Elise Prehoda ʼ24 (left) receives the Mildred A. Reardon, M.D.’67 Award for service to the University of Vermont College of Medicine from Senior Associate Dean for Medical Education Christa Zehle, M.D.

The Dudley H. Davis Center’s Grand Maple Ballroom was the setting for the University of Vermont Larner College of Medicine Class of 2024 Honors Night on May 14. Hosted by Senior Associate Dean for Medical Education Christa Zehle, M.D., the event featured recognition and awards for faculty, staff, and graduating medical students.

Among the honors presented at the event were the Alpha Omega Alpha (AOA) Honor Medical Society faculty and housestaff awards, the Arnold P. Gold Foundation’s Leonard Tow Humanism in Medicine faculty and student awards, the Area Health Education Center (AHEC) Scholars, department awards to students, and awards from the Class of 2024.

Larner dean Richard L. Page, M.D., opened the event with welcoming remarks, after which Zehle introduced the first award presenters.

Alpha Omega Alpha Honor Medical Society Awards

Class of 2024 medical students Amanda Galenkamp, Alpha Omega Alpha Honor Medical Society president, and Jack Steinharter, AOA Honor Medical Society vice president, presented the awards, which recognize faculty and housestaff who embrace the AOA tenets of professionalism, scholarship, leadership, and service. The 2023 Faculty Award recipients are Justin DeAngelis, M.D., assistant professor of obstetrics, gynecology, and reproductive sciences; Katherine Dolbec, M.D., associate professor of emergency medicine and assistant dean for students; Andrew Hale, M.D., associate professor of medicine–infectious disease; and Patrick Zimmerman, D.O., clinical assistant professor of surgery, Nuvance Health Network, Danbury, Conn. The 2024 Housestaff Award recipients are Robin Alsher, M.D., clinical instructor of medicine–internal medicine; Akshee Batra, M.D., clinical instructor of medicine; Gnendy Indig, M.D., clinical instructor of obstetrics, gynecology, and reproductive sciences; Kristine McLaughlin, M.D., clinical instructor of medicine; Shaidy Moronta, D.O., clinical instructor of medicine surgery, Nuvance Health Network, Danbury, Conn.; and Sienna Searles, M.D., clinical instructor of medicine.

Dean Zehle addresses faculty, staff, and students at the Class of 2024 Honors Night ceremony.

Leonard Tow Humanism in Medicine Awards

Simran Kalsi, Gold Humanism Honor Society (GHHS) president, presented the Arnold P. Gold Foundation’s Leonard Tow Humanism in Medicine Awards. The Leonard Tow Humanism in Medicine Faculty Award recipient is Heather Bradeen, M.D., associate professor of pediatrics–hematology/oncology and division chief of pediatric hematology/oncology. The Leonard Tow Humanism in Medicine Student Award recipient is Nathaniel Moore.

AHEC Scholars

Mark Pasanen, M.D., associate professor of medicine and director of the internal medicine program at UVMMC, announced the names of the 2024 Vermont AHEC Scholars on behalf of the Office of Primary Care and the AHEC (Area Health Education Centers) program. The AHEC Scholars program aims to deepen students’ understanding of the social and cultural factors influencing overall health and health care access. AHEC Scholars have enhanced their education and completed projects addressing priorities like social determinants of health, interprofessional education, integration of behavioral health into primary care, the impact of opioid prescribing, cultural competence, and quality improvement in health care delivery. The following medical students were recognized as AHEC Scholars: Jeremy Abolade, Dana Allison, Kali Amoah, Betsy-Ann Assoumou, David Bachoy, Natalie Bales, Gabriela Cruz, William Buick, Sadie Casale, Christina Cobb, Trevor Coles, Julie Connor, Hannah Cook, Arley Donovan, Liberty Dupuis, Rose Eiduson, Mialovena Exume, John Fernan, Jeremy Frank, Daniel Fried, Rosie Friedman, Amanda Galenkamp, Edom Girma, Keira Goodell, Krystal Gopaul, Ian Guertin, Max HoddWells, Morgan Howlett, Simran Kalsi, Anneliese Lapides, Timothy Long, Colleen McCarthy, Ankrish Milne, Jesse Naumann, Rhys Niedecker, Izabella Ostrowski, Mahima Poreddy, Clifford Reilly Jr., Alexandra Sarkis, William Shaw, Noah Sorkow, Brianna Spano, Sean Taylor, Maxwell Tulimieri, Alayna Westcom, William Yakubik III, and Shari Zaslow.

Awards from the Class of 2024

Clinical Department of the Year Award: Emergency Department, UVM Health Network

Clinical Resident of the Year Award: Sienna Searles, M.D., Internal Medicine, UVM Health Network

Clinical Teacher of the Year Award: William Hopkins, M.D., Associate Professor of Medicine–Cardiology

Colette Award: Emma Faustner, Coordinator of Advanced Integration and Residency Placement, Office of Medical Education

Dean William Eustis Brown Award for broad cultural interests and loyalty to the College of Medicine: Mialovena Exume ’24

Dignity in Medicine Award in recognition of respect, inclusion, and support for LGBTQ+ students, colleagues, and patients:Tyler Harkness ’24

Harry E. Howe & Theo O. Howe Outstanding Teacher of Surgery Prize: Fuyuki Hirashima, M.D., Associate Professor of Surgery–Cardiothoracic

The Lamb Fellowship Award for best exemplifying concern and care for the total patient: Lily Deng ’24 and Timothy Long ’24

Department Awards

Anesthesiology

The John E. Mazuzan Jr., M.D.’54 Award for excellence in anesthesiology: Tonya Conley

Emergency Medicine

The American College of Emergency Physicians Medical Student Professionalism and Leadership Award: Elise Alexandra Prehoda

The American College of Emergency Physicians Outstanding Medical Student Award: Nathaniel Moore

The Society for Academic Emergency Medicine Award for excellence in emergency medicine: Noah Sorkow

Family Medicine

The Family Medicine John P. Fogarty, M.D. Leadership Award: Christina Cobb

The Edward E. Friedman Award for promise of excellence in the practice of family medicine: Mahima Poreddy

Medicine

The Ellsworth Amidon Award for outstanding proficiency in internal medicine: Robert Adamian

The Laura Weed, M.D. Award for scholarship and excellence in medicine: Finlay Pilcher

Neurology

The American Academy of Neurology Medical Student Prize for excellence in neurology: Mohamad Hamze

The Herbert Martin Sr., M.D. Award for excellence in neurology: William Yakubik III

Obstetrics, Gynecology, and Reproductive Sciences

The Carbee Award for academic excellence in obstetrics, gynecology, and reproductive sciences: John Steinharter

The John V. Maeck, M.D.’39 Award for overall excellence in obstetrics, gynecology, and reproductive sciences: Gabriela Cruz

Orthopaedics and Rehabilitation

The Dr. and Mrs. Nathaniel Gould, M.D.’37 Prize for outstanding achievements in orthopaedic surgery: Jack Mangan

Pathology and Laboratory Medicine

The College of American Pathologists Distinguished Medical Student Award for a fourth-year medical student committed to pursuing pathology residency training who has demonstrated outstanding achievement and great aptitude in pathology and laboratory medicine: Alayna Westcom

The Ephraim Woll Award for excellence in general pathology: Max HoddWells

Pediatrics

The Ralph D. Sussman, M.D.’38 Medical Alumni Award for excellence in pediatrics: Mialovena Exume

Pharmacology

The Durwood Smith Award for excellence in pharmacology: Sydney Cardozo

Psychiatry

The William Sweetser Award for excellence in psychiatry: Hannah Cook

Radiology

The Walter Dodd, M.D. Award in Radiology for excellence in radiology: Sam Afshari

Surgery

The Harry Howe, M.D.’52 Senior Student Award for excellence in surgery: Jack Mangan

The H. Gordon Page, M.D.’45 Award for excellence in surgery: Amanda Galenkamp

The Pilcher Award for representing the qualities of Eleanor and Lewis Pilcher of devotion to family and patients, with a high regard for ethics and honesty: Sydney Cardozo

The Ravi and Indra Jerath Memorial Award for excellence in medical education: Nicholas Brunette

Awards from the Office of Medical Education

The Joseph Cleary, M.D. Award to recognize a student who has shown a particular commitment to ensuring the success of the educational and clinical experience at the UVM Larner College of Medicine Connecticut Nuvance Campus: Elie Kaadi

The Charles T. Schechtman, M.D.’26 Award for excellence in the clinical care of patients during the clerkship year: Sydney Cardozo, Rachel Carpenter, Rachel Plochocki, Brian Shaw, and John Steinharter

The Kerzner Family Prize for outstanding service to the community: Anneliese Lapides

The David Babbot, M.D., Caring and Seeing Award for commitment to medical education and patient care: Ying Loo

The Mildred A. Reardon, M.D.’67 Award for service to the University of Vermont College of Medicine: Elise Prehoda