College of Medicine – Tucson honors faculty award winners
The University of Arizona College of Medicine – Tucson presented the winners of the 2024 Faculty Excellence Awards on Feb. 28 as part of a larger faculty awards ceremony.
“Our dedicated faculty members at the College of Medicine – Tucson consistently demonstrate excellence across all of our mission areas, including education; research; diversity, equity and inclusion; and clinical excellence,” said Alice Min, MD, assistant dean of faculty development. “While accolades may spotlight a select few annually, we know there are an abundance of deserving individuals within our college. It is our ongoing commitment to celebrate and showcase the remarkable contributions of our team members, ensuring that their outstanding efforts are recognized and appreciated.”
Faculty members were asked to nominate peers through a letter of support. Several committees, including the Faculty Diversity Advisory Committee, members of the Dean’s Research Council, past residency program directors and a clinical faculty panel, reviewed the nominations and selected the winners.
Along with the winners listed below, the College of Medicine – Tucson handed out 26 Faculty Teaching Awards and 17 Specialty Advisor Awards. The college also presented faculty mentoring, teaching and service awards as well.
Excellence in Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Awards
Kristopher J. Abbate, MD, clinical assistant professor, Medicine
Lourdes Castañón, MD, clinical associate professor, Surgery
Department of Family and Community Medicine, Tucson Family Advocacy Program. Department award accepted by Sommer Aldulaimi, MD, associate professor, and Suzanne Teeple, JD, assistant professor
Honoring the contributions of faculty members to advance diversity, equity and inclusion at the college.
(From left) Alice Min, MD, associate dean of career development, presented the College of Medicine – Tucson’s Excellence in Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Awards to Kristopher J. Abbate, MD, Lourdes Castañón, MD, and Sommer Aldulaimi, MD, during the college’s annual awards ceremony.
Graduate Medical Education Excellence Awards
Gregory L. DeSilva, MD, associate professor, Orthopaedic Surgery
Vivienne Ng, MD, MPH, assistant professor, Emergency Medicine
Recognizing faculty members who have advanced the educational quality of residents and fellows through innovative teaching methods, best practices and outstanding curricular development.
Alice Min, MD, associate dean of career development, presented the College of Medicine – Tucson Graduate Medical Education Excellence Award to Gregory L. DeSilva, MD, during the college’s annual awards ceremony.
Women in Medicine and Science GRACE Excellence Awards
Indu Partha, MD, clinical associate professor, Medicine
Mari A. Ricker, MD, professor, Family and Community Medicine
Taylor S. Riall, MD, PhD, professor, Surgery
The new GRACE awards are inspired by the GRACE Project, which was launched in the late 1990s at the College of Medicine – Tucson and has resulted in more women in leadership positions at the college and improved salary equity for female faculty members.
The awards recognize faculty members who have made significant contributions to supporting fellow women physicians while celebrating those who break down barriers for women faculty members.
Indu Partha, MD, (center) presented the WIMS GRACE Excellence Awards to Indu Partha, MD, (left) and Mari A. Ricker, MD, during the College of Medicine – Tucson’s annual awards ceremony.
Clinical Excellence Awards
Mohammad Khreiss, MD, clinical associate professor, Surgery
Sommer Aldulaimi, MD, associate professor, Family and Community Medicine
Recognizing physician faculty members for outstanding clinical care. Awardees were selected for their humanistic approach to patient care and interactions with colleagues, outstanding clinical care and their commitment to patient care.
(From left) Alice Min, MD, associate dean of career development, presented the College of Medicine – Tucson Clinical Excellence Awards to Mohammad Khreiss, MD, and Sommer Aldulaimi, MD, during the college’s annual awards ceremony.
Research Excellence Awards
Clinical Investigator Award: Daniel Combs, MD, assistant professor, Pediatrics
Basic and Translational Investigator Award: John Purdy, PhD, associate professor, Immunobiology
The Clinical Investigator Award recognizes an investigator who writes, designs and runs clinical trials or clinical research studies at the College of Medicine – Tucson and is involved on a national stage for their area of focus.
The Basic and Translational Investigator Award recognizes an investigator who conducts research aimed at basic science and translational research discoveries or the development of patents, technology or devices.
(From left) Alice Min, MD, associate dean of career development, presented the College of Medicine – Tucson’s Research Excellence Awards to Daniel Combs, MD, and John Purdy, PhD, during the college’s annual awards ceremony.