Robert J. Couser: Central High School Hall of Fame Inductee

In September of 2011, Bob Couser was inducted into the Aberdeen Central High School Hall of Fame for his academic achievements during his career as a neonatal doctor in Minneapolis.

As a new doctor, Couser joined the newborn intensive care unit at Children's Hospital in Minneapolis in 1984. During his long career at Children's, he served as medical director of the Newborn Intensive Care Unit and as director of clinical neonatal research. His department took part in several national clinical trials during his tenure as director as well as the hospital's own clinical trials.

Under Couser's directorship, the center was the first in the upper Midwest to use a new technique called "surfactant therapy" in the treatment of preterm newborn infants, as well as providing ECMO (extracorporeal membrane oxygenation) therapy to newborns and applying a new treatment for perinatal asphyxia.

The center under Couser's direction was the first in Minnesota to separate conjoined twins. He authored more than 30 research articles as well as co-authoring a book on the use of drugs in newborn intensive care units.

He retired from Children's Hospital on January 1, 2010 and now lives in Aberdeen.