Faculty members and fourth-year medical students were recognized for their academic and clinical excellence during Feinberg’s Honors Day, held May 12 in the Hughes auditorium.
“As an immigrant, becoming the first doctor in my family is an honor that belongs as much to me as to my parents and their sacrifices. Having them with me as I receive an award for my volunteer service is extremely special. Their experiences navigating healthcare in Spanish have motivated me to promote an environment that celebrates and supports Latine patients and physicians at Northwestern and beyond,” said Maria Gomez-Roas, who received the Kenneth M. Viste, Jr., ’66 MD, Student Service Recognition Award for outstanding service and contribution to Feinberg.
“Seeing all of my friends and classmates discover their specialties and grow into their role as doctors has been very inspiring. It is proof that all the missteps and challenges we faced brought us closer to one another and to a future of doing what we love,” said Gomez-Roas, who after graduation will begin her residency in obstetrics and gynecology at Northwestern’s McGaw Medical Center.
Eric G. Neilson, MD, vice president for Medical Affairs and Lewis Landsberg Dean, welcomed faculty, graduating medical students and their families to this year’s Honors Day ceremony.
“This day is for publicly honoring our fourth-year students for their leadership, extracurricular accomplishments, service and commitment to Feinberg, and achievements and excellence to clinical approaches,” Neilson said. “In addition, it gives us an opportunity to recognize some of the outstanding teaching faculty members who have played an integral part in our student’s education trainings.”
Marianne Green, MD, the Raymond H. Curry, MD, Professor of Medical Education and vice dean for Education, presented awards to four faculty members for outstanding teaching in the classroom and clinic.
Graduating medical students selected Rosanne Vasiloff, ‘12 MD, assistant professor of Family and Community Medicine, as the Harry N. Beaty Honors Day Speaker. During her speech, Vasiloff emphasized to students that recognizing their own strengths will propel them to be successful future leaders in medicine, and that their hard work and accomplishments both in and out of the classroom have not gone unnoticed.
“All of you have accomplished more than you realize. In those small and large moments, you have risen to the task as compassionate and honorable physicians. My hope is that you all are able to see yourselves as all of your faculty have been privileged to see you during your short tenure here: as learners, as leaders, as doctors, as people,” Vasiloff said.
George H. Joost Teaching Awards
- M1: James Walter, MD, assistant professor of Medicine in the Division of Pulmonary and Critical Care, for outstanding teaching in a large-group setting during the M1 year.
- M2: Andrew Deweyert, PhD, assistant professor of Medical Education, for outstanding teaching in a large-group setting during the M2 year.
- M3/M4 Clinical Teaching Award: Emily Hinchcliff, MD, assistant professor of Obstetrics and Gynecology in the Division of Gynecologic Oncology, for excellence in the clinical teaching of medical students.
- Michael M. Ravitch Award: Allen Saxon, MD, adjunct lecturer in the Department of Medical Education, for outstanding teaching in a small-group setting.
Student Awards
- Frederick and Harriett Stenn Award for Humanism in Medicine: Ronus Hojjati, nominated by a classmate for demonstration of humanism and compassion in the practice of medicine.
- Neil Stone Award for Professionalism and Compassion in Medicine: Benjamin Gastevich and Viswajit Kandula, nominated by a clerkship director in recognition of commitment to professionalism and compassion in medicine.
- Kenneth M. Viste, Jr., ’66 MD, Student Service Recognition Award: Maria Gomez-Roas, in recognition of outstanding service and contribution to Feinberg School of Medicine.
- Daniel Hale Williams Diversity and Inclusion Award: Precious Akanyirige and Lawrence Garcia, in recognition of a graduating student who excelled in promoting diversity and inclusion at Feinberg School of Medicine.
- Phi Rho Sigma Dennis Award: Maxwell McMahon, Sydney Olson and Sarah Schwartz, for outstanding performance in junior year clerkships.
- Diane B. Wayne, MD, Award: Lauren Smith, for outstanding performance in the junior medicine clerkship.
- John T. Clarke, MD, Award: Laura Lettenberger, for an outstanding graduating student pursuing a career in internal medicine.
- Eugene Bauer, MD, Award for Excellence in Dermatology: Swati Garg, for the best overall performance in dermatology by a graduating medical student pursuing a career in dermatology.
- Beatrice Tucker, MD, Award in Obstetrics and Gynecology: Julie Robin Dean, in recognition of outstanding commitment, service, and advocacy in the field of women’s health.
- Louis G. Keith, MD, PhD, Award in Obstetrics and Gynecology: Minnie Horvath Laury, in recognition of clinical and academic excellence in the field of obstetrics and gynecology.
- Henry B. Betts, MD, Award for Excellence in Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation: Meghan Lynch, for best performance during the physical medicine and rehabilitation medical student clerkship rotation.
- Stephen M. Stahl Award for Excellence in Psychiatry: Lynn Ren, for an outstanding graduating student in psychiatry.
- Edward A. Brunner Medical Student Award in Anesthesiology: Precious Akanyirige, in recognition of the highest level of academic excellence demonstrated by a graduating student pursuing a career in anesthesiology.
- Sam Ung Ho, MD, Award for Excellence in Neurology: Wesley Peng, for a graduating student who demonstrated excellence in neurology during the third-year clerkship as well as the selective experiences in neurology.
- Jan Reddy Excellence in Pathology Award: Margaret Fink, for excellent effort and learning on the pathology elective rotation.
- Gayle E. Woloschak Medical Student Award for Excellence in Radiation Oncology: Elana Benishay, for excellence in radiation oncology.
- James Thomas Case Radiology Award: Elana Benishay, for best overall performance in radiology by a graduating student pursuing a career in radiology.
- Clare Giegerich Award for Outstanding Promise in Orthopaedic Surgery: Joshua Peterson, awarded to a graduating student who demonstrated outstanding performance in the field of orthopaedic surgery.
- James A. Stockman III Award for Excellence in Pediatrics and Child Health: Mia DiCara and Ronus Hojjati, for outstanding performance in the pediatric clerkship and a passion for advancing the care of children through advocacy, education, and research.
- John P. Phair Award: Samantha Duarte, awarded to a graduating student who excelled on the infectious disease rotation in both the intellectual and human side of medicine.
- Julius Conn, Jr., MD, Award: Skylar Nahi, for outstanding performance in the surgery clerkship.
- Lee M. Jampol, MD, Award: Janice Ong, for outstanding achievement by a graduating student in ophthalmology, in clinical care and vision science research.
- Martin Lipsky Award for Excellence in Family Medicine: Isi Sturla, named for the inaugural chair of Family and Community Medicine and granted to a graduating student entering a family medicine residency who most exemplifies the characteristics of altruism, compassion, and intellectual curiosity.
- Society for Academic Emergency Medicine Excellence in Emergency Medicine Award: Sasha Becker, awarded to a graduating student who has demonstrated excellence in the specialty of emergency medicine.
- Harold J. Pelzer, MD, Award: Eli Stein, awarded to a graduating student for outstanding achievement on the otolaryngology rotation.
- James Kozlowski Award for Excellence in Urology: Julio Meza, presented to a graduating student with the most outstanding performance in urology.
