March 20, 2020

A Great Loss

It is with great sadness that we share the news of the passing of Kent J. Sheets, Ph.D.

 

Kent Sheets
Kent J. Sheets. Ph.D. 

Kent J. Sheets, Ph.D., professor of family medicine and medical education and director of educational development, died March 16, 2020 from complications following coronary surgery. He was 65.

Kent’s loss echoes through the Department of Family Medicine and the U-M Medical School during this time of great uncertainty. A member of our faculty since 1982, his dedication to students, ability to bring people together and sense of humor are greatly missed.

“Dr. Sheets was an icon in Family Medicine, not just locally but nationally. His contributions to the discipline over the decades have been recognized everywhere. We already greatly miss his insights, wry sense of humor, and ability to discuss topics of any nature (especially sports!),” noted Philip Zazove, M.D., the George A. Dean Chair of Family Medicine.

In addition to his contributions to medical student education, Kent enjoyed the title of “Unofficial Department Historian.” In this role, he authored a book entitled “Not Just Any Department of Family Medicine: Telling the Story of the First 40 Years of the University of Michigan Department of Family Medicine,” to celebrate the Department’s 40th anniversary in 2018.


 Kent’s full obituary can be found at the Ann Arbor News. A celebration of his life will be planned at a later time.  The Department will share details when they are available.

Memorial contributions may be made to the Kent J. Sheets, Ph.D. Family Medicine Education Fund.  U-M Department of Family Medicine, Attn: KJ Sheets Fund, 1000 Oakbrook Drive, Suite 100, Ann Arbor, MI 48104 or online at https://victors.us/kentsheets


Guestbook: In Memory: Kent J. Sheets, Ph.D.