelson, read their bio.
Welcome Letter | Past Governors
Nebraska Chapter College Awards
Dr. Gale Etherton wins 2025 Laureate Award
Gale Etherton, MD, is an Associate Professor of Medicine at the University of Nebraska Medical
Center in the Division of General Internal Medicine, with a courtesy appointment at Creighton
University Medical School. She earned her MD and completed her Internal Medicine residency at the Medical College of Wisconsin and later completed advanced training in healthcare
delivery improvement at Intermountain Healthcare.
Over 26 years with the Omaha VA, she led numerous quality improvement and patient safety
initiatives, including co-directing a $1.3M VHA Quality Improvement Grant and serving in roles
such as Chief of Health Informatics, Clinical Informaticist for the national VHA Electronic Health
Records Modernization, Associate Chief of Staff for Patient Safety, and Program Director for the
VA Chief Residency in Quality and Patient Safety. At UNMC, she co-directed the Internal
Medicine Residency Program for Teaching Quality and Safety.
An attending physician for 28 years, Dr. Etherton supervised medical students and residents in
inpatient and outpatient settings, earning multiple teaching awards. She retired from the VA
and clinical practice in May 2025 but remains active academically through the UNMC
Institutional Review Board, medical student teaching, and patient safety consultation for
Nebraska Medicine.
Dr. Bradley William DeVrieze receives 2025 Walter J. O’Donohue, Jr. MD Award
Dr. DeVrieze serves on multiple institutional committees focused on education, governance,
and patient care. He has received the James F. Sullivan Award for excellence in house staff
education and the Nebraska ACP Hospitalist Award. Board-certified in Internal Medicine, he
holds licensure in Nebraska and Iowa. Through patient-centered teaching and system-based
practice, he continues to shape the next generation of physicians.
Award Archives
2025 Chapter Awardees Brochure | Chapter Previous Awardees | Nebraska Chapter College Awards