RADM Sara K. Dye, MD, MED ’75, RES ’83 

Physician Executive Consultant; Former Chief Medical Officer, Indian Health Service; Assistant Professor of Family Medicine, University of South Dakota 

 

 

Rear Admiral Sara K. Dye, MD, MED ’75, RES ’83 is a distinguished physician, surgeon, and executive who has dedicated her career to improving health care for Native American communities, with a particular focus on diabetes prevention and vascular health. An enrolled member of the Sac & Fox Nation of Oklahoma, she is one of only sixteen American Indian surgeons—and among the very few Native women surgeons of her generation—in the United States.

 

After earning her medical degree from Dartmouth in 1975 and completing her surgical residency at Dartmouth Hitchcock Medical Center in 1983, Dye began her service with the Indian Health Service (IHS). At Carl Albert Indian Hospital in Ada, Oklahoma, she established the first non-invasive vascular laboratory in the IHS system, pioneering early diagnosis and treatment protocols for peripheral vascular disease and diabetic foot care. Her work in developing standardized guidelines for amputation prevention has had a lasting impact on patient outcomes, helping to preserve mobility and quality of life for countless Native patients.  

 

Over the course of her career, Dye held leadership positions including chief medical officer for the Aberdeen Area IHS and consulting surgeon for the Cheyenne River Indian Hospital. She also contributed to academic medicine as assistant professor of family medicine at the University of South Dakota and adjunct faculty at the University of North Dakota School of Medicine, where she guided and inspired the next generation of physicians. 

 

Her excellence has been recognized with some of the highest honors in federal service, including the U.S. Public Health Service Physician Executive of the Year Award, the IHS Director’s Award, the Outstanding IHS Clinician Award, and the Friend of Nursing Award, along with induction into the Alpha Omega Alpha Honor Medical Society. These national recognitions, alongside the peer-awarded honors she treasures most, reflect both her clinical innovation and her collegial leadership.  

 

As a trailblazer for Native physicians and one of the first Native women surgeons in the country, Dye has advanced both the science and humanity of medicine. Her enduring legacy lies in her leadership, her advocacy for prevention and compassionate care, and her transformative impact on the health of Native communities.

 

 

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