“Today is a great chance to celebrate each other and our accomplishments,” said Rebecca Farmer, PhD’12, MD’14. “It is nice to be recognized and I am proud to represent the class.”
Dr. Farmer received a Phi Rho Sigma Dennis Award for outstanding performance in junior year clerkships, one of the 27 awards given out at the Second Annual Honors Day, held on May 21. She will pursue a plastic surgery residency at the University of Wisconsin Hospital and Clinics.
Eric G. Neilson, MD, vice president for medical affairs and Lewis Landsberg Dean, welcomed students, faculty and parents.
“As one chapter closes, another one begins, and a moment like this, I think, is truly important to acknowledge the excellence in our midst,” remarked Dr. Neilson. “Honors day is a way to recognize our fourth-year students – their scholarship, leadership, service and commitment to the school. In addition, it gives us a chance to recognize some of the outstanding teaching faculty…I believe in celebrating excellence in education as a community event and this is one way we can do it.”
Dr. Neilson handed the program over to Diane B. Wayne, MD, vice dean for Education. Dr. Wayne presented faculty awards before introducing Austin Culver, a rising third-year medical student and student body president.
Culver announced the Harry N. Beaty Honors Day Speaker, R. Kannan Mutharasan, MD’03, GME’10, assistant professor in Medicine-Cardiology. He was chosen by all four medical school classes to give the keynote address.
Dr. Mutharasan spoke about the pursuit of excellence and the exciting journey graduates will embark on as they start their residencies.
“I have high expectations of each and every one of you,” he said. “I expect – Northwestern expects – that you will move forward from here and take outstanding care of patients, expand our knowledge on health and disease, and do your part in training the generations that come after you. In fact, I expect excellence, all of us on faculty expect excellence, Northwestern expects excellence, because we believe in each and every one of you.”
In closing, Dr. Mutharasan congratulated students and wished them well.
Following a reception, Honors Day students and faculty members joined the senior class for a luncheon at the InterContinental Hotel.
“It was a big surprise to receive awards today,” said Sarah Lee, MD’14, recipient of the Department of Dermatology Award and the Phi Rho Sigma Dennis Award. She spent an extra year conducting research in the lab of Amy Paller, MD, chair of the Department of Dermatology, studying diabetic wound healing. “Five years have passed since I started here at Feinberg and being honored in this way has given me time to reflect on my experiences.”
Dr. Lee recently married Alexander Sheu, MD’14, also a Phi Rho Sigma Dennis Award recipient.
“Throughout our clerkships, you just focus on your work and try your best,” Dr. Sheu said. “I am flattered to be awarded and excited to be graduating with my wife and spending our residencies together.”
Dr. Sheu, an Honors Program in Medical Education student and Howard Hughes Medical Institute Research Fellow, will start a residency in radiology at Stanford University. His wife will join him at Stanford University as a dermatology resident.
Student and Faculty Awards
Honors were handed out to faculty and staff throughout the ceremony. Recipients included:
- George H. Joost Outstanding Teaching Awards
- David Salzman, MD, assistant professor in Emergency Medicine, for outstanding teaching in a large-group setting.
- Gaurava Agarwal, MD, instructor in Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences
- Michael M. Ravitch Award, Elizabeth Ryan, EdD, assistant professor in Family and Community Medicine, for outstanding teaching in a small group setting.
- American College of Physicians Award, Satvik Ramakrishna, MD’14, for outstanding performance in the junior medicine clerkship.
- Department of Medicine Chairman’s Award, Michael Rehorn, MD’14, for outstanding graduating student going into medicine.
- Department of Dermatology Award, Sarah Lee, MD’14, for the best overall performance in dermatology by a fourth-year medical student pursuing a career in dermatology.
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology Beatrice Tucker Award, Alex Friedman, MD’14, for outstanding contributions to women’s health.
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology Chairman’s Award, Caitlin MacGregor, MD’14, and Amanda Schieler, MD’14, for outstanding performance in the third-year Obstetrics and Gynecology clerkship.
- Department of Physician Medicine and Rehabilitation Chairman’s Award, Jessica Schulte, MD’14, for the best performance during the mandatory Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation clerkship rotation.
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Science Medical Student Chairman’s Award, Elizabeth Sita, MD’14, for outstanding student in psychiatry.
- Edward A. Brunner Medical Student Award in Anesthesiology, Gregory Booth, MD’14, to recognize the highest level of academic excellence demonstrated by a senior who has chosen to pursue a career in anesthesiology.
- Excellence in Neurology Award, Benjamin Stewart, MD’14, awarded by the American Academy of Neurology for the student who demonstrates excellence in knowledge, clinical skills and professionalism during Neurology clerkship.
- Excellence in Pathology Award, Lauren Reilly, MD’14, for excellent effort and learning on the Pathology elective rotation.
- Excellence in Radiation Oncology Award, Alfred Chung, MD’14, for excellence in radiation oncology.
- Fourth-year Medical Student Radiology Award, Justin Vranic, MD’14 for best overall performance in radiology by a fourth-year medical student pursuing a career in radiology.
- Frederick and Harriett Stenn Fund for Humanism in Medicine, Joseph Brown, MD’14, for demonstration of humanism and compassion in the practice of medicine.
- Neil Stone Award for Northwestern Medical Students, Karl Doerfer, MD’14, in recognition of commitment to professionalism and compassion in medicine.
- Harold J. Pelzer Award, Vanessa Stubbs, MD’14, in recognition of a student who is applying for otolaryngology residency.
- James A. Stockman III Award for Excellence in Pediatrics and Child Health, Laura Banks, MD’14, for excellence in pediatrics and child health.
- John P. Phair Award, Ashish Sarraju, MD’14, awarded to a fourth-year medical student who excels in their infectious disease rotation in both the intellectual and human sides of medicine.
- Julius Conn Jr., MD, Award, Clarabelle DeVries, MD’14, for outstanding performance in the Surgery clerkship.
- Kenneth M. Viste, Jr., MD’66, Student Service Recognition Award, Matthew Rowland, MD’14, in recognition of outstanding service and contribution to Feinberg.
- Lee M. Jampol, MD Award, Jonathan Chou, MD’14, for outstanding achievement by a medical student in ophthalmology in clinical care and vision science research.
- Martin Lipsky Award for Excellence in Family Medicine, Kathleen Polonchek, MD’14, awarded to a graduating senior entering a family medicine residency who most exemplifies the characteristics of altruism, compassion and intellectual curiosity.
- Jonathan Philip Reder Award, Jasmine Rassiwala, MD’14, for outstanding leadership and extracurricular accomplishments by an honors program graduate with exceptional involvement in InVivo.
- Phi Rho Sigma Dennis Award were given to the following students for outstanding performance in junior year clerkships:
- Sarah Chuzi, MD’14
- Clarabelle DeVries, MD’14
- Anaar Eastoak Siletz, MD’14
- Rebecca Farmer, MD’14
- Alyssa Greiman, MD’14
- Kassandra Holzem, MD’14
- Sarah Lee, MD’14
- Caitlin MacGregor, MD’14
- Bryce Merritt, MD’14
- Satvik Ramakrishna, MD’14
- Michael Rehorn, MD’14
- Alexander Sheu, MD’14
- Society for Academic Emergency Medicine Excellence in Emergency Medicine Award, Joseph Brown, MD’14, for outstanding student in emergency medicine.
- Urology Student Award, Vidit Sharma, MD’14, presented to the top student rotating in urology.
