Faculty Honored with Teaching Excellence Awards

On Monday, May 6, medical students from the University of Arizona College of Medicine – Phoenix, honored faculty that encouraged and taught them during the 2018–19 school year at the Faculty Teaching Awards Breakfast.

The awards are chosen by each class of students on the downtown Phoenix campus under criteria set by the medical school. Each student body selected individuals across the four-year curriculum that demonstrated excellence in teaching, served as an exemplary role model and went above and beyond in supporting students.

“There is no better way to end an academic year than by recognizing the people who worked tirelessly to train our students,” UA College of Medicine – Phoenix Dean Guy Reed, MD, MS, said. “I’d like to congratulate the recipients of these teaching awards, but I’d also like to congratulate all of you who have worked so hard teaching our students and accomplishing outstanding personalized medical education. We are thankful to you for everything you have done for our students this year.”

The Stuart D. Flynn, MD, Master Educator teaching excellence award, which recognizes extraordinary accomplishments in all aspects of education over all four years of medical school, was given to Mark Fischione, MD. Dr. Fischione is an associate professor of Pathology, Histology and Embryology.

The Educator of the Year award, given by the second-year students, was presented to Neha Dahiya, MD. Dr. Dahiya is clinical pathologist with more than 20 years of experience in diagnostic pathology and teaching medical students. First-year students selected Elaine Niggemann, MD, for the Educator of the Year award. Dr. Niggemann is the cardiovascular-hematology block director.

The Excellence in Clinical Teaching by a block or course, given by second-year students to the medical director of the program, was presented to Maricela Moffitt, MD. She has been the director of the Doctoring Curriculum at the UA College of Medicine – Phoenix since 2007.

Third-year students also awarded outstanding teaching honors to house officers of the clerkship areas. Those honored included:

• Family and Community Medicine – Bradley Holman, MD, HonorHealth.
• Internal Medicine – Brett Brewer, MD, UA College of Medicine – Phoenix.
• Obstetrics and Gynecology – Greg Epstein, MD, UA College of Medicine – Phoenix.
• Pediatrics – Jaron Smith, MD, Maricopa Medical Center and Phoenix Children’s Hospital.
• Psychiatry – Michael Stoddard, MD, UA College of Medicine – Phoenix.
• Surgery – Britton Mehr, MD, UA College of Medicine – Phoenix.

Third-year students awarded Pediatric Clerkship director, Jorge Masuello, MD, with the Excellence in Clinical Teaching by a Clerkship. Dr. Masuello is a pediatrician at Phoenix Children’s Hospital.

Fourth-year students also awarded outstanding teaching honors to house officers of the clerkship areas. Those honored included:

• Emergency Medicine – Anthony Kraus, MD, Maricopa Medical Center.
• Neurology – Malik Fakhar, MD, UA College of Medicine – Phoenix.
• Critical Care – Renee Sarno, DO, UA College of Medicine – Phoenix.
• Sub-Internships – Renee Sarno, DO, UA College of Medicine – Phoenix.

The Excellence in Clinical Teaching in an elective course, given by fourth-year students to the medical director of the program that best fulfills the mission to “inspire and train individuals to become exemplary physicians,” was presented to both Robert Kravitz, MD, director of the History of Medicine Independent Study, and John V. Gallagher III, MD, director of the Phoenix Fire Ride Along Program.

• Photos from the event.