Pritzker School of Medicine, Medical Center announce 2011 Teaching Awards

July 1, 2011

The end of the 2010-2011 academic year for the Pritzker School of Medicine was celebrated with the announcement of several teaching awards voted on by medical students and faculty. Celebrating qualities of compassion, empathy, integrity, competence, and scholarship, the awards honor exceptional mentors and teachers from every level of medical education.

"Our educators serve not only as teachers, but as mentors, role models, and crucial support for our medical students throughout the continuum of learning," said Holly J. Humphrey, MD, Professor of Medicine and Dean for Medical Education. "The faculty who have been so fortunate as to receive teaching awards this year are exceptional educators, but the list of those worthy of recognition is a far-reaching one. The students, fellow faculty members, and the greater institution all benefit from the contributions of our noteworthy teachers."

Each year, the graduating class honors one faculty member each for basic science and clinical instruction. The 2011 class presented Ting-Wa Wong, MD, PhD, Associate Professor of Pathology, with the Outstanding Basic Science Teaching Award, and Scott Stern, MD, Professor of Medicine, with the Doroghazi Outstanding Clinical Teaching Award.

Fourth-year medical students also select the recipient of the Leonard Tow Humanism in Medicine Award, given to a faculty member that demonstrates compassion, empathy, and respect, and serves as a role model for students. The 2011 award is shared by Susan Glick, MD, Associate Professor of Medicine, and Edward Naureckas, MD, Associate Professor of Medicine.

Students between their second and third year of their medical education choose a faculty member to honor from each of their first two, preclinical years. The L.D.H. Wood Pre-Clinical Teaching Awards were awarded this year to James O'Reilly, PhD, Senior Lecturer in the Department of Organismal Biology & Anatomy, and Husain Sattar, MD, Assistant Professor of Pathology.

Each year, the Pritzker faculty also bestows teaching awards and honors. The Faculty Physician Peer Role Model award recognizes the physician faculty member in the University of Chicago Medical Center who best exemplifies qualities of medical professionalism. Each May, physician faculty members are asked via an online survey to nominate the peers whom they consider to be role models based on dedication to patient care and demonstrated professional competence and integrity. This year's winner is Peter Angelos, MD, PhD, Professor of Surgery, Chief of Endocrine Surgery, and Associate Director of the MacLean Center for Medical Ethics.

At the Medical Education Day, the Academy of Distinguished Medical Educators elected three new Masters of the Academy, honoring participation in medical education and sustained excellence in teaching. Elected this year were Adam Cifu, MD, Associate Professor of Medicine, Diane Altkorn, MD, Associate Professor of Medicine, and Mindy Schwartz, MD, Associate Professor of Medicine.

Other teaching awards awarded this year at the Medical Center and Biological Sciences Division include:

Biological Sciences Division

Basic Science Education Junior Award: David Kovar, PhD, Assistant Professor of Molecular Genetics & Cell Biology and Biochemistry & Molecular
Clinical Education Junior Award: Michael Marcangelo, MD, Assistant Professor of Psychiatry & Behavioral Neuroscience
Basic Science Education Senior Award: Edwin "Chip" Ferguson, PhD, Professor of Molecular Genetics & Cell Biology
Clinical Education Senior Award: Joel Schwab, MD, Associate Professor of Pediatrics

Department of Medicine

Preclinical Teacher of the Year: Scott Stern, MD, Professor of Medicine
Clinical Teacher of the Year: Adam Cifu, MD, Associate Professor of Medicine
Medical Resident Teaching Awards: Brian Gehlbach, MD, Assistant Professor of Medicine (Pulmonary & Critical Care); Kyle Hogarth, MD, Assistant Professor of Medicine (Pulmonary & Critical Care); Philip Hoffman, Professor of Medicine (Hematology/Oncology)
Post-Graduate Teaching Award for Fellowship Training: Sonali Smith, MD, Associate Professor of Medicine (Hematology/Oncology)
Outstanding Emergency Medicine Faculty Member Clinical Teaching & Mentorship: James Walter, MD, Professor of Medicine (Emergency Medicine)

Department of Surgery

Golden Apple Award, Faculty: John Alverdy, MD, Professor of Surgery
Golden Apple Award, Resident: Baddr Shakhsheer, MD, General Surgery Intern