Department of Family and Community Medicine Award Winners Named

Outstanding contributions by faculty and staff of the Department of Family and Community Medicine were recognized during the Department’s sixth annual awards ceremony, held Monday, Dec. 7, via Zoom.

Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the ceremony was split into two separate events this year, with the student award ceremony held last spring (April 2020) to honor students prior to commencement and the end of the academic year.

“Today’s virtual ceremony is to honor you, the faculty at NEOMED and department members who make our lives so full,” said John Boltri, M.D., professor and chair of the Department.

Please note: This is the first part of a two-part article.

Faculty Awards

Area Health Education Faculty Excellence Award

Susan Mercer, M.D.

This award recognizes a faculty member who has provided excellence in improving the availability of health care professionals and enhanced access to quality health care through academic and community collaboration focusing on underserved areas.

Community Volunteer Family Medicine Teaching Award  

Karen Barton, M.D.

This award recognizes a volunteer faculty member/preceptor who provides excellent learning experiences for students and is an exemplary role model in family medicine.

Family Medicine Interest Group Volunteer Faculty Award

Mariquita Belen, M.D.

This award recognizes a faculty member/preceptor who has volunteered at multiple Family Medicine Interest Group events, is an exemplary role model to students and demonstrates excellence in teaching.

Foundations of Clinical Medicine Course Excellence in Teaching Award

Jeannine Taylor, Ph.D.

This award recognizes a faculty member who makes substantial and sustained contributions to the educational mission through superior teaching in the Foundations of Clinical Medicine course, inciting students’ learning excellence, inspiring colleagues, and invigorating the course over an extended period of time.

Peter Burg Faculty Award for Excellence in Geriatrics

Susan Hazelett, R.N., B.S.N., M.S.

This award recognizes a faculty member/preceptor who is an exemplary leader, inspirational teacher, mentor to students and colleagues, and a superior role model for excellence in geriatrics.

Peter Burg Faculty Award for Excellence in Palliative Care

Cassandra Hirsh, D.O.

This award recognizes a faculty member/preceptor who is an exemplary leader, inspirational teacher, mentor to students and colleagues, and a superior role model for excellence in palliative care.

Medical Ethics and Health Humanities Award

Jeffrey Marsh, M.D.

This award recognizes a faculty member who demonstrates excellence in teaching; contributes to innovative curricular development; serves as a role model for faculty and students; contributes to faculty development; and serves as a mentor and advisor to students.

Rural Pathway Service Excellence Award

Patricia Thornborough, M.S. Ed. 

This award recognizes community/faculty members who are dedicated to the NEOMED Rural Medical Education (RMED) Pathway’s mission to foster ingenuity and life-long learning in RMED students and support their goals to become excellent physicians in rural areas.

SOAR Student-Run Free Clinic Medicine Preceptor of the Year Award

David Sperling, M.D.

This award recognizes a dedicated SOAR Student-Run Free Clinic Medicine Preceptor who has demonstrated a strong commitment to the education of SOAR medical students by going above and beyond to identify teaching opportunities for students. This preceptor exemplifies the mission of SOAR through their commitment to the underserved and to education.

SOAR Student-Run Free Clinic Pharmacy Preceptor of the Year Award

Stephanie Zampino, Pharm.D.

This award recognizes a dedicated SOAR Student-Run Free Clinic Pharmacy Preceptor who has demonstrated a strong commitment to the education of SOAR pharmacy students by going above and beyond to identify teaching opportunities for students. This preceptor exemplifies the mission of SOAR through their commitment to the underserved and to education.

Distinguished Adjunct Faculty Award

Patricia Pakan, Ph.D.

This award recognizes a Department of Family and Community Medicine adjunct faculty member who has made unique, extensive, and sustained contributions to the educational, research, and/or service missions of the department.

Academic Achievement Award

William Smucker, M.D., C.M.D.

This award is bestowed to a family medicine physician for outstanding lifetime contributions who exemplifies a long-standing dedication to Family Medicine through excellence in patient care and service to family medicine in his roles as a mentor, teacher and researcher.

 

Internal Department Awards

DFCM Educational Excellence Award

Recipient:  Amy Lee, M.D., M.P.H., M.B.A.

This award recognizes a faculty member who has developed new innovative curricula or educational experiences; is highly regarded as a mentor and role model for students; excels in faculty development; and serves as a mentor to junior faculty.

DFCM Research and Innovation Award

Stacey Gardner Buckshaw, Ph.D.

This award recognizes a faculty member who has initiated innovative projects, has submitted/acquired new grants, is highly collaborative, and has published in quality journals.

DFCM Outstanding Department Service Award

Julie Stier

This award recognizes a member of the staff who is an excellent ambassador for the department, goes beyond assigned responsibilities to help others, and significantly contributes to goodwill within the department.