After two years of virtual ceremonies, the Department of Medicine celebrated the internal medicine residency graduates in person at Union South on June 12, 2022. The ceremony included remarks from the program director, Andrew Coyle, MD, and department chair, Lynn Schnapp, MD, and concluded with an awards presentation, found below.

Awards Presented to Trainees:

The Chief’s Awards recognize residents who go above and beyond to help the chief residents. This year, two residents from each year were chosen. The 2022 recipients are:

• PGY1: Mazen Almasry, MBBS, Marley Foertsch, MD, and Danielle McQuinn, MD
• PGY2: Billy Shi, MD, and Ran Tao, MD
• PGY3: Cassandra Chiao, MD, and Mike Scolarici, MD

The Nephrology Master Award is presented to the residents who displayed an outstanding knowledge base and enthusiasm for learning in renal pathophysiology and clinical nephrology.

• PGY1: Breanna Aldred, MD
• PGY2: Mike Houghan, MD
• PGY3: Cassandra Chiao, MD

The TEACH Pathway and Distinction Class of 2022 honors residents who showed their commitment and dedication to medical education by engaging in extra hours of conferences and journal clubs, by having their teaching directly observed and receiving feedback, and for those in the Pathway by completing an education capstone project. This year’s TEACH Distinction Residents are Rachel Coburn, MD, John Davis, MD, Chrissy Healy, MD, Priya Roy, MD, and Gabby Waclawik, MD, MPH. The TEACH Pathway Residents are Kirsten Alman, MD, Andrew Davis, MD, and Thorunn Thordardottir, MD.

The Global Health Pathway graduates participated in research and a curriculum focused on fostering cultural humility and caring for individuals in resource-poor settings. This year’s Global Health Pathway graduates are Rosemary Bailey, MD, and Matt Jergenson, MD. 

This year’s Health Equity Pathway graduates have demonstrated extraordinary commitment to the pathway’s pillars: advocacy, equity, scholarship, community and humility. In addition to participating in workshops, completing curriculum, developing advocacy projects and engaging with community programs these residents each also completed a service project. Emily Wynja, MD, is graduating with a distinction in Health Equity. Sarah Floden, MD, Gabby Waclawik, MD, MPH, and Kirsten Alman, MD, are graduating with a certificate in Health Equity.

The following awards were based on votes by residents and/or faculty. 

The Larry Crocker, MD, Generalism Award. Dr. Larry Crocker was a member of the Division of General Internal Medicine. Prior to his retirement in 2007 at the age of 75, he was an outstanding role model for numerous UW faculty members. Dr. Crocker was a skilled and compassionate physician, dedicated to providing the best care for his patients. He passed away in 2012. The recipient of this award is recognized by current division members as someone who embodies Dr. Crocker’s principles of patient care. This year, the Division of General Internal Medicine recognizes Nadia Sweet, MD, for her outstanding commitment to the practice of General Internal Medicine.  

The Sunde Award. David Sunde had a multisystem illness that required the care of three physicians working closely together, coordinating their efforts and involving the patient and family in the process. As a consequence of this interaction, Dave and his employer, Ohmeda Corporation, established a fund with the goal of recognizing the importance of the human touch in medicine in our highly technological era. This award comes with a gift that the donors ask to be used to honor and teach residents the importance of putting one’s personal ego aside, working as a team, and treating a patient not just as someone who is an ‘interesting case” but a full-fledged human being. This year’s Sunde award goes to Amy Bier, MD.

The Sobby Mathew Award is given to an intern who is hard-working, open-minded, supportive, selfless, and who demonstrates compassion and a caring attitude for their patients. Sobby Mathew was taken from us prematurely in a car accident at the end of her PG-1 year. She had been a strong role model in her congregation and local Indian community. She was widely admired by her peers and faculty for being so comforting to her patients and their advocate. Her service and volunteerism were conducted with selflessness and a genuine eternal optimism toward the power of humanity to do good. This year’s Sobby Mathew award winner is Geralyn Palmer, MD. 

The Wellness Promotion Award is awarded to a graduating resident who has shown consistent care and love for their fellow residents, extending joy and compassion, through their actions. It is intended to honor a resident who improves well-being, and fosters connection and warmth in our community. This year’s award goes to Sarah Floden, MD.  

The Resident Teaching Award goes to the resident who offered excellence in teaching the principles and practice of Internal Medicine. This year, the Resident Teaching Award goes to Michael Scolarici, MD. 

New this year, the Resident Advocacy Award goes to the resident who has made significant contributions to the institution and/or community by advocating for structural change to promote health equity, and/or improve patient health outcomes. The recipient is Andrew Davis, MD.

Also new this year, the Fellow Teaching Award goes to a current fellow who has shown excellence in the education of interns and residents. This year’s fellow teaching award goes to Hematology/Oncology fellow, Matthew Brunner, MD.

Awards Presented to Faculty Members and Clinicians: 

The Patient-Centered Award is presented to the faculty member who best embodies the attributes of empathy, humanism, patient-centered communication, and shared decision-making. The 2022 recipient is Nicholas Haun, MD, assistant clinical professor, Hospital Medicine.

The Research Mentorship Award, new this year, goes to a faculty member who has demonstrated outstanding professionalism and excellence in mentoring resident researchers during their training. This year’s Research Mentorship Award goes to Adam Gepner, MD, assistant clinical adjunct professor, Cardiovascular Medicine. 

The Physician’s Physician Award goes to the faculty clinician to whom you would send a member of your family or would go to yourself. This is someone you trust in terms of medical knowledge and dedication to patient care. This year’s Physician-Physician award goes to Kelly Lavin, MD, assistant clinical professor, General Internal Medicine. 

The Special Recognition Award goes to any healthcare provider who works with residents and who has consistently offered education from their area of expertise. This year’s Special Recognition award goes to Jennifer Trott, NP, Hematology, Medical Oncology and Palliative Care. 

The Professionalism Award goes to the faculty member who best demonstrated altruism, accountability to patients, the public and the profession, a commitment to excellence, a sense of duty, honor and integrity, and humanism, empathy and a respect for others. This year’s professionalism award goes to Robert Holland, MD, associate clinical adjunct professor, Internal Medicine Residency Program.  

The Best Teacher Award goes to the faculty member who offered the best opportunity to learn and the best overall teacher in the Department of Medicine. This year’s Best Teacher Award goes to Prakash Balasubramanian, MD, William S. Middleton Memorial Veterans Hospital.

Congratulations to all of the graduating residents (pictured below) and award recipients!