Max A. Schneider, M.D., an Orange County internist and addiction specialist, was given the Dr. Gary Nye Award at the 2013 at the California Medical Association (CMA) House of Delegates held this weekend in Anaheim. The award is given annually to a CMA member physician who has made significant contributions toward improving physician health and wellness.

Dr. Schneider for over 40 years has helped educate medical students, residents and physicians on addiction as a disease and the specific risks it poses for physicians. 

He was instrumental in establishing addiction medicine as part of the medical school curriculum at University of California, Irvine School of Medicine.

Dr. Schneider helped establish the concept of physician well-being committees and has served on the well-being committees for the Orange County Medical Association, St. Joseph’s Hospital, Children’s Hospital of Orange County and Chapman Hospital.

A fellow and past president of the American Society of Addiction Medicine, he also is past chairman of the Board of Directors of the National Council on Alcoholism and Drug Dependence and has served as a consultant to the Drug and Alcohol Advisory Committee of the U.S. Food and Drug Administration.

Dr. Schneider graduated from the University of Buffalo, School of Medicine in 1949. He practiced internal medicine in his native Buffalo for 11 years until 1964 and since 1964 has practiced in Orange County.