William S. Buchanan, MD

Distinguished Service Award

(May 2017) William S. Buchanan, MD, an ophthalmologist, Colorado native, will receive the University of Colorado School of Medicine’s Distinguished Achievement Award for benefiting the community, the practice of medicine, the provision of health care, and the Alumni Association and / or the University of Colorado School of Medicine.

Until last fall, Dr. Buchanan provided health care to the Sterling community at the Sterling Eye Center for 50 years, treating multiple generations of families. He is highly regarded for his decision to provide health care to residents of an area where access to health care was limited.

Born in Wray, Colo., Dr. Buchanan interned at Cincinnati General a year after graduating from the University of Colorado School of Medicine 1959. He returned to his native Colorado – he was born in Wray – to complete a residency in ophthalmology at what was then the University of Colorado Health Sciences Center.

Dr. Buchanan then joined the United States Public Health Service’s Indian Health Service at the Alaska Native Medical Center in Anchorage, where he served for two years. After returning from Alaska, in 1965 Dr. Buchanan joined the faculty of the CU School of Medicine as an associate professor of ophthalmology.

In 1987, Dr. Buchanan built a clinic across from the Sterling Regional MedCenter that now houses Salud Family Clinic.

In addition to his reputation as a fine and dedicated eye doctor, Dr. Buchanan was among the first class of Boettcher scholars. The Boettcher scholarships, established 60 years ago, provide outstanding Colorado students with full tuition at one of Colorado’s universities.  The Boettcher mission is to “keep great minds in Colorado.”