Howard Rusk was a prominent physician and founder of the Rusk Institute of Rehabilitation Medicine. He was considered to be the founder of rehabilitation medicine. Born in Brookfield, Missouri, Rusk was active in the Health for Peace movement in the 1950s and supported US efforts to participate more in rehabilitation medicine in international affairs. He was the first recipient of the Pacem in Terris award of the Pope John Paul II Center of Prayer and Study for Peace.