New Cohort of Gold Humanism Honor Society Inductees Announced

Eighteen third-year medical students, four faculty members and six residents of the University of Arizona College of Medicine – Phoenix were recognized for uplifting humanism in health care and were inducted into the Gold Humanism Honor Society (GHHS).

The GHHS defines humanism as a compassionate and trustworthy relationship between physicians and their patients, as well as being sensitive to the values and the cultural backgrounds of others. These qualities were recognized in the new cohort of inductees through a nomination process by current medical student members of the GHHS. 

The inductees were announced at a ceremony that opened with remarks from Dean Fred E. Wondisford, MD, MS, MBA. “It is a privilege to be a part of this tradition and to help recognize these amazing medical students, faculty and residents,” he said. “Our doctoring program fosters an understanding of how a physician’s interactions with a patient — asking about how they are feeling or how their diagnosis has impacted them — can build a relationship based on mutual respect and trust.”

Andrew Wong, MD, an alumnus of the University of Arizona College of Medicine – Phoenix’s Class of 2013 and current associate clinical professor of Family, Community and Preventive Medicine, delivered the keynote address. Dr. Wong expressed his immense gratitude for the honor to speak at the ceremony, “The fact that this is a student selected process means that much more to me.” 

Dr. Wong’s address to the audience also included jokes about not paying his GHHS dues and heartwarming accounts of how proud he is of his students. His address concluded with his thoughts on what it means to be human. “It’s important to understand our intrinsic ability to understand and demonstrate love, but also our inherent disposition to fail and fall short of perfection,” he said. Dr. Wong’s remarks were a reminder and true testament to what it means to be a member of the GHHS. 

Traditionally, each new inductee is called by name and is presented with a symbolic GHHS pin that is secured to the lapel of their white coat. The inductee then makes their way to a ceremonial staff made from yucca — a stock native to the Arizona desert landscape — to tie a colorful ribbon around it, binding them to previous classes. At the event’s conclusion, the inductees recited an oath to solidify their commitment the GHHS.

Shakaib (Shak) Rehman, MD, CSH, FACP, FACH, interim chair and professor in the Department of Biomedical Informatics, serves as the college’s faculty advisor for the GHHS. “GHHS holds a special place in my heart as an educator and mentor. It represents the pinnacle of medical excellence combined with the foundational virtues of compassion, empathy and integrity,” he shared. “As a mentor, seeing students inducted into this prestigious society is immensely rewarding, knowing that they not only excel clinically but also embody the humanistic qualities that are essential in patient care.”

Congratulations to the Following Student Inductees

• Orlando Acuna.
• Taaha Adamji.
• Kyle Avery.
• Pooja Dhupati.
• Anna Leah Eisner.
• Ashwathy Goutham.
• Christopher Hernandez-Salinas.
• Daniel Lee.
• Yusuke Murakami.
• Ellie Pitcher.
• Liane Ruddy.
• Raj Shah.
• Kennedy Sparling.
• Christine Spatacean.
• Emrie Tomaiko-Clark.
• Olivia Triplett.
• Stephen Yao.
• Erika Yasuda.

Faculty members, Robert Bina, MD, interim chair of Neurosurgery at Banner – University Medical Center Phoenix.; Shahrzad Saririan, MD, director of the Primary Care Scholars program; Brenda Shinar, MD, clinical professor of Internal Medicine; and Deborah Tom, MD, an associate clinical professor in Child Health were inducted for their exemplary work as mentors to medical students and demonstrators of humanism in medicine.

The six residents who were inducted into the GHHS are Julie Nguyen, MD; Justin Owumi, MD; Tatiahna Rivera-Rodríguez, MD; Miriam Robin, MD; Samhita Vedula, MD and Shannon Wessel, MD.

Photos from the Event