Awards recognize exceptional work in education, patient care

Faculty, staff, residents and a student were honored for a variety of contributions to Stanford Medicine at the medical school’s 2015 commencement.

At the School of Medicine’s commencement June 13, more than two-dozen faculty members, staff and trainees, as well as a student, were recognized for outstanding work in education or patient care, or both.

In addition, Joseph Lipsick, MD, PhD, professor of pathology and of genetics, received one of the four 2015 Walter J. Gores Awards, the university’s highest teaching honor, at the university’s commencement June 14.

Awards in medicine

Steven Lin, MD, clinical instructor of medicine; Kalpana Nathan, MD, clinical assistant professor of psychiatry and behavioral sciences; and Ian Nelligan, MD, MPH, clinical instructor of medicine, received the Arthur L. Bloomfield Award in Recognition of Excellence in the Teaching of Clinical Medicine.

Gerald Grant, MD, associate professor of neurosurgery, received the Franklin G. Ebaugh Jr. Award for Excellence in Advising Medical Students.

Joanna Badger, MD, clinical associate professor of dermatology, received the Alwin C. Rambar-James BD Mark Award for Excellence in Patient Care, which recognizes a member of the medical faculty for compassion in working with patients and their families, excellence in providing medical treatment, and effectiveness and pleasantness in interactions with patient-care staff. 

Andrew Connolly, MD, PhD, associate professor of pathology, received the Lawrence H. Mathers Award for Exceptional Commitment to Teaching and Active Involvement in Medical Student Education.

Neil Gesundheit, MD, MPH, professor of medicine, received the Award for Excellence in Promotion of the Learning Environment and Student Wellness.

Vuong Vu, an administrative associate in the Department of Pathology, received the Medical Education Staff Service Award.

Darren Salmi, MD, clinical assistant professor of surgery and of pathology, received the Outstanding Lecture/Presentation Award.

Nancy Cuan, MD, received the Outstanding Community Clinic Preceptor-Clinical Instruction Award.

Erika Schillinger, MD, clinical associate professor of medicine, received the Henry J. Kaiser Family Foundation Award for Outstanding and Innovative Contributions to Medical Education.

Gilbert Chu, MD, PhD, professor of medicine and of biochemistry; Tina Cowan, PhD, associate professor of pathology; and Sakti Srivastava, MD, associate professor of surgery, received the Henry J. Kaiser Family Foundation Award for Excellence in Preclinical Teaching.

Yoshi Mitarai, MD, clinical assistant professor of surgery; Rebecca Seekamp, MD, clinical assistant professor of medicine; and Monica Stemmle, MD, clinical assistant professor of pediatrics, received the Henry J. Kaiser Family Foundation Award for Excellence in Clinical Teaching.

Medical residents Kevin Chi, MD, pediatrics; Victoria Klyce, MD, emergency medicine; Jozef Lazar, MD, dermatology; Rustin Massoudi, MD, urology; Felipe Perez, MD, anesthesiology, perioperative and pain medicine; and Nina Vasan, MD, psychiatry and behavioral sciences, received the Arnold P. Gold Foundation Award for Humanism and Excellence in Teaching. The award is given to residents based on their commitment to teaching and the compassionate treatment of students, colleagues and patients and their families.

Awards in biosciences

Kevin Grimes, MD, MBA, associate professor of chemical and systems biology, and Julie Theriot, PhD, professor of biochemistry and of microbiology and immunology, received the Faculty Award for Excellence in Teaching.

Miriam Goodman, PhD, associate professor of molecular and cellular physiology, and Joseph Lipsick, MD, PhD, professor of pathology and of genetics, received the Faculty Award for Excellence in Diversity and Inclusion. This award recognizes faculty who make distinguished contributions toward enhancing diversity, equity and inclusion in the biosciences.

Seung Kim, MD, PhD, professor of developmental biology, and Gavin Sherlock, PhD, associate professor of genetics, received the Faculty Award for Excellence in Mentoring and Service. This award recognizes faculty who make distinguished contributions toward enhancing the quality of training and the educational experience for biosciences graduate students.

Steven Sloan, an MD/PhD student, received the Teaching Assistant Award.

Gores Award

Lipsick, who received a Walter J. Gores Award on June 14, was honored “for his deep commitment to improving the Cancer Biology Program curriculum as director of the program, revamping core courses in his sabbatical year, and including undergraduate as well as graduate courses.”

He was commended “for his dedication to undergraduate education – he was one of the first faculty to volunteer and develop a new course for Thinking Matters” and “for his generosity in mentoring his graduate teaching fellows, providing them opportunities to design and give lectures on topics of interest.”

Lipsick also was honored “for his thought-provoking courses that students described as ‘challenging, but SO fun. They are like puzzles! … Do your brain a favor and TAKE THIS CLASS!’” and “for simply superb teaching that can transform a large lecture hall into an intimate setting for learning.”

About Stanford Medicine

Stanford Medicine is an integrated academic health system comprising the Stanford School of Medicine and adult and pediatric health care delivery systems. Together, they harness the full potential of biomedicine through collaborative research, education and clinical care for patients. For more information, please visit med.stanford.edu.

2023 ISSUE 3

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