Travel Awards

Travel Awards (all faculty & students eligible): Travel awards are established to support faculty and medical student pairings at Spencer Fox Eccles School of Medicine at the University of Utah SFESOM in attending and presenting at professional conferences. This award recognizes the valuable contributions of faculty and trainees in their respective fields and aims to facilitate professional development and scholarship. By covering travel expenses, the award enables recipients to: 1) Disseminate their research 2) Exchange ideas with peers 3) Stay current with advancements in their disciplines 4) Contribute to academic scholarship at the SFESOM. 

Travel awards through the division are split into two separate award cycles. The Fall cycle runs from May 1st - October 15th and the Spring cycle runs from October 16th - April 30th.

  • Application: here.
  • Deadline: Submission for the Fall cycle award is October 15th (this is for travel occurring between May 1st and October 15th) and submission for the Spring cycle award is April 30th (this is for travel occurring between October 16th and April 30th).
  • Notification: Recipients of the award will be notified roughly 1 month after award deadlines.
  • Eligibility: All students and faculty are welcome to apply. Priority funding will be given to education based activities, projects including community faculty/sites, and LIC projects.
  • Please note: All travel support will be completed through a reimbursement process. You must show proof of conference acceptance and be able to provide receipts upon completion of the application. Only conference registration, airfare, and lodging are eligible for reimbursement. No other expenses will be covered. Additionally, the award application is the same link for both the Fall and Spring cycle.
  • Contact: for questions please reach out to divisionofmeded@hsc.utah.edu.
Travel Award Winners (AY24-25)

Preceptor of the Year Award

This award acknowledges faculty who demonstrate excellence in teaching, foster student engagement, and enhance the student learning experience. The award aims to honor those who go above and beyond in their role, supporting student growth and enriching the educational environment. Recipients are chosen based on their teaching methods, commitment to student success, and positive impact on the academic community, nominated by students.

  • Application: here.
  • Deadline: applications must be submitted by April 30, 2027
  • Notification: recipients will be notified by May 2027
  • Eligibility: We encourage all students to nominate a preceptor who has gone above and beyond in their work.

See previous award winners here.

AY25-26 Award Winners

  • Photo of katie russell

    Katie Russell

    I have really enjoyed my LIC experience. I loved sharing my practice but also tailoring the learning to what my student was interested in. We found things we had in common and had a wonderful relationship. The best part was when she told me that she had answered questions on her shelf exam on things I had taught her. I would encourage others to be open to what their students want to learn and advocate for them.

  • Photo of dr lenherr

    Sara Lenherr

    Connection with students is the most important part of teaching. Once they know you care about them as both individuals and learners, they become more engaged and open to growth. For me, the most important aspect of medical student training is demonstrating humanity. As a urologist, I often care for patients who feel vulnerable and may have delayed seeking care due to embarrassment. It’s essential to establish trust and connection very early in those encounters. Being able to model that kind of empathy and professionalism for trainees is what matters most to me.

  • Dr Merrell

    Stephen Merrell

     I've been precepting students for 6 years now. My favorite part of teaching/precepting is observing students connecting with patients. I love to see their joy when they realize that they've made a difference in someone's life. I also LOVE learning from the students. They always keep me on my toes. Teaching tips? Remember what it was like as a medical student! Give them some space, and teach them without condescension. Soon (really soon) they will be doctors, and maybe you will be their next patient. 

  • Jodie Miles

    Jodie Miles

    Student quote: “ She consistently incorporates teaching into the clinical workflow, offering clear explanations and clinical pearls between patients and during surgery. In the operating room, she verbalizes her thought process, which gives me valuable insight into her clinical reasoning and surgical decision-making.”

CompHealth Clinical Community Faculty Award (community faculty only)

In partnership with CompHealth, the University of Utah School of Medicine Alumni Association and the Office of Academic Affairs and Education created the CompHealth Clinical Community Faculty Award to recognize outstanding clinical preceptors in the community. These preceptors contribute countless hours to the education of our medical students and residents, and this award is one of the ways the University formally thanks them. Nominees practice medicine outside of University of Utah Health (or at a UUMG clinic), have an adjunct appointment in a School of Medicine Department, and regularly take students, residents, and/or fellow for their clinical rotations. The awardees are recognized at a dinner event where they are presented with a $2500 award. Please visit the award webpage to learn more about the award, including how to nominate someone.

AY 25-26 Winner: Dr. Arindam Sharma

Dr. Sharma is a preceptor that currently works in St. George, Utah. He was nominated by his student to receive this award. Congratulations to Dr. Sharma, and thank you for the work you contribute to helping medical students!
 

 

Faculty Educator Peer Recognition Award (internal faculty only):

The Fa​culty Educator Peer Recognition Program, created by a subcommittee of departmental vice chairs of education provides an opportunity for faculty engaged in education to receive peer recognition for meaningful contributions in teaching and education leadership, contributions that may be more difficult to highlight compared to grants and publications for faculty engaged in research.  The program is specifically designed to allow a faculty member to receive the peer recognition multiple times between rank advancements. By providing such ​opportunities for educators, we hope to enhance the ability to demonstrate excellence in education and aid in promotion. You can view more about the award here.

AY 25-26 FERP Award Winners

FERP Winners