DOM Annual Awards Honor Forty at Arizona Inn

This year's recipients of UA Department of Medicine faculty and education awards at Arizona Inn reception.

Group shot of University of Arizona Dept of Medicine Faculty Award winners 2016

Forty people were honored Monday, April 18, at the Arizona Inn during the annual University of Arizona Department of Medicine Education Awards Reception.

A total of 42 awards were presented to medical students, residents, fellows and faculty physicians.

Student April Ehrlich with Drs. Jack Boyer and Mindy Fain

A highlight of the event was the presence of John T. “Jack” Boyer, MD, one of the UA College of Medicine’s founding physicians. Mindy Fain, MD, chief of the Division of Geriatrics, General Internal Medicine and Palliative Medicine, pointed out Dr. Boyer launched three divisions within the Department of Medicine — Geriatrics, Hematology (now Hematology and Oncology) and Rheumatology. She also told how Dr. Boyer was asked to serve as a doctor in the 1959 post-apocalyptic science fiction movie, “On the Beach,” while on scholarship studying in Australia.

“Jack got to have lunch every day with the stars, which included Gregory Peck, Fred Astaire and Ava Gardner,” Dr. Fain said. “Everyone should hear him tell that story.” (Second-year med student April Ehrlich is pictured with Drs. Boyer and Fain at right.)

Photo spread of UA Department of Medicine awards presentation and receptionAnother amusing anecdote was shared by Division of Dermatology Chief James Sligh, MD, PhD, who noted 4th year medical student (MS4) Spencer Bertoch in displaying his commitment to dermatology was about to show up for a social event at Dr. Sligh’s house precisely as his wife was going into labor with their first child. Needless to say, he was granted an exemption from attending. Bouncing the new baby in his arms as this story was told, Bertoch, who won the division’s outstanding medical student award, smiled from the back of the room.

Click here or on image at right to view more photos from the event [PDF].

Medical student and resident physician winners included:

  • Elaine Hutchison with the J.W. Smith Award for Outstanding Medical StudentElaine Hutchison (MS4), J.W. Smith Award for Outstanding Medical Student, UA College of Medicine Office of Undergraduate Medical Education
  • Stephen Taylor (MS4) — pictured right, Zenas B. Noon Award for Outstanding Medical Student, UA Division of Cardiology
  • Kristina Skinner, DO, and Halie Shah, MD, Charles W. Hall Jr. Memorial Award for Outstanding House Officers, UA Division of Cardiology
  • Spencer Bertoch (MS4), Outstanding Medical Student, UA Division of Dermatology
  • Ross Palmer (MS4), Outstanding Medical Student, UA Division of Endocrinology
  • Jennifer Aranas, MD, Outstanding Resident, UA Division of Endocrinology
  • Hiba Khan (MS3), Outstanding Medical Student, UA Division of Gastroenterology
  • Kai Rou Tey, MD, Outstanding Resident, UA Division of Gastroenterology
  • April Ehrlich (MS2), John T. Boyer Award in Geriatrics for Outstanding Graduating Senior Medical Student, UA Division of Geriatrics, General Internal Medicine and Palliative Medicine
  • Kareem Bannis, MD, John T. Boyer Award in Geriatrics for Outstanding Internal Medicine Resident, UA Division of Geriatrics, General Internal Medicine and Palliative Medicine
  • Geena Seethi (MS3), Outstanding Medical Student, UA Division of Hematology and Oncology
  • Jennifer Segar, MD, Outstanding Resident, UA Division of Hematology and Oncology
  • Timothy Tiutan (MS4), Outstanding Medical Student, UA Division of Infectious Diseases
  • Pryce Gaynor, MD, Outstanding Resident, UA Division of Infectious Diseases
  • Coya Lindberg (MS4), Outstanding Medical Student, UA Division of Nephrology
  • Lance Bechtold, MD, Outstanding Resident, UA Division of Nephrology
  • Christopher Foss (MS4), The Novak Award for Outstanding Medical Student, UA Division of Pulmonary, Allergy, Critical Care and Sleep Medicine
  • Ramasubramanian Baalachandran, MD, Outstanding Resident, UA Division of Pulmonary, Allergy, Critical Care and Sleep Medicine
  • Coreen Schwartzlow (MS3), Outstanding Medical Student, UA Division of Rheumatology
  • Usman Ajaz, MD, and Manjinder Kaur, MD, Outstanding Residents, UA Division of Rheumatology
  • Ramasubramanian Baalachandran, MD, Program Director’s Outstanding Humanism & Professionalism Award, UA Internal Medicine Residency Program – University Campus
  • Norman Beatty, MD, Program Director’s Outstanding Humanism & Professionalism Award, UA Internal Medicine Residency Program – South Campus

In addition, recognized with Bressler-Alpert Awards by the department’s Office of the Vice Chair for Education, led by Ken Knox, MD, were: Drs. Tam Le, Christopher Strawter, Srinath Sundararajan, Sridhar Reddy, Thu Pham, Nirmal Singh, Nour Alhoda Parsa, Abhijeet Kumar, Snehal Patel and Iwan Nyotowidjojo.

Tammer El Aini, MD, and Kareem Ahmad, MD, won the department’s Outstanding Medicine Fellow Awards, as named by internal medicine residents.

And the Excellence in Teaching Awards, as named by the Department of Medicine Chair’s Office, were:

  • Meenakshi Dagar, MD, Outstanding Assistant Professor – Outpatient
  • Tirdad Zangeneh, MD, Outstanding Associate Professor – Outpatient
  • Mindy Fain, MD, Outstanding Full Professor – Outpatient
  • Joao Paulo Ferreira, MD, Outstanding Assistant Professor – Inpatient
  • Tirdad Zangeneh, MD, Outstanding Associate Professor – Inpatient
  • Joseph Alpert, MD, Outstanding Full Professor – Inpatient

—David Mogollón

Release Date: 
05/18/2016 - 11:00am