The Larner College of Medicine medical Class of 2023 Honors Night on May 15 featured recognition and awards for graduating medical students, faculty, and staff.
(L-R) Class of '23 medical students Sean Muniz, Cyrus Thomas-Walker, and Anna Chamby pose at Honors Night. (Photo: Andy Duback)
The Film House at Burlington’s Main Street Landing was the setting for the University of Vermont Larner College of Medicine Class of 2023 Honors Night on May 15. Hosted by Senior Associate Dean for Medical Education Christa Zehle, M.D., the event featured recognition and awards for graduating medical students, faculty, and staff.
Among the honors presented at the event were the Alpha Omega Alpha 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 2023.
Larner Dean Richard L. Page, M.D., opened the event with welcome remarks, after which Zehle delivered remarks and introduced the first award presenters.
Alpha Omega Alpha Honor Medical Society Awards
Class of 2023 medical students Sean Muniz, Alpha Omega Alpha (AOA) Honor Medical Society president, and Cyrus Thomas-Walker, AOA Honor Medical Society vice president, presented the awards, which recognize faculty and housestaff who embrace the AOA tenants of professionalism, scholarship, leadership, and service. The 2023 Faculty Award recipients are Skyler Lentz, M.D., assistant professor of emergency medicine; Anamaria Mihu, M.D., clinical assistant professor of medicine (CT campus); Bridget Marroquin, M.D., associate professor of obstetrics, gynecology, and reproductive sciences; Lee-Anna Burgess, M.D., assistant professor of medicine; and Matthew Barbery, M.D., clinical assistant professor of medicine (CT campus). The 2023 Housestaff Award recipients are Ali Jandal, M.D., clinical instructor in medicine; Faiz Abu-Jaber, M.D., clinical instructor in medicine; Kramer Wahlberg, M.D., cardiology fellow; Solomon Feuerwerker, M.D., clinical instructor in surgery; and Yu-Lin Hsieh, M.D., clinical instructor in medicine (CT campus).
Leonard Tow Humanism in Medicine Awards
Lud Eyasu, Gold Humanism Honor Society (GHHS) president, and Emma Dunne, GHHS vice president, presented the Arnold P. Gold Foundation Leonard Tow Humanism in Medicine Awards. The Faculty Award recipient is Jeremiah E. Dickerson, M.D., assistant professor of psychiatry. The Student Award recipient is Sean Muniz.
AHEC Scholars
Charles MacLean, M.D., associate dean for primary care and professor of medicine, announced the names of the 2023 Vermont AHEC (Area Health Education Centers) Scholars on behalf of the Office of Primary Care and AHEC Program. The AHEC Scholars program is designed to provide students with a deeper understanding of the social and cultural factors that influence an individual’s overall health as well as their access to healthcare. AHEC Scholars have supplemented their education and completed projects that have addressed such priorities as social determinants of health; interprofessional education and collaboration; integration of behavioral health into primary care; impact of opioid prescribing in our communities; cultural competence and cultural humility; and using quality improvement approaches to transform healthcare delivery. The following medical students were recognized as AHEC Scholars: Dinkar Ahuja; Niveditha Badrinarayanan; Ashta Birgy; Valerie Braddick; Michael Brown; Sandi Caus; Anna Chamby; Ryan Cournoyer; Caitlin Dowling; Jenna Elhoury; Megan Eubank; Julia Evans; Nina Feinberg; Brad Fiske; Agatha Forstein; Sean Fox; Charlotte Gemes; Amy Golinker; Warren Grunvald; Sebastian Hanna; Matthew Hanna; Kisha Kalra; Sarah Kendrivk; Jason Lach; Amberly Lao; Tiffany Lao; Stellar Levy; Liana Mathias; Kayla Menendez; Lucy Merriam; Sean Muniz; alexandra Novelli; Mark Oet; Lauren Okamoto; Zachary Smith; Cyrus Thomas-Walker; and Ariella Yazdani.
Department Awards
Anesthesiology
Kevin Abnet, M.D., associate professor of anesthesiology, presented the John E. Mazuzan, Jr., M.D.’54 Award for excellence in anesthesiology to Cara Rathmell.
Emergency Medicine
Katherine Dolbec, M.D., assistant professor of emergency medicine, presented two awards. Brittany Botticelli received the American College of Emergency Physicians Medical Student Professionalism and Leadership Award. Nathan Dow was given the Society for Academic Emergency Medicine Award for excellence in emergency medicine.
Family Medicine
Martha Seagrave, PA-C, professor of family medicine, presented two awards. The Family Medicine John Fogarty, M.D. Leadership Award was presented to Jenna Elkhoury. The Edward E. Friedman Award for promise of excellence in the practice of family medicine was given to Jordan Carver.
Medicine
Dennis Beatty, M.D., associate professor of medicine, presented the Laura Weed, M.D. Award for scholarship service and excellence in medicine to Sean Muniz. Lee-Anna Burgess, M.D., assistant professor of medicine, presented the Ellsworth Amidon Award for outstanding proficiency in internal medicine to Alexandra Novelli.
Neurology
Fatemeh Sobhani, M.D., assistant professor of neurological sciences, presented Sydney Chatfield with the American Academy of Neurology Medical Student Prize for excellence in neurology and Agatha Forstein and Valerie Braddick with the Herbert Martin Sr., M.D. Award for excellence in neurology.
Obstetrics, Gynecology and Reproductive Sciences
Erin Morris, M.D., assistant professor of obstetrics, gynecology and reproductive sciences, presented the Carbee Award for academic excellence in obstetrics, gynecology and reproductive sciences to Alexa Rosenthall. Justin DeAngelis, M.D., assistant professor of obstetrics, gynecology and reproductive sciences, presented the John V. Maeck, M.D.’39 Award for overall excellence in obstetrics, gynecology and reproductive sciences to Kayla Menendez.
Orthopaedics and Rehabilitation
Jennifer Lisle, M.D., associate professor of orthopaedics and rehabilitation, presented the Dr. and Mrs. Nathaniel Gould, M.D.’37 Prize for outstanding achievements in orthopaedic surgery on behalf of the department to Sandi Caus.
Pediatrics
Lewis First, M.D., M.S., professor and chair of pediatrics, presented the Ralph D. Sussman, M.D.’38/Medical Alumni Award for excellence in pediatrics to Emma Cooper Dunne.
Pathology and Laboratory Medicine
Kirsten Threlkeld, M.D., assistant professor of pathology and laboratory medicine, presented the College of American Pathologists Distinguished Medical Student Award to Cari Ellinghaus Carpenter.
Psychiatry
Erin Curtis, M.D., assistant professor of psychiatry, presented the William Sweetser Award for excellence in psychiatry to Stellar Levy.
Radiology
Andrea Hildebrand, M.D., assistant professor of radiology, presented the Walter Dodd, M.D. Award in Radiology for excellence in radiology to Zachary Smith.
Surgery
Katelynn Ferranti, M.D., assistant professor of surgery, presented three awards. McKenna Schimmel received the Harry Howe, M.D.’52 Senior Student Award for excellence in surgery. Caitlin Dowling received the H. Gordon Page, M.D.’45 Award for excellence in surgery. Lud Eyasu was presented with 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.
Awards from the Class of 2023
Clinical Department of the Year Award: Medicine/Division of General Internal Medicine
Clinical Resident of the Year Award: Ali Jandal, M.D., Clinical Instructor/Resident in Medicine
Clinical Teacher of the Year Award: Katherine Dolbec, M.D., Assistant Professor of Emergency Medicine, and William Hopkins, M.D., Associate Professor of Medicine
Colette Award: Emma Faustner, Advanced Integration and Residency Placement Coordinator
Dignity in Medicine Award in recognition of respect, inclusion, and support for LGBTQ students, colleagues, and patients: Brad Blansky ’23
Dean William Eustis Brown Award for broad cultural interests and loyalty to the College of Medicine: Brad Blansky ’23 and Lud Eyasu ’23
Harry E. Howe, M.D. & Theo O. Howe Outstanding Teacher of Surgery Award: Fuyuki Hirashima, M.D., assistant professor of surgery, Division of Cardiothoracic Surgery
Lamb Fellowship Award for best exemplifying concern and care for the total patient: Anna Chamby ’23 and Sean Muniz ‘23
Awards from the Office of Medical Student Education
Joseph Cleary, M.D. Award for ensuring the success of the educational and clinical experience at the Larner College of Medicine Connecticut Nuvance Campus: Jett Choquette ’23 and Victor Abraham ‘23
Charles T. Schechtman, M.D.’26 Award for Clinical Excellence for excellence in the clinical care of patients during the Clerkship Year: Sydney Chatfield ‘23, Brad Fiske ‘23, and Grace Eisenbiegler ‘23
Kerzner Family Prize for outstanding service to the community: Victor Abraham ‘23
David Babbot, M.D. “Caring and Seeing” Award for commitment to medical education and patient care: Anna Chamby ‘23
Mildred A. Reardon, M.D.’67 Award for service to the Larner College of Medicine: Cyrus Thomas-Walker ‘23