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Dr. Sam Finlayson and Dr. Sara Lamb with the faculty & staff of your Dean's Office welcome you to the

Dean's Dinner Reception May 2025

CELEBRATING THE CLASS OF 2025

WELCOME

Sam Finlayson, M.D., MPH, MBA

Interim Dean of The Spencer Fox Eccles School of Medicine

Associate Vice President for Clinical Affairs 

Interim CEO University of Utah Medical Group


Dr. Sara Lamb presenting:

    1. The Outstanding Student in Anesthesiology is _____.
    2. The Outstanding Student in Emergency Medicine is _____.
    3. The Utah Academy of Physicians' F. Marian Bishop, Family Medicine Outstanding Senior Award went to _____.
    4. The Outstanding Student in Internal Medicine is _____.
    5. The Outstanding Student in Neurology is _____.
    6. The Michael W. Worley Outstanding Student in OB/Gyn went to _____.
    7. The recipient of the Lincoln Clark Award for Outstanding Performance in Clinical Psychiatry is _____.
    8. The Outstanding Student in Surgery is _____.
  • The Gold-Headed Cane Award was initiated by the late Dr. Clifford Snyder, Professor Emeritus of Surgery and Associate Dean for Special Projects. Dr. Snyder designed and donated a replica of the early cane, with the recipients' names inscribed in gold, which is on permanent display at the Eccles Health Sciences Library. The award dates from the 17th Century, when the cane was handed down from physician to physician. 

    The award is presented to a senior medical student who has shown exemplary interest in patient care, and is voted on by the students themselves. The recipients name will be placed on a perpetual plaque in the Spencer Fox Eccles School of Medicine and will also receive a framed medallion.

    This year's Gold-Headed Cane recipient is _____.

  • The Florence M. Strong Award is named for a woman who was an Administrative Assistant to six Deans of the medical school over a span of 25 years and it was established by our alumni to honor her contributions to the medical school. The award goes to a student who exemplifies outstanding qualities and potential as a physician and has a sincere understanding of compassion for their patients. The award includes a plaque and a gift of $250.

    The Strong Award goes to _____.

  • The Dean's Award, which includes a plaque and a gift of $500, is presented to a senior medical student who has exhibited superior scholarship, dedication, keen interest in the patient as a person and outstanding performance in clinical medicine.

    The Dean's Award goes to _____.

  • The Cameron C. Lewis, M.D., Compassion in Medicine Award was established in memory of Dr. Cameron Lewis, who tragically passed away during her second year as a Pathology resident. Dr. Lewis exemplified the ideal of compassionate medicine. She was an Assistant Director at the blood bank and participated in many outreach programs. Dr. Lewis was known by peers and friends as an incredibly caring physician. Even through death, she managed to care for others; she donated her heart, so that another could live.

    A plaque and $1,000 prize is presented annually to a senior medical student, who has demonstrated a combination of community concern and exceptional compassion in medicine.

    This year's recipient is _____.

  • The Leonard Tŏw Humanism in Medicine Award presented by the Arnold P. Gold Foundation, recognizes the value of humanism in the delivery of care to patients and their families. It is presented annually to a graduating medical student who exemplifies both scientific excellence and compassionate care giving.

    The Arnold P. Gold Foundation presents the award's recipient with a certificate and gift of $500.

    This year's award recipient is _____.

  • Every year an outstanding Ph.D. graduate is honored with the James W. Prahl Memorial Award for the Outstanding Graduate Student in Biological or Biomedical Sciences. The award was established in memory of a former faculty member who died in 1979, and it recognizes excellence in the pursuit of scientific knowledge basic to the understanding of medicine. 

    With both an M.D. and Ph.D. degree, Dr. Prahl was both a physician and a scientist. He approached his science and his life with verve and intensity, and he set the highest standard for excellence in both. The graduate student who best exemplified the qualities embodied by Dr. Prahl will receive a plaque and $1,000.

    The recipients of the Prahl Award are _____ and _____.

  • The Paul Wintrobe Memorial Award was established by Dr. and Mrs. Maxwell M. Wintrobe in memory of their son. Dr. Maxwell Wintrobe was a renowned Hematologist and one of the founding fathers of the medical school. Dr. Wintrobe died in 1986. 

    The Wintrobe Award is presented annually to an Outstanding Graduating Senior, based on character, breadth of interest and culture, scholastic attainment, interest in research, and promise for the future.

    This year's recipient of the Wintrobe Award of a Plaque and $2,000 is _____.

Peter Bower presenting:

  • The School of Medicine Alumni Association 4th Year Award goes to an outstanding member of the class of 2025. This student embodies academic excellence, leadership, and community engagement, qualities crucial for a stellar physician.

    This award carries immense significance as it stems from peer nominations, faculty endorsements, and community recognition.

    On behalf of the Alumni Association Board, we proudly present the $1,000 Alumni Association 4th Year Award to _____.

Dr. Paloma Cariello presenting:

  • The Faculty Diversity and Inclusion Award recognizes faculty members who have made significant contributions to fostering an environment of inclusion in the School of Medicine and the community through innovative leadership, teaching and multicultural programming.

    The 2025 recipients of the Faculty Diversity and Inclusion Award are _____ and _____.

  • The Staff Diversity and Inclusion Award recognizes a staff member who has devoted their time to creating a positive and inclusive learning environment. This year's recipient is recognized for ___.

    This year's Staff Diversity and Inclusion Award recipient is _____.

  • The Student Diversity and Inclusion Award is peer-nominated and recognizes a graduating student who has made significant contributions to creating a sense of belonging and respect in the School of Medicine. This year's recipient has ___. 

    This year's Student Diversity and Inclusion Award is _____.

  • Stoles are conferred to our graduating Leadership Fellows from the Office of Health Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion (OHEDI). The Leadership Fellowship program has empowered these exceptional individuals to provide guidance to pre-medical students, aiding their journey to medical school. The Fellows have also made significant strides in advocacy, implementing projects that enrich our learning communities. 

    I would like to welcome up _____.

Dr. Sara Lamb presenting:

  • The Arnold P. Gold Foundation also annually presents the Leonard Tŏw Humanism in Medicine Award to a faculty member who exemplifies both scientific excellence and compassionate care giving. The Arnold P. Gold Foundation presents each award recipient with a lifetime membership in the Fold Humanism Honor Society, a certificate, and a gift of $500.

    This honor is student nominated and selected, and this year's recipient, as chosen by the Class of 2025, is  _____.

  • The Leonard W. Jarcho, M.D., Distinguished Teaching Award, was established in memory of one of the founding fathers of the four-year medical school. Dr. Jarcho joined the faculty in 1952 and established its first Neurology Program, serving as the original Chair of the department until he attained emeritus status in 1986. 

    This award is presented to an outstanding medical educator who demonstrates exceptional skill and dedication in teaching and advising medical students, interns, residents or fellows.

    The 2025 Jarcho Award recipient of a plaque and a gift of $3,000 is _____.

  • The James L. Parkin, M.D., Award for Outstanding Clinical Teaching was established in honor of a physician who, during his distinguished career in Otolaryngology at the medical school, made significant contributions to medicine and to Utah's higher education. Dr. Parkin served as Chair of the Department of Surgery and developed our first faculty practice organization. 

    The Parking Award, a plaque and a gift of $2,000, honors a faculty member, selected by the graduating medical students, for outstanding clinical medical teaching.

    This year's recipient is _____.

  • The Dr. Clark Lowe Rich Distinguished Surgeon and Mentor Award honors Dr. Rich who was a gifted diagnostician, and surgeon with unusual insight and a caring demeanor. Dr. Rich's daughter, the late Sally Rich Burbidge Cassity, established this award in memory of her father and his gifted hands. 

    The Clark Lowe Rich Award, an award and gift of $3,000, honors an outstanding surgeon who has demonstrated exceptional skill and dedication in the field of Surgery including teaching, advising and mentoring medical students, interns and residents or fellows here at the University of Utah.

    This year's recipient of the Clark Lowe Rich Distinguished Surgeon and Mentor Award goes to _____.

  • This year's recipient has gone above and beyond to give our students an exceptional experience. 

    So, with great pleasure, congratulations, ____, and thank you for your invaluable contributions to medical education.

  • This year's recipient has risen to the challenge of navigating support for new coursework and is one of the backstage heroes of the new curriculum preparing the doctoring coaches and course heads for their new role.

    So, with great pleasure, congratulations, _____, and thank you for your invaluable contributions to medical education.

Dr. Kathy Moore presenting:

  • The Students as Teachers Pathway starts from the premise that every patient encounter is a teaching opportunity. Over the course of four years, students explore teaching pedagogies such as adult learning theory, learn about teaching opportunities in residency and beyond and they practice and reflect upon teaching in the classroom, at the bedside, and to patients, families, colleagues and peers alike. Our goal is to give students the foundational knowledge and tools to succeed in academic medicine or wherever their clinical journeys take them.

    Students with Capstones:

    We have __ students completing Capstones.

    1. ____
    2. ____
    3. ____
    4. ____

    Those without Capstones:

    1. ____
    2. ____

Dr. Angie Fagerlin presenting:

  • The Population Health Pathway provides students with an introduction to the importance of population health sciences and to career opportunities for physicians in population health sciences. We congratulate the following students on completing this pathway.

    Graduate Certificate in Population Health Sciences

    1. ____

    Population Health Pathway

    1. ____

Dr. Brock O'Neil presenting:

  • The Value Driven Healthcare Pathway introduces students to fundamental concepts in healthcare improvement, including quality improvement, patient safety, patient experience, and cost. 

    Congratulations to the Value-Driven Healthcare Pathway students:

    1. ____

Dr. Ty Dickerson presenting:

  • In 2016, the Spencer Fox Eccles School of Medicine responded to calls from our medical student body to develop a formal education track related to global health. Soon after, we implemented the Graduate Certificate in Global Medicine, a 4-year, longitudinal curriculum encompassing a defined set of clinical, didactic, online and international experiential learning and training activities related to global health. ____ exceptional students from the class of 2025 were successful in completing the 15 course credits and other activities required for successful completion of this program and will graduate with a combined M.D. & Graduate Certificate in Global Medicine.

    It is with great please that we present to you the 2025 awardees. Each student's capstone project title will follow their name.

    1. ____

Dr. David Sandweiss presenting:

  • Over 4-years and 15-credits, these trailblazing scholars focused their studies on caring for medically underserved communities. Through the support of a generous HRSA grant and guidance from our medical school leadership, this transformative program goes beyond mere education, enhancing clinical opportunities, building community partnerships, and promoting inter-professional collaboration. As we honor their dedication and the indelible mark they've left on the TRUE Program, let us applaud the commitment of these ____ future leaders, as they advance health equity. Several of our students elected to complete capstones in teams of 2.

    1. ____

Dr. Amy Locke presenting:

  • It is with great pride that we send these graduates out to care for patients and help create the healthcare of the future. As all U of Utah medical students, they are equipped to find disease and provide cutting edge treatments. Additionally, these ____ students have developed a foundation of caring for the whole person and identifying health within each person, regardless of the level of pathology. Through this lens, they will optimize wellness and healing for themselves, their colleagues, and their patients in a meaningful way.

    1. ____

Dr. Amy Hawkins presenting:

  • The Graduate Certificate in Personalized Medicine is a substantial set of elective coursework. The students who completed it are prepared to have deeper conversations with patients and their families about how genes affect health. To honor their work today, rather than handing them a certificate--they'll receive one in the mail from The Graduate School--we're giving them signed copies of a book by one of their personalized medicine professors from the School of Law, Jorge Contreras, "The Genome Defense: Inside the Epic Legal Battle to Determine Who Owns Your DNA." Much of scientific work that formed the basis of that epic legal battle took place here in Salt Lake City at the University of Utah and Myriad Genetics.

    The students completing the pathway certificate are: 

    1. ____

Dr. Adam Stevenson presenting:

    1. ____
    2. ____
    1. ____
    2. ____
    1. ____
    2. ____
    1. ____
    2. ____
    1. ____
    2. ____
    1. ____
    2. ____
    1. ____
    2. ____
  • The following students are in the top 20% in excellence in academic performance, leadership, research, service, humanistic care, and commitment to equity, diversity and inclusion in your class and are members of the Alpha Omega Alpha Honor Society:

    1. _____
  • The following students are in the top 15% in excellence in humanistic clinical care and served in members of the University's chapter of the Gold Humanism Honor Society.

    1. ____
  • The following students have been a privilege to work with. They were screened and vetted by the program's Co-Presidents and Deans of Education for their excellence from amongst students interested in participating in the Medical Student Ambassador Program. The Student Ambassadors provide a face for the student body to visiting dignitaries and guests. 

    1. ___

Dr. Gretchen Case presenting:

  • The Award for Written Scholarship in Medical Ethics recognizes a medical student with clear potential to develop a scholarly career in medical ethics. Through the generosity of a faculty donor, this award is given annually by the University of Utah Center for Health Ethics, Arts, and Humanities to a student in the Spencer Fox Eccles School of Medicine on the basis of a written manuscript addressing an ethical issue in medical care or medical research. The award includes a certificate, a $1,500 prize, and faculty support towards publication of the manuscript.

    The recipient of the Award for Written Scholarship in Medical Ethics is ____. 

Kristin Randall presenting:

    1. Moroni Lopez
    2. Vismaya Kharkar

Moroni Lopez and Vismaya Kharkar presenting:

  • The Arnold P. Gold Foundation Humanism in Medicine Award is included each year to emphasize and nurture the presence of humanistic qualities throughout the medical school environment. An individual who models ethics, empathy, and service in both student and practice of medicine, lays the foundation of qualities necessary for patient-centered care from which future physicians will build upon. 

    The student body is proud to give the Arnold P. Gold Foundation Humanism in Medicine Award to _____.

Dr. Tony Tsai presenting:

  • The RealMD Coach of the Year Award is an award that recognizes an outstanding RealMD Coach who promotes a greater sense of meaning, community, and purpose in medical education. The coach selected contributes to students' self-discovery, is oriented towards purpose, and acts as an example of the positive professional community the RealMD Program strives to uphold at the Spencer Fox Eccles School of Medicine. The recipient receives an award and $500 prize.

    The recipient of the RealMD Coach of the Year Award clinical rheumatologist, assistant professor in the Division of Rheumatology, Department of Internal Medicine: ____.

  • The RealMD Mentor of the Year Award recognizes an outstanding faculty member who is an exemplary teacher, advisor and mentor to medical students especially in regards to career planning and exploration. The recipient demonstrates exceptional skills and dedication to helping students succeed in the future career as physicians. The recipient receives an award and $500 prize.

    The RealMD Mentor of the Year Award goes to _____.

Dr. Tom Hurtado presenting:

  • The RealMD Purpose in Medical Education Award recognizes two outstanding medical students who have engaged with the RealMD program, found and maintained their purpose, fostered community with their peers, and showed self-determination throughout their medical training. The recipients receive an award and a $250 prize.

    This year's recipients are _____ and _____.

  • The RealMD Program would also like to recognize the graduating students who have completed the RealMD Certificate requirements for all four years. This represents significant dedication to the values and activities in the program. The recipient receives a framed copy of the RealMD Manifest. This year's recipients are: 

    1. _____

Dr. Megan Fix presenting:

  • For over 100 years, the American Medical Women's Association or AMWA, has been the progressive voice of organized medicine, addressing the tough issues that affect how medicine is discovered, taught, and practiced. We are women healthcare providers who care about women's health, women's well-being, and women's leadership.

    The Glasgow-Rubin Citation for Academic Achievement is an award to women who graduate in the top 10% of their medical school graduating class. I am pleased to present this honor to the following students: 

    1. _____

MS4 Co-Presidents Trisha Pauline Enriquez, Luke Garcia & Marina Knysheva presenting:

  • The Outstanding Clinical Staff Award highlights an exceptional clinical staff member whose dedication, expertise, and responsiveness to student needs have left a large impact on their department and beyond. 

    This recipient has an unwavering commitment to excellence in medical education and is consistently dedicated to ensuring students' clinical experiences run smoothly.

    Please join me in congratulating this year's recipient, _____.

  • The Outstanding Deans Office Staff Award recognizes a staff member whose engagement, efficiency, and positive attitude has elevated our student experience.

    This individual is _____.

    It is our pleasure to present this award to, _____!

  • The Outstanding Dedication to Peers Award recognizes an individual who consistently goes above and beyond in supporting and assisting their classmates. 

    So, I have the pleasure of presenting this well-deserved award to, _____.

  • Resident education is a key part of the medical school experience and we are so lucky to be taught and influenced by amazing residents in all specialties. Many residents deserve this award, and we appreciate the impact of all our amazing residents. So, we wanted to take a moment to recognize and applaud all the residents at the U!

    The recipient of the Outstanding Resident Award is  ___.

  • It is an honor to recognize an exception pre-clinical educator who has significantly contributed to the foundation of our medical students' knowledge and skills. The individual's dedication, passion, and innovative teaching methods have not only inspired us as future physicians but have also set a standard of excellence in our preclinical education.

    Please join me in congratulating this year's Outstanding Pre-Clinical Instructor for their invaluable impact on our community ____!

MS4 Co-Presidents Trisha Pauline Enriquez, Luke Garcia & Marina Knysheva presenting:

  • This award is given to an individual who passionately champions various causes, mobilizes resources, and collaborates with others to bring about positive change, making a lasting impact on the well-being and welfare of their community.

    Our first recipient is ___!

    Our second recipient is ___!

  • As medical students at the U, we are very grateful to have dozens of excellent preceptors as we navigate the wards and clinics for the first time. Each year, one of these excellent preceptors is recognized for their dedication to shaping the next generation of healthcare professionals.

    Please join me in congratulation this year's outstanding clinical instructor, _____!

  • The Dr. Jan Ido Terpstra Memorial Award was established in 2015 to honor Dr. Terpstra after his unexpected passing. Dr. Terpstra excelled as a psychiatrist and he worked vigorously to address the mental health and wellness of the School of Medicine's student body. The award is presented annually to a faculty member or a member of the senior class who displays the same emphasis on compassion, empathy, and class unity that defined Dr. Terpstra.

    This year's Dr. Terpstra Memorial Award is _____!

  • The Outstanding Dedication to Sharing Joy award winner is ____!

MS4 Co-Presidents Trisha Pauline Enriquez, Luke Garcia & Marina Knysheva presenting:

  • Jane aspired to be a doctor one day, just like her mom. Jane also saw the incredible, powerful, and intelligent soon-to-be women physicians in her life (many of whom are here in our audience) and dreamed of growing up to be a strong physician just like them. Though Jane could not live her dream, Jane's dream lives on within so many of us. 

    The class of 2024 had established the Rainbow Jane Memorial Award to honor her passing on August 22, 2023. This award will now be presented annually to a member of the senior class who displays the same authenticity, effervescence, and bright, bold passion for life that Jane embodied throughout her eight years of life.

    I am honored to announce the second recipient of the Rainbow Jane Memorial Award-an individual who embodies all of Jane's qualities and will undoubtedly honor Jane throughout her career as she impacts the lives of countless children. Congratulations to _____!


CLOSING REMARKS

Trisha Pauline Enriquez, Luke Garcia & Marina Knysheva

Class of 2025 Co-Presidents