ST. CLOUD — The American Legion Headquarters in Indianapolis on Jan. 31 notified Secretary of Veterans Affairs Denis McDonough, several VA officials and Minnesota American Legion Commander Tom Fernlund — of St. Cloud — of some news.
Dr. Joel N. Syvrud of the St. Cloud VA Health Care System has been selected as The American Legion’s 2021 Physician of the Year. The award will be announced at the annual Washington Conference, which is happening virtually this year. It takes place Feb. 27 to March 2.
The physical award will be presented at a later date.
Syvrud has been a podiatrist there for 22 years. He was nominated by Dr. Alfonso Alarcon, the director of surgery and specialty care at the St. Cloud VA.
“He treats every patient as if they are family. He listens to their concerns, answering any questions they have. He is a compassionate provider,” Alarcon wrote in the nomination. “He provides excellent palliative foot care for complicated patients who have diagnosis such as diabetes and neuropathy. He is attentive to detail and notices subtle changes in veterans’ conditions.”
