Class Day honors 32 graduating medical students
Thirty-two students from the graduating medical school class and one faculty member were honored at the annual Class Day for the School of Medicine held Thursday, May 7, in Langford Auditorium.
Four graduates, David Ryan Moore, Kelly Rowden Richardson, Reena Toshan Talreja and Richard Everely Waters II were honored with two awards each.
Dr. Robert L. Janco, associate professor in the department of Pediatrics, was honored with a new award, The Geoffrey David Chazen Award. This award for innovation in medical education recognizes a student, resident, fellow or faculty member who has made special contributions to the educational programs of the VUSM through the development and implementation of effective innovation in educational approach. Graduating student Tedric Dale Boyse of Zanesville, Ohio, also received this first-time award.
The School of Medicine Award of Distinction was given to Anderson Burton Collier III of Soddy-Daisy, Tenn., and Clark Harris Galbraith of Colorado Springs, Colo., for demonstrating outstanding qualities of leadership and humanitarian service.
The Dean's Award went to two medical school graduates, Bassam Nabil Helou of Brentwood, and Laura Louise White of Charleston, W.V. The Dean's Award honors the medical student or students distinguished by outstanding contribution of leadership and service.
Erica Kristine Reed of Saratoga Springs, N.Y., was presented The Kaufman Prize in Medicine, an award honoring J. Kenneth Kaufman, M'39, and given to a graduating medical student who has demonstrated qualities of humaneness, dedication and unselfish service in the study of medicine and who will apply these qualities in medical practice.
The David R. Freedy Memorial Award was given to Ankush Kumar Chhabra of Tulsa, Okla. The award was established to honor the memory of David Richard Freedy, a member of the Class of 1993, who died of cancer. It is given to the student who has demonstrated qualities of leadership, exceptional courage and perseverance in the face of adversity and has been dedicated to improving and promoting community life.
Four students received the Janet M. Glasgow Memorial Achievement Citation which is presented in recognition of the accomplishments of women medical students who graduate as honor graduates. It serves to reaffirm the American Medical Women's Association's commitment to encouraging their continuing achievement.
The recipients were Ru-Chien Chi of Alhambra, Calif., Sarah Justine Gladstone of Lexington, Mass., Kelly Rowden Richardson of Chattanooga, and Reena Roshan Talreja of Virginia Beach, Va.
The John G. Coniglio Prize in Biochemistry is awarded to a medical student who has distinguished himself or herself in Biochemistry. Both accomplishments in biomedical research and performance in Biochemistry courses are considered in evaluating candidates for this award. This award was established by friends of Professor Coniglio upon his retirement to honor his many contributions to medical education at Vanderbilt. This year's recipient is Jefferson Pressley Lomenick of Chattanooga.
Graduating medical student Katherine Rebecca Steward of Springfield, Mo., received the John L. Shapiro Award for Excellence in Pathology. The award, which recognizes outstanding student performance in pathology, is given annually, or otherwise, depending upon action by the department of Pathology, and honors the memory of Dr. John L. Shapiro, who was professor and chairman of the department of Pathology from 1956 to 1971.
The Amos Christie Award, which recognizes the student in the graduating class who demonstrates the outstanding qualities of scholarship and humanity embodied in the ideal pediatrician, was given to Richard Carl Gustafson of Seattle. The award is in memory of Dr. Amos Christie, who was professor and chairman of the department of Pediatrics from 1943 to 1968.
The Roentgen Award, given to a graduating medical student who has made important contributions in one of the radiological sciences during four years of study, was awarded to Robert Reese Newsome of Houston. Named for Wilhelm Conrad Roentgen, a pioneer in diagnostic radiology, the award recognizes discoveries in either clinical or research areas.
Jeremy Spector of West Hartford, Conn., received the Canby Robinson Society Award. This award is presented to a member of the graduating class (nominated by the class) who possesses those intangible qualities of common sense, knowledge, thoughtfulness, personal warmth, gentleness and confidence which combine to make the "Ideal Doctor" ‹ the person fellow classmates would most like to have as their personal physician.
The Hospital Award of Excellence, which recognizes the fourth-year medical student who has contributed the most toward excellent patient care by demonstrating sensitivity, compassion and concern in clinical responsibilities to patients at VUMC, was given to David Ryan Moore of Albuquerque, N.M. This award is voted on by the chief residents of all the services.
The Award for Excellence in Emergency Medicine, given on behalf of the Society for Academic Emergency Medicine, was presented to Paul David Biddinger of Littleton, Colo. The award recognizes a medical student for outstanding clinical performance in the Emergency Department at VUMC.
Timothy Alan Mical Deering of Union Mills, Ind., received the Tennessee Academy of Family Physicians Award, which is given to a graduating medical student in recognition of dedication to the high ideals of family practice.
Three students were honored with The Albert Weinstein Prize in Medicine. Established in memory of Albert Weinstein, M.D., the award is given to the fourth-year student who has demonstrated high scholastic attainment and qualities which characterize the fine physician. The award was shared by Kelly Rowden Richardson of Chattanooga, Clinton Travis Snedegar of Flemingsburg, Ken., and Richard Evereley Waters II of Stockton, Calif.
The Rudolph H. Kampmeier Prize in Medicine was awarded to Brian Keith Jefferson of Ballwin, Mo. The award is presented by the department of Medicine to the student who is judged by the faculty of the department to have exhibited the qualities of the excellent physician as exemplified by Dr. Kampmeier throughout his career.
Joel Samson Corvera of Baltimore, received the Surgical Clerkship Award which is presented by the Section of Surgical Sciences to a student who has shown superior performance in the third-year surgical clerkship and who plans to enter graduate education in surgery.
The H. William Scott, Jr. Prize in Surgery was given to Sharon Elizabeth Peach of Cape Coral, Fla. This award is presented to the graduating medical student who exemplifies the qualities of leadership, performance and character reflecting the ideal surgeon.
The Beauchamp Scholarship, which is endowed and awarded to the student showing the greatest progress in the field of psychiatry, was given to Robert John Esther of St. Louis.
Graduating student Mwatabu Maekundu Terrell of Champaign, Ill., received The Merck Award for Excellence in Infectious Diseases, an award which is presented annually by the divisions of Infectious Diseases in the departments of Medicine and Pediatrics to the student who has demonstrated outstanding aptitude and performance in clinical and investigative efforts in infectious diseases or microbiology.
The Orthopaedic Surgery Clerkship Award was presented to David Ryan Moore. The award is given by the department of Orthopaedic Surgery to the student who has excelled in both the third-and fourth-year orthopaedic clerkships and who has demonstrated outstanding potential in the field of orthopaedic surgery.
The Tom Nesbitt Award is presented by the Nashville Academy of Medicine and Davidson County Medical Society in recognition of the service and contribution of Dr. Tom Nesbitt as a member and 133rd president of the American Medical Association. Dr. Nesbitt is an assistant clinical professor of Urology. The award is given to the graduating medical student who demonstrates exemplary character and leadership. The recipient this year was Christoper Scott Calhoun of Bath, Maine.
Kevin Dean Niswender of Windsor, Colo., and Richard Evereley Waters II, received the Diabetes/Endocrine Research Award. This award is given to the graduating student or students who have performed the most meritorious research related to diabetes and endocrinology. The award was established in honor of Dr. Oscar B. Crofford II, emeritus professor of Medicine, by his colleagues and friends throughout North America, to honor his leadership and distinguished service in diabetes research.
The Endocrine Society Award for Excellence in Clinical Endocrinology was awarded to Omer Lee Shedd of Paragould, Ark. The award is presented annually by the Division of Endocrinology and Diabetes to the graduating medical student who demonstrates outstanding performance in clinical endocrinology. The award is sponsored by the Endocrine Society, which was founded in 1916, and is the world's largest professional association devoted to all aspects of endocrinology.
The Lonnie S. Burnett Award in Obstetrics and Gynecology was awarded to Aaron Kyle Styer of Philadelphia. The award is given to the student who demonstrates superior performance and exemplifies the qualities of dedication, leadership, compassion and integrity in the field of obstetrics and gynecology.
And three graduating students, Robert Witherspoon Lowe III of Cookeville, Jonathan Cope Smith of White Plains, N.Y., and Reena Roshan Talreja of Virginia Beach, Va., received the Paula C. Hoos Award. The Class of 2001 established this award in recognition of teaching excellence in the anatomy laboratory and in sincere appreciation for the assistance of members of the graduating class.