School of Medicine awards outstanding contributions to education

During the School of Medicine’s annual Curriculum Colloquium on Feb. 9, faculty, students and staff were honored for outstanding contributions to medical education.

The following are the winners of this year’s awards:

• The Distinguished Service in Medical Education Award is the highest honor in medical education given by School of Medicine, recognizing high educational achievement, significant administrative responsibilities, and dissemination of scholarship over many years: Cynthia Lance-Jones, neurobiology.

• The Award for Outstanding Staff Contributions to the Curriculum recognizes a current staff member (or team) at any level who has demonstrated leadership and excellence in improving important aspects of the curriculum at the University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine: Marlynn Haigh, Department of Pediatrics; and Greg Null, Office of Medical Education.

• The Kenneth E. Schuit Dean’s Master Educator Award recognizes basic science and clinical faculty for education-related contributions to the School of Medicine curriculum: Christopher Schott, critical care medicine and emergency medicine.

• The Sheldon Adler Award for Innovation in Medical Education recognizes individual achievement in innovation in medical education: Anna Donovan, medicine; and Adam Tobias, emergency medicine.

• The Donald S. Fraley Award for Medical Student Mentoring recognizes individuals for their service as mentors to medical students:  Taylor Abel, neurological surgery.

• The Clerkship Preceptor of the Year Award recognizes faculty clinical preceptors who consistently provide outstanding clinical instruction in the clerkship setting for Pitt medical students: Aimee Biller, pediatrics; Alissa Cohen, family medicine; Anne Van Cott, neurology; Casey McQuade, medicine; Hader Mansour, psychiatry; Huong-Tram Duran, anesthesiology and perioperative medicine; and Jawaid Akhtar, emergency medicine.

• The William I. Cohen Award for Excellence in Clinical Skills Instruction recognizes faculty who consistently provide outstanding clinical skills instruction: Melissa Tavarez, pediatrics.

• The Award for Excellence in Clinical Precepting recognizes clinical preceptors who consistently provide outstanding clinical instruction in a community setting for Pitt medical students: Haney Wahba, family medicine.

• The Carl R. Fuhrman Clinical Educator of the Year Award recognizes faculty who consistently provide outstanding clinical education in a third or fourth year elective course setting: Christopher Schott, critical care medicine and emergency medicine; and John Vargo, radiation oncology.

• The Award for Outstanding Professional Enrichment Course recognizes faculty who volunteer their expertise to present a professional enrichment course for first- and second-year students: Howard Degenholtz, health policy and management; Allison DeKosky, medicine; Linda King, medicine; and Eva Reitschuler Cross, medicine.

• The Social Justice Education Award recognizes faculty who have demonstrated excellence in teaching social justice: Rickquel Tripp, emergency medicine.

• The Outstanding Early Career Educator Award honors faculty who teach in clinical elective courses: Rachel Vanderberg, medicine.

• The Excellence in Education Awards, chosen by the Class of 2024 for valued contributions and dedication to teaching of the organ systems: course director, Jenifer Lee, medicine; lecturer, Pouneh Fazeli, medicine; small-group facilitators, Roderick Tan, medicine.

 • The Excellence in Education Awards, chosen by the Class of 2025 for valued contributions and dedication to teaching of the basic sciences and organ systems: course director, Jack Schumann, neurobiology; lecturer, Martin Schmidt, microbiology and molecular genetics; small-group facilitator Saleem Khan, microbiology and molecular genetics.

• The Award for Outstanding Medical Student Contributions to the Curriculum recognizes a current medical student (or team of students) at any level who has demonstrated leadership and excellence in improving important aspects of the school’s curriculum: Sabina Spigner, Class of 2023.

• The Award for Foundational Science Education in the Curriculum recognizes a current faculty member (or team of faculty) who has demonstrated leadership, innovation, and excellence in enhancing the school’s curriculum through the teaching of basic science content in the MS1-2 phase: Martin Schmidt, microbiology and molecular genetics.