Plaques, applause, Clerkship Survival Kits and the first official Larner College of Medicine white coats were among the highlights of the Class of 2019’s Foundations Awards Ceremony on January 26, 2017.
The event – a welcome break for second-year medical students busily studying for their upcoming U.S. Medical Licensing Examination Step 1 Exam – marked the completion of the Foundations level of the Vermont Integrated Curriculum and recognized the students’ next phase of their education – clinical clerkships.
Foundations Director Paula Tracy, Ph.D., kicked off the event, following which Christa Zehle, M.D., associate dean for students and Class of 2019 student leader James Duguay provided welcome remarks.
The following awards and recipients were announced by Duguay and classmates Niko Patel, Hyunsoo No and Sravana Paladugu at the awards event (in order of presentation):
AMWA Gender Equity Award:
Pamela Gibson, M.D., Associate Professor of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine and Co-advisor, Gender and Sexuality Alliance This award honors a male or female faculty member who promotes a gender-fair environment for the education and training of physicians and gender diversity in the field.
The Dean Warshaw Integration Award:
Laurie Leclair, M.D., Associate Professor of Medicine and Course Director, Cardiovascular, Respiratory and Renal Systems This award recognizes the faculty member whose teaching best captured the spirit of the VIC.
The Silver Stethoscope Award:
Anya Koutras, M.D., Associate Professor of Family Medicine This award recognizes the faculty member who had few lecture hours, but made a substantial contribution to students’ education.
Above and Beyond Award:
Ellen Black, Ph.D., Assistant Professor of Neurological Sciences This award recognizes the faculty member who went above and beyond the call of duty to help the students in their learning objectives.
Outstanding Teaching Assistant Award:
Jenna Bodmer, M.D.’16; Nicholas Field, M.D.’16; and James Levins, M.D.’16
Best Support Staff (Non-teaching) Award:
Kiersten Hallquist, Student Service Coordinator, Office of Medical Student Education This award recognizes the staff member who best supported students in areas besides teaching.
Standardized Patient Award:
Deb Lyons
Outstanding Foundations Course Award:
Nutrition, Metabolism and Gastrointestinal System (NMGI)
Foundations Course Director Award:
Rebecca Wilcox, M.D., Associate Professor of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine and Director, Nutrition, Metabolism and Gastrointestinal System
Foundations Teaching Award:
Ellen Black, Ph.D., Assistant Professor of Neurological Sciences The recipient of this award will be hooding the Class of 2017 at their graduation and will be recognized with other Teachers of the Year from the past.
Following the awards ceremony, Tania Bertsch, M.D., associate dean for clinical education, provided “Welcome to Clerkship” remarks, which are featured on the UVM Medicine blog. Stephanie Brooks ’18 announced a gift from her class to the Class of 2019: Clerkship Survival Kits, following which students tried on and selected their brand new Larner College of Medicine white coats.
