Larner College of Medicine Foundations Celebration for the Class of 2023

Foundations Celebration for the Class of 2023 celebrates the achievements of the class and recognizes faculty and staff who have supported them as they transition from the classroom to the clinical portion of their medical education. Since the Class of 2023 is unable to gather  for a celebration this year, leaders at the Larner College of Medicine have recorded messages of congratulations and encouragement. 

View a message from Richard L. Page, M.D., Dean, Larner College of Medicine

View a message from Dean Christa Zehle, M.D., Senior Associate Dean of Medical Education

View a message from Dean Lee Rosen, Ph.D., Interim Assistant Dean of Students and Director of Student Well-being

View a message from Karen Lounsbury, Ph.D., Director of Foundations

View a message for Staff who supported the Foundations Curriculum from Karen Lounsbury, Ph.D., Director of Foundations

View a message from Vinh Le, Class of 2023 Student Council Representative

View a message from Elise Everett, M.D., M.S., Director of Clinical Clerkships

Each award below is accompanied by a video message for the recipient or recipients. Please click the each award name to view the video presentation.

Student Awards
AwardAward DescriptionAward Winner(s)Award Presentation
B. Albert Ring, M.D. Memorial Grant AwardThe B. Albert Ring, M.D. Memorial Grant Fund was created in 1989 by family and friends of Dr. Ring to provide financial support for deserving students at the Larner College of Medicine. The fund was established to honor Dr. Ring as a respected teacher of medical students. The students selected must exemplify the many fine human qualities possessed by Dr. Ring, including compassion, humor, humility, devotion to family and friends, and intellectual curiosity. Isaac Adams
Sydney Chatfield
Kisha Kalra
Sean Muniz
CVRI Summer Research Fellowship Merit Award

The CVRI sponsors up to 3 summer research fellowships for cardiovascular-related research to first year medical students, which provide support for the student and for the mentor’s laboratory. CVRI awards $1,000 to the most meritorious cardiovascular-related research project completed during the summer fellowship, selected by the CVRI board of directors. 

Samuel Short
Durwood Smith Award for Excellence in Pharmacology

The Durwood Smith Award for Excellence in Pharmacology is named in honor of Dr. Durwood J. Smith, former Chair of the Pharmacology Department from 1953 to 1975. This honor is awarded to a second year medical student with the highest aggregate score in Foundations Courses with major pharmacological content.

Joel Feier
Ephraim Woll Award for Excellence in General PathologyThe Ephraim Woll Award for Excellence in General Pathology is given to the student who demonstrates outstanding performance in the Foundations courses in General Pathology (including Histology and Pathology content).Jennifer Risi
Exemplary Clinical Exam Skills AwardThe Exemplary Clinical Exam Skills Award recognizes students who demonstrate outstanding clinical skills throughout the Foundations Curriculum. 
Anna Corbalan
Aggie Forstein
Catrina Hood
Stellar Levy
Alexy Novelli
Henry and Phyllis Wasserman Phorplus Prize for Excellence in the Basic Sciences

In 1988, Henry Wasserman, MD’51 and his wife Phyllis established a scholarship prize to be awarded annually to the students who had demonstrated outstanding scholastic achievement in the Foundations portion of their education.

Delaney Sztraicher
Joel Feier
Sydney Chatfield
Summer Research Fellowship Merit AwardsThe recipients of the Summer Research Fellow Merit Award  were chosen based on applications that best demonstrated thoroughness, thoughtfulness, and student participation.Dana Allison
Valerie Braddick
Emma Dunne
Wellness AwardThe Wellness Award for Peer Recognition is the only student award presented to another student at the Foundations Awards Ceremony. In an atmosphere that mainly rewards academic achievement, this award recognizes a peer-nominated individual who has been an asset to their classmates, displaying dedication to helping others during the course of their medical training to-date. 

Winner:

Vinh Le

 

Nominees:

Raj Aurora
Daniel Castro
Anna Chamby
Kaileen Cruden
Jenna Elkhoury
Nina Feinberg
Alex Jenkins
Kyle Kellett
Lucy Merriam
 
Faculty/Staff Awards
AwardAward DescriptionAward NomineesAward WinnerAward Presentation
Above & Beyond AwardThe Above and Beyond Award recognizes the faculty member who went above and beyond the call of duty to help  students in their learning objectives.Nicholas D’Alberto, Ph.D.
Stephen Everse, Ph.D.
Pamela Gibson, M.D. 
Andrew Hale, M.D.
William Hopkins, M.D. 
Robert Low, Ph.D. 
William Raszka, M.D. 		Nicholas D’Alberto, Ph.D.
AMWA Gender Equity AwardThis award honors a faculty member who promotes a gender-fair environment for the education and training of physicians and gender diversity in the field. A. Evan Eyler, M.D., M.P.H.
Pamela Gibson, M.D. 
Rachel Humphrey, M.D.
Prema Menon, M.D., Ph.D.
William Raszka, M.D. 
Paula Tracy, Ph.D.
Dr. A. Evan Eyler, M.D., M.P.H. 
Best Support Staff AwardThis award recognizes the staff member who best supported students in areas besides teaching. Michelle Bookless 
Tess Bosley 
Julie Chiappinelli 
Kiersten Hallquist 
Tim Moynihan, Ph.D.
Jessie Raven 		Julie Chiappinelli 
Curriculum Innovation AwardThis award is present to a faculty member in recognition of contributions to new curriculum development Jesse Moore, M.D.
Dean Warshaw Integration AwardThis award is named for Dr. Joe Warshaw, former Dean of the UVM College of Medicine (now the UVM Larner College of Medicine) who championed the implementation of the Vermont Integrated Curriculum – the VIC. The award recognizes the faculty member whose teaching best captured the spirit of the VIC and active learning.Nicholas D’Alberto, M.D. 
Stephen Everse, Ph.D. 
Andrew Hale, M.D.  
William Hopkins, M.D.
David Kaminsky , M.D.
William Raszka, M.D. 
Rebecca Wilcox, M.D. 
William Raszka, M.D.
Foundations Course Director AwardThis award recognizes the foundations course director who showed the highest degree of dedication to the successful design and implementation of their course curriculum.Stephen Everse, Ph.D. 
Andrew Hale, M.D. 
William Raszka, M.D. 		Andrew Hale, M.D.
Foundations Teaching AwardThis award is presented to the faculty member who provided the most outstanding teaching activities within the foundations curriculum.Ronald Bryant, M.D.
Nicholas D’Alberto, M.D.
William Hopkins, M.D. 
David Kaminsky, M.D. 
Timothy Lahey, M.D. 		Ronald Bryant, M.D.
Outstanding Teaching Assistant AwardThis award recognizes the TA who was the most helpful in teaching and facilitating within a foundations course.

Sidika Kajtezovic (HDRH)
Olivia Larkin (HDRH)
Flora Liu (Med Neuro)
Sean Meagher (CRR)
Bridget Moore (CRR)
Cassie Nowicki (Med Neuro)
Nora Stedman (A&D)
Matt Tsai (CRR)
Michael Weber (CRR)
Pedram Zargari (FoCS Anatomy)

Sean Meagher (CRR)
Silver Stethoscope AwardThe Silver Stethoscope Award recognizes the faculty member who had few teaching hours, but made a substantial contribution to students’ education.Nicholas D’Alberto, Ph.D.
Andrew Goodwin, M.D.
William Hopkins, M.D. 
David Kaminsky, M.D. 
Robert Low, Ph.D. 
Richard L. Page, M.D. 
Christina Wojewoda, M.D.		Nicholas D'Alberto, Ph.D.
Standardized Patient AwardStandardized Patients play an integral role in the education of Larner College of Medicine medical students. They foster an environment in which students can practice interviewing and examinations skills and receive honest feedback. The ability of a physician to develop rapport with a patient, perform a focused examination, and gather an accurate history are vital skills that Larner COM students are fortunate to practice early and often. The Standardized Patients share their experience, knowledge and time with students during both Foundations and Clerkship years. Due to the tremendous role they play in the curriculum, we would like to recognize the devotion of our Standardized Patients. Nicole D'Elisa
Peter Kurth
Deb Lyons
Janet Messina
Julie Mitchell
Leo O'Reilly
Peter Shea
Nicole D'Elisa