John B. Mulliken ’60

John’s career was typical of the many Class of ’60 doctors who gave more back to medicine than they took from it. His contributions to medical science and commitment to the wellbeing of the disadvantaged defined his career, as it did that of many of our medical classmates.  

John came from Edina High School near Minneapolis bringing his tennis racquet and National Honor Society recognition. Here, he played freshman tennis, added opera to his musical tastes, chose chemistry, joined Campus Club and graduated magna cum laude. At Columbia Physicians and Surgeons he earned a medical degree in 1964, then interned at Mass General Hospital, Boston, and did another year there as a research fellow. The Army then made him a major in the last M.A.S.H. hospital in Korea through 1972, which influenced his latter commitment to deformed and disabled patients in difficult circumstances. 

John spent two years at a Johns Hopkins residency in reconstructive plastic surgery, preparing him for his tenure at Boston Children’s Hospital studying and treating cranial facial deformities and related vascular issues, especially in children. He led many research and educational initiatives in both fields and received numerous honors for his efforts.  

John died Jan. 20, 2026. He is survived by his wife, A. Portia Chiou, and daughter, Olivia.