John P. McGovern Academy
of Oslerian Medicine

NAME: Ahmed A. Almomani

RESIDENCY PROGRAM: Internal Medicine

RESIDENT YEAR: 2

REASON FOR NOMINATION:
Dr. Almomani has shown a true interest in educating young medical student by actually giving them lectures on different topics to help them on the clerkship and in their career. He actually is willing to sit down with the students and go over the topic in detail with the addition of drawing the protocol for them to see. He also is a good teacher in showing us how to be a compassionate doctor as he treats all his patients with respect and a good demeanor. All the patients love him as a doctor as this is even the most disgruntled of patients that I have encounter. In my view, I think Dr. Almomani would be a great attending since he is very knowledgeable, but willing to teach and help people get to a new understand in the practice of medicine. He is by far one of the most excelling Residents I have encounter at UTMB.

NAME: Keta Joshipura-Pandit, MD

RESIDENCY PROGRAM: General Internal Medicine

RESIDENT YEAR: 2

REASON FOR NOMINATION:
Dr. Joshipura demonstrated sound scientific knowledge, compassion towards patients, and dedication to learning and teaching. She was always willing to teach and answer our questions. She displayed compassion toward all her patients and listened to their concerns even if they were trivial. She was never condescending or off-putting to students, nursing, or auxiliary staff. Also, she set a good example to the interns and faculty. It was a pleasure to be a student on her team and work with her. I would highly recommend her for the Thayer Award.

NAME: Aaron Hauptman

RESIDENCY PROGRAM: Austin psychiatry program

RESIDENT YEAR: Intern

REASON FOR NOMINATION:
I had an opportunity to work with Dr. Hauptman for 2 weeks during adult psychiatry, and 2 weeks during child psychiatry. He made time to teach the students on his service, suggested articles for us to read, and he gave us pointers for how to become better clinicians (improving in interviewing skills, H&P and progress note writing). Moreover, he demonstrated compassion--in the afternoons, when he had free time, rather than catch up on different things, he took time to go speak to the patients, getting to understand who they were, and stayed late to do additional clinical work . It was during these less formal interviews that he convinced a suicidal teenager who until then had refused any help to consider following-up with psychiatric care on discharge, and getting him to become more involved in the activities at the facility. On the child floor, we all learned to sit on the floor after seeing him seat on the floor so that the children would fill more comfortable. So efficient was he at what he did that the patients and nurses relayed how good the team was. He was comfortable with all ages--whether it was teenagers, adults or children. So effective was my training in psychiatry in Austin that I will be applying to psych programs, which I had not considered prior to the rotation. I highly recommend Dr. Hauptman for the Thayer Award for Excellence in teaching.

NAME: Geoff R. Weikle

RESIDENCY PROGRAM: Internal medicine

RESIDENT YEAR: PGY-2

REASON FOR NOMINATION:
I had the privilege of being able to work with Dr. Geoff Weikle during my elective month at the MICU. Dr. Weikle made it a priority to ensure I was in a productive, educational environment. Every day of the clerkship was an enriching one; he would take the time and seize every opportunity to teach myself and the interns. He would explain physical exam findings, laboratory results, imaging, differential diagnoses, workups and treatment plans. Dr. Weikle would also entertain any and all of my questions by answering them in a patient, thorough and intellectually stimulating way. He is an exemplary physician, an example for all residents and medical students to follow. He truly enjoys teaching, expresses compassion with all patients, and displays enthusiasm about his career that motivates his team. For these reasons I would like to nominate Dr. Geoff Weikle for the Thayer Award for Excellence in Teaching.

NAME: Belal Bakir

RESIDENCY PROGRAM: Ophthalmology

RESIDENT YEAR: PGY-4

REASON FOR NOMINATION:
Dr. Bakir is one of the most knowledgeable, helpful and welcoming residents I have worked with. He teaches by example - he having excellent rapport with each patient - making them feel comfortable during every eye exam. He uses each patient visit as an opportunity to teach both medical students and patients, taking maximum advantage of a busy day. What struck me most about his compassion for teaching was his taking time after clinic to help me prepare my Case Presentation, drawing on his own experiences on the best way to present and how to engage the audience. Furthermore, he was very accessible and answered communications quickly, even on short notice. It showed that he truly wished success for his students. Dr. Bakir is going to Harvard for a Glaucoma Fellowship next year, and I wish him all the best.

NAME: Arafat Hashwani

RESIDENCY PROGRAM: Neurology

RESIDENT YEAR: pgy2

REASON FOR NOMINATION:
He is a great resident who takes every single opportunity possible to not only teach but to challenge the medical students. You can tell he really cares about his patients and about the students and takes every action to try and ensure that they get a very valuable learning experience, even about neurological issues not necessarily encountered on the wards, but that he knows will be a big component on the shelf exam and important knowledge for anyone interested in neurology. Best resident ever!

NAME: Dr. Jordan Chiarchiaro, MD

RESIDENCY PROGRAM: UTSW Austin Pediatric Residency Program

RESIDENT YEAR: PGY-1

REASON FOR NOMINATION:
I have had the opportunity to work with Dr. Chiarchiaro for about 2 weeks now and he is a wonderful intern who genuinely wants to help me learn. Quite honestly, this rotation has been the hardest for me to get accustomed to for some reason. While multiple residents and attendings have been giving me a hard time and essentially chewed me out on my performance, he and Nidhi Vadya (a fourth year) are the only ones that have pulled me aside on multiple occasions to encourage me. I honestly have contemplated just giving up hope and dropping out but these two individuals are the reason that I keep chucking along. As an example, today, I was pulled aside by a resident for what they assume is my lack of enthusiasm and failure to research/present patients properly. Fortunately, 90% of the patients that I am responsible for have also been assigned to Dr. Chiarchiaro and he has witnessed first-hand the research and effort that I am putting into the care of my patients. While other doctors have been continually discouraging me with their negative criticisms without offering any legitimate advice, he has been encouraging me and giving me advice this entire rotation. Today, after hearing some of the comments from other residents, he took me aside to break down my written note to see how I could better improve my presentations and flow. Other residents may have been trying to do the same with me but Dr. Chiarchiaro is the only one that accomplished this in a way that I felt was non-threatening or judgmental. He took a solid 45 minutes out of his day to do this even though I know for a fact that he is swamped with patients and paperwork that he needs to complete. If nothing else I have said so far has convinced you that he deserves this award then maybe this will. I have never in my life nominated anybody for anything like this before, yet here I am writing to you about Dr. Chiarchiaro. I ask that you please consider him for the Osler Club Thayer Award.

NAME: Riley Jones

RESIDENCY PROGRAM: Surgery

RESIDENT YEAR: PGY1

REASON FOR NOMINATION:
Riley Jones is the best resident, by a wide margin, that I have had the pleasure to work with. Despite being at the beginning of his intern year, he was the most prepared resident I have encountered. From patient care to student education, he always had an answer. I was continually impressed with the amount of energy he dedicated to ensuring his patients recieved the best medical care. He was incredibly helpful with the students rotating on his service. After rounds he would take 15-20 minutes to go over interesting &/or high yield findings a second time. He independently brought articles weekly for students and would review them with us. Additionally, he was full of advice concerning residency applications, interviews, and how to get published. Dr. Jones is the embodiment of what a resident should be and he deserves recognition.

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Dr Riley Jones, general surgery intern. I would like to nominate Dr. Jones for this award. He made my surgery experience enjoyable. Specifically he was very eager to work with students and use every encounter he saw as a teaching experience. He would access our knowledge in a non threatening way and then share what he knew with us. He would print review articles out for us on interesting conditions. He always tried to foster our interest and to show us why surgery is the best field in the world it is your passion. He would talk ask us about how everyone was treating us, how the rotation was going, and willing to give us feedback. He also was very encouraging that we were doing a great job and being helpful and tried to make us feel like an asset to the team. Even when I was off of his service he would still chat with me when i would run into him about how things were going and offered to give me study materials, making sure that I still had his number and told me that I could always contact him in the future. Also his attitude was always positive and he was always very pleasant to be around. He had a passion for the patients and would spend more time that any resident reviewing their chart, and reading about their condition. And he never rushed with the patients. In my opinion because of all of these things that I have listed I believe that Dr. Jones is the ideal teacher and resident for medical students to work with, learn from, and aspire to be like.

NAME: Ashwin Gowda

RESIDENCY PROGRAM: Internal Medicine

RESIDENT YEAR: 1

REASON FOR NOMINATION:
Dr. Gowda was the first intern I worked with on my internal medicine clerkship and he was helpful beginning on my first day. He helped orient me to the work flow process, provided tips on how to prepare notes and presentations, and was always willing to answer questions I had about patients and how it related to the basic science. He saw that I was interested in internal medicine and encouraged me and gave advice on the application process. He was a great example of how to care for patients and he set a great example of how I hope to be during my intern year.

NAME: Xianfeng Wen

RESIDENCY PROGRAM: Internal Medicine

RESIDENT YEAR: 2

REASON FOR NOMINATION:
Dr. Wen was one of the first residents I worked with on my internal medicine clerkship and he was a great example of team leader. He was always prepared and knew his patients because he takes the time to speak with them and really set a great example for me in how to talk with patients to show compassion and also be efficient and obtain the pertinent information. He is very good explaining his thought process as to why we were managing patients a certain way. H was always willing to listen to me present patients and give constructive feedback. I really appreciated Dr. Wen's encouragement during my rotation.

NAME: Joey England

RESIDENCY PROGRAM: OB/GYN

RESIDENT YEAR: Unknown

REASON FOR NOMINATION:
I would like to nominate Dr. Joey England for the Thayer Award. Dr. England is a fourth year resident in the department of obstetrics and gynecology and over the years she has taught and inspired countless students and residents. Despite being very busy writing shift notes, going to the OR, or delivering newborns she always manages to take time out to teach the students something and get them involved in the patient's care. As a consequence the students are excited to be working with her and promptly respond to any request she might have. She learns about each of the student's interests and even if it is not ob/gyn she offers any advice she might have for them. Dr. England always learns all the student's names and makes sure they call her Joey making the students feel that they are as much a part of the team as anyone else. Because of her reputation students now seek out what area she is working in so that they might have a chance to learn from her. Even after a student finishes their ob/gyn clerkship she will say hello to the students around the hospital, ask how their year is going and if they have decided what area of medicine they are going into.

NAME: Sean Jerig

RESIDENCY PROGRAM: OB/GYN

RESIDENT YEAR: 2

REASON FOR NOMINATION:
Dr. Jerig was a great teacher. My first day of my OB/GYN rotation was with Dr. Jerig on labor and delivery and he was teaching me within the first part of the day. After realizing how early it was in my rotation, he talked to me about the initial components of the evaluation of a laboring patient. Also, early on, he asked me to think of a topic that I wanted to look up and discuss with him in the future. After a few days when I actually had time to learn about the topic, we talked about the different causes of hypertension seen in pregnancy. I had the chance to work with Dr. Jerig during L&D days and nights and during my gyenecology experiences. He was a great teacher and an excellent physician while working with patients, physicians, nurses, and other staff.

NAME: Sam Hsieh

RESIDENCY PROGRAM: General Surgery

RESIDENT YEAR: PGY2

REASON FOR NOMINATION:
I am nominating Sam because he completely changed my stereotypical perception of what a surgeon is "supposed to" be like. He is not only knowledgeable and capable of being a great technical surgeon; he displays warmth and compassion for everyone he encounters. He builds rapport with patients quickly because he is confident and affable. I would put a friend or family member in his care any day without hesitation. He reaches out to medical students and takes time to teach and listen to questions and concerns. He absolutely deserves to be awarded for his time and dedication!

NAME: Shane McKay

RESIDENCY PROGRAM: UTSW Psychiatry, Austin

RESIDENT YEAR: Intern

REASON FOR NOMINATION:
I worked with Dr. McKay while doing my pediatrics rotation in Austin at Dell Children's Medical Center. I am nominating Dr. McKay for this award, as I thought he was an excellent role model and physician. I have not encountered another resident during my third year, and an intern nonetheless, that was already perfectly polished in presenting patients and discussing medical management. I learned from him how to give an effective presentation during morning rounds, and always felt like I could discuss my patients with him and get excellent feedback. Dr. McKay is an amazing resident to work with, and to learn from.

NAME: Rory Bradt, DO

RESIDENCY PROGRAM: Family Medicine

RESIDENT YEAR: 3

REASON FOR NOMINATION:
I have had the pleasure of working with and learning from Dr. Bradt at St. Vincent's Clinic over the past two years. I love presenting patients to him – he always begins by affirming something I've said, and then he asks for more. I appreciate how he stays focused on the patient, and how best to care for him or her. While he often takes time to explain his thinking, he always keeps the teaching relevant to the patient. Dr. Bradt is the sort of physician who comes to clinic on his day off to check on a lab result. He manages to be conscientious and laid back at the same time. I am happy he is one of my teachers.

NAME: Issam Alawin

RESIDENCY PROGRAM: Internal Medicine

RESIDENT YEAR: 3

REASON FOR NOMINATION:
Dr. Alawin was very much dedicated to creating an environment conducive with learning. On a daily basis, he would take the medical students aside and show us physical exam findings and techniques as well as make sure that our understanding was complete. In addition, Dr. Alawin was patient and extremely respectful of both students and patients. If a patient showed areas of concern or worry, he made sure to confront those issues and provide adequate explanation. He showed great ability to listen and choose words that were appropriate for a particular situation. Overall, Dr. Alawin was a very influential physician that has encouraged me to more thorough and respectful and takes careful physical exams. I strongly recommend that he be recognized as a superior leader.

NAME: Ro-Jon Grogans

RESIDENCY PROGRAM: UTMB Surgery

RESIDENT YEAR: PGY-3

REASON FOR NOMINATION:
Ro-Jon Grogans is an amazing physician and awesome teacher. When he interacted with surgical patients, he went above and beyond when it came to sitting down with the patients, clearly explaining their diseases and surgical issues, holding their hands to comfort them, and answering any and all questions that they had. I was amazed at the compassion he showed toward all of his patients; I found it awe-inspiring. After I had watched him interact with a patient who needed a hemicolectomy for colon cancer, I told myself that if I had any surgical problems, I would choose Dr. Ro-Jon Grogans as my surgeon! My first opportunity to truly interact with Ro-Jon on a closer basis was during my first overnight call. I found Ro-Jon to be surprisingly warm and open. Since the beginning of my surgery rotation at St. Joseph, I was finding it a bit difficult to bring my questions and concerns to the surgery residents because they all seemed so busy. This wasn't the case with Ro-Jon. He made it a priority of his to set aside time to make sure that I understood the ins and outs of dealing with patients from a surgical prospective and performing in the operating room.

NAME: Andrew Coughlin

RESIDENCY PROGRAM: Otolaryngology

RESIDENT YEAR: 3

REASON FOR NOMINATION:
Andrew is an exceptional teacher. He always takes time to explain pathology and procedures to students. He makes us feel like a valuable member of the team. He pushes us to reason through diagnostic work-ups and differentials in a way that is encouraging, not demeaning. No matter how busy he is, he always greets us with a kind word and a smile. He encourages students to ask questions and actively participate. He connects with his patients. He's the only surgeon I've ever seen use the "therapeutic touch." He had to break bad news to a TDC patient who had laryngeal cancer. He followed all of the speak-the-truth steps doctor Grumbles taught us to a tee. The patient was obviouslyupset about the diagnosis, but as he processed through it with Andrew's help, I could tell he felt more at peace with it. Andrew treats TDC patients exactly the same as the free world patients. He truly exemplifies compassionate care. I would absolutely entrust a member of my family to his care. I feel more confident on my current away rotation because of things he taught me about pathology, diagnosis, and treatment of ENT conditions. More importantly, he showed me how to demonstrate empathy.

NAME: Greg White

RESIDENCY PROGRAM: Internal Medicine

RESIDENT YEAR: 3

REASON FOR NOMINATION:
Dr. White is the best resident ever, in all of the rotations of third year. Every day he wanted students to do a procedure (IV, Foley, etc) and encouraged us to follow our patients everywhere (CT, colonoscopy, OR, etc) so we really got to see a lot of things we wouldn't have been able to see if we were stuck in the unit doing paperwork or making phone calls. Dr. White really understands the purpose of third year, to learn and discover what aspects of medicine intrigue you most. He was also a great example of a professional who got along well with all UTMB staff and faculty and is a role in model in that aspect as well.

NAME: Jennifer Kargel

RESIDENCY PROGRAM: Plastic Surgery

RESIDENT YEAR: 3

REASON FOR NOMINATION:
Jennifer is what many residents should strive to be. She is not at all what I expected from a surgical resident in the way she treated her patients, colleagues, and students. She takes the time to teach students even if it means being yelled at by an Attending for taking too long. She worked very long hours, but was never short and "too busy" for us. She even took the time to draw out procedures to help us understand a case. She was very easy to talk to and we never felt as if we couldn't ask questions.

She also taught me how to express myself to attendings in a respectful but effective way to advocate for patients. She was also an awesome team player, she was always willing to help her colleagues even if she was busy as well. And with us students, she was very patient with one of the students on our team that had a hard time adjusting to the temperature in Shriners and always made sure she was okay, she never made her feel like a silly student.

NAME: Hasan Salameh

RESIDENCY PROGRAM: Nephrology Fellow

RESIDENT YEAR: PGY4

REASON FOR NOMINATION:
I would like to nominate Dr. Hasan Salameh for the Thayer Award for Excellence in Teaching. I had the privilege of working with Dr. Salameh during Nephrology Consults, and I believe that his passion for medicine and education, his compassion for patients, and his respect for medical students and colleagues ought to be rewarded. Dr. Salameh is always prepared and knowledgeable at work; I know this because he makes an effort to study every night. Despite being busy on service, he takes medical students' education seriously, always taking time to teach. He answered any questions I had with patience and enthusiasm and facilitated effective learning by applying important learning concepts to each patient encounter. His bedside manners are impeccable as he treats every patient with the utmost regard, and never with judgment or ridicule. Frequently, he will spend extra time with a patient to ensure he/she understands the diagnosis, plan of treatment, and any anticipatory complications. Oftentimes residents/fellows become jaded and let slip an unprofessional comment or facial expression – Dr. Salameh is not one of them.

NAME: Alvaro Moreira

RESIDENCY PROGRAM: Neonatology Fellow

RESIDENT YEAR: PGY2

REASON FOR NOMINATION:
He took time every day to teach all of the students and interns in the NICU while I was there. He showed compassion for all of the patients and their families on the unit and set a great example for us and the residents. He was very competent, keeping up to date with all of the patients on the unit while still taking time to talk with and teach us. He also made an extra effort to teach us procedures any time there was an opportunity. For instance, while I was on the unit there were three instances where patients needed lumbar punctures. For each of these patients he searched out the intern/MS4 who saw that patient to let them try to perform the LP with his guidance. He was never condescending, but had a friendly, encouraging way of making us want to strive to know more. Because of my experiences in the NICU, I am strongly considering a fellowship in Neonatology after I finish a residency in Pediatrics.

NAME: Marisol Albuerne

RESIDENCY PROGRAM: Internal Medicine

RESIDENT YEAR: PGY-1 (intern)

REASON FOR NOMINATION:
I worked with Dr. Albuerne during my first month of 3rd year rotations which correlated to her first month as well. Despite being stressed with learning a very new and difficult role, she always had a smile on her face. She taught, she offered support, she helped us in every way possible. Being her first month, that really impressed me. Her ability to connect with patients was quite evident and she worked harder than anyone I have witnessed thus far in 3rd year. She really made the transition to clinical education seamless and her dedication to patient care was unsurpassed.

Dr. Albuerne exemplifies what an Intern should be. She has a great breadth of medical knowledge. She is professional in her interactions with faculty, residents, and students. She encourages questions from her students and answers them with patience. She never behaved like an elitist and worked hard to involve the entire team. She pays close attention to detail, and as such, gave great oral presentations and submitted excellent written notes. In short, she is the type of Intern I hope I will be next year.

NAME: Priyank Yagnik

RESIDENCY PROGRAM: Pediatrics

RESIDENT YEAR: 2

REASON FOR NOMINATION:
I had the great fortune of working with Priyank during my NICU/Newborn nursery acting internship. I worked with him during the week in which I worked nights in the newborn nursery. Aside from being one of the kindest, most compassionate residents I've ever worked with, he was also highly professional. During extremely busy nights, when we would have upwards of eight or ten admissions, Priyank always remained calm and collected, handling every situation that came his way with grace and composure. He was very respectful towards the nurses and medical students, and as a result, he was well liked by the entire staff. He always took time to teach me useful information, even during our busiest nights. Having a person as pleasant and even-keeled as Priyank to work with made a very stressful week in the nursery much more enjoyable and manageable experience for me. I highly recommend him for this award.

NAME: Ellis Doan

RESIDENCY PROGRAM: Internal Medicine

RESIDENT YEAR: PGY-3

REASON FOR NOMINATION:
Dr. Doan made our month of general internal medicine both enjoyable and educational. He is a fantastic physician whose knowledge and compassion benefited all of his patients. It seemed as if there was almost nothing that he didn't know, and in the rare case that his knowledge was incomplete, he quickly filled in those gaps. He was also very dedicated to his patients. I remember one call night when we were overwhelmed with a swarm of new patients in addition to many issues with existing patients, he still took the time to research preventive health guidelines for one of the patients. Somehow, whenever Dr. Doan was around, it felt as though nothing could go wrong--he could handle anything thrown at him. However, not only was Dr. Doan a competent physician, but he somehow always found the time to teach. Daily, Dr. Doan strived to fill any available time educating us. We learned everything from the physical exam to how to write prescriptions to antibiotic treatment guidelines. Even when I had rotated off of general medicine, I would see Dr. Doan around the hospital and he would take the time to teach me. This included times when he was extremely tired at the end of a 30 hour call shift.

NAME: Surjit Rai

RESIDENCY PROGRAM: Plastics

RESIDENT YEAR: Intern

REASON FOR NOMINATION:
: I was on burns at Shriners with Surjit. He was on call twice a week on that rotation, so on many mornings he was very tired from not getting enough sleep. now while this is common among all residents, its uncommon to see a resident be as friendly and willing to teach despite being so tired. he always took extra steps to help us out, and was never irritable, even when he'd been up all night and had every excuse to be short or rude. in addition to this, Dr. Rai was great with patients- competent, comforting, and all around congenial. on a few occasions, i made mistakes that caused him to have extra work to do, and even then he wasn't angry or mean, and wasn't any less willing to help us learn. so far on my rotations, i have seen more examples than i can count on how NOT to treat patients- from residents and attending alike. I'm happy to say that Dr. Rai never gave me a bad example of how a physician should act, and i hope to learn more from him on future rotations.

NAME: Ijeoma Carol Nwelue

RESIDENCY PROGRAM: Internal Medicine

RESIDENT YEAR: PGY 2

REASON FOR NOMINATION:
Ijeoma has been a resident that has exemplified many of Sir William Osler's ideals, but not only has she exemplified Osler's principles, she lives them on a constant and continual basis. Sir William Osler's work ethic was above reproach. He stated, "The best preparation for tomorrow is to do today's work superbly well." Ijeoma works hard on a constant basis. She stays well past 5:00 p.m. every day, and many times never even goes home. She never lets up her drive to provide the best care to the patients on her service no matter if they are prisoners or people in the "free world" in the clinic. For instance, one of her patients was a 52 year old prisoner who was diagnosed with terminal recurrent colorectal cancer. Dr. Nwelue pulled up a chair next to his bed to talk about what it meant to have terminal cancer. She opened up a dialogue with the patient and listened to his thoughts regarding his grave prognosis. The patient opened up and let Dr. Nwelue know how he use to be scared but over time he has come to accept that death is inevitable. He sat and laid in his bed for multiple days with no roommate, and the only conversation he really had was with Dr. Nwelue, and he thanked her for that.

NAME: Cynthia Mathai

RESIDENCY PROGRAM: Pediatrics, Austin

RESIDENT YEAR: PL-2

REASON FOR NOMINATION:
Dr. Mathai made me feel part of the medical team since my first day on the rotation. She was very patient with all my questions and helped me tremendously in preparing for my oral presentations in front of the attending. She would always make sure that we were comfortable with our assigned patients and was available to help whether it was early in the morning before rounds or in the afternoon while she was juggling new admissions and patient follow-ups. Throughout the month, she made sure we were learning the key concepts of major disease processes such as asthma, pneumonia, and bronchiolitis. She also took the time to teach us how to read plain radiographs, a necessary but under taught skill. I feel very fortunate to have had Dr. Mathai as my senior resident. She is an amazing resident and teacher.

NAME: Jyotika Garg, MD

RESIDENCY PROGRAM: Pediatrics

RESIDENT YEAR: 3

REASON FOR NOMINATION:
I nominate Jyotika for several reasons. She was the most sympathetic hardworking resident I had the honor to work with. Jyotika did everything she could to help her patients. Even when the patient was no longer under her care, she would go visit the patient and talk to the family to make sure they were comfortable. She is an amazing teacher who cares for the students and always had the patience to sit with me and several other students and teach us. Any free time she had, she would teach. Even if she was busy and working, she always took time to make sure we understood what was going on. She made me love Pediatrics even more than I did before, which is what I am going into. She is also constantly reading the newest articles out there about Pediatrics so her scientific knowledge is superb. I wish I could have worked with her longer. She is truly a wonderful resident who loves what she does and loves to teach students and her patients. I wish I could work with her as a resident because I know I would learn a ton. I hope that Jyotika will be recognized for her genuine qualities and love of her profession and students.

NAME: Dr. Elizabeth Vaughan

RESIDENCY PROGRAM: Internal Medicine and Preventive Medicine

RESIDENT YEAR: PGY2

REASON FOR NOMINATION:
I would like to nominate Dr. Vaughan for the amazing example she has been to me and many other Christian Medical Association folks. She is very active in the organization and offers her home and time whenever possible. She is very involved in service opportunities and has a very giving heart. She is also involved heavily in the Global Health Tract and has given presentations on International nutrition. Her jovial spirit shows us medical students how to be well rounded in life and school. She is always smiling and always encouraging.

NAME: Kim Hookim

RESIDENCY PROGRAM: Pathology

RESIDENT YEAR: Year 5 (actually a surgical pathology fellow)

REASON FOR NOMINATION:
Dr. Hookim demonstrates a vast knowledge of surgical pathology and enthusiasm for teaching. She really enjoys describing and pointing out the abnormalities in the cellular and tissue architecture. She is very precise and clear in her description and does not teach at a level that's too difficult to understand. She also gave me good advice in terms of applying and interviewing for pathology residency programs. She has a very friendly and approachable demeanor. I enjoyed working and learning from her and I think she will make an excellent professor.

NAME: Sylvia Gray

RESIDENCY PROGRAM: Internal Medicine

RESIDENT YEAR: PGY-3

REASON FOR NOMINATION:
If there was ever any down time, then Dr. Gray would give up her time to teach the junior level med students how to suture or pimp us (med students, residents) on the pathophysiology of different conditions. In addition to that, during rounds Dr. Gray would ask relevant questions about the patients on the wards that would strengthen our understanding of how to manage the patient. She would also share a new article 2-3 times per week about treatments that pertained to our patients. She is very talented and gifted as a clinician and practices evidence based medicine this early in her career. None of the other residents I have worked thus far, have shown so much enthusiasm and concern with educating the medical students and making them feel as though they were part of the team.

NAME: Ashley Group

RESIDENCY PROGRAM: Dermatology

RESIDENT YEAR: 2

REASON FOR NOMINATION:
Dr. Group encouraged myself and other students to participate in suturing, punch biopsies, and removal of skin cancers. She is an effective teacher who helps students distinguish different skin lesions, treatment options, and the benefits and risks of each. Her enthusiasm for dermatology is evident in the way she conducts herself with faculty, residents, students and patients. It is clear to me and others that she provides excellent patient care, and as a student, it was a joy working with Dr. Group.

I'm like to nominate Ashley Group in the department of Dermatology for all of the same reasons she was previously nominated for. She goes out of her way to teach others and allow students to participate in patient care. She will quiz others to help them learn, but is gifted in being able to do so in a non-threatening manner. She is a great resident for any student to work with!

NAME: Ashley Byno

RESIDENCY PROGRAM: OB-GYN

RESIDENT YEAR: 4

REASON FOR NOMINATION:
Dr. Byno is a very thorough physician. She spent the time to understand the patient's concerns, and did not brush-off even the smallest of complaints. Moreover I watched her manage other residents very efficiently and considerately. When she had to get tough on a resident – in the best interest of the service – she showed concern for the resident's feelings instead of just acquiescing to the norm of how to treat lower level residents. The most remarkable thing I saw was that she looked out for the students at every moment. She always made sure that every student, not just the one assigned to her, was being involved in the service and being given an equal chance for diverse experiences. I had heard that on L&D the residents just left the students and everyone was out for themselves, but I was pleasantly surprised to work with Dr. Byno and her team (in fact, everyone was extremely accommodating and open to teaching and I would nominate them all). They made the experience what it should be in a teaching hospital. Now, I am actually considering Ob-Gyn when before I had completely excluded it from my mind.

NAME: Tracy Lama-Briseno

RESIDENCY PROGRAM: Pediatrics (UTMB Austin)

RESIDENT YEAR: 2

REASON FOR NOMINATION:
Tracy encompasses three of the most valuable traits in a resident: enthusiasm, patience and caring. She demonstrated a contagious enthusiasm through her leadership and teaching each day while on rounds with patients each morning and during individual tasks with the students and interns each afternoon. Through her energy she encouraged us to undergo independent research on our patients' issues most times without the need to even assign these topics; we all had a mutual desire to contribute to the team because of the way she led it.

Tracy was also a patient teacher. She had three students (one 4th year, two third years) and two interns for whom she was responsible for, and yet I never once saw her lose her patience with any of us. She tried to seek out jobs for each of us to perform so that we felt that we were contributing to team instead of just getting in everyone's way, even though many times she could have more easily performed the task herself in half the time. It was increasingly obvious that for her, teaching us was more important than simply getting the work done as quickly as possible, and I have rarely encountered residents with this mindset.

NAME: Dr. Naveed Adoni

RESIDENCY PROGRAM: Internal Medicine

RESIDENT YEAR: 1

REASON FOR NOMINATION:
Dr. Adoni works hard to advance his knowledge in the field of cardiology. He takes the time to teach students every single day, and he truly loves doing so. Dr. Adoni not only teaches students, but takes the time to answer any and all questions the residents may have. His bedside manner and compassion toward his patients was evident on every patient encounter I have had with him. He is thorough and really listens to his patients, some of whom have told the students that we are lucky to have him as our fellow. He is experienced and has great knowledge base, which shows when he is teaching or answering questions.Dr. Adoni is a compassionate, caring person who devotes his time and energy to providing patients with the best care possible. He is a friendly, cheerful person who really enjoys medicine and interacting with people Dr. Adoni is very dedicated and is always willing to lend others a helping hand, i.e. covering another person's clinic day.

NAME: Ariel Holley

RESIDENCY PROGRAM: OB/GYN, Austin

RESIDENT YEAR: 4

REASON FOR NOMINATION:
Dr. Holley was an amazing teacher and shared her passion for OB/GYN through the way she interacted with patients and with students. She was very patient in answering all of my questions and explaining procedures. She did not treat me like a student who was only there to follow her around but like someone capable of filling out paperwork, performing procedures, and delivering babies. She turned this clerkship into a wonderful experience and made me strongly consider OB/GYN for my career in medicine. She made sure I was involved with the patient, and not simply observing, and gave me confidence when I examined the patient or delivered a baby. She also included me in the reasoning process and made sure I understood every aspect of patient's management. Furthermore, she always made sure I was present if there was something interesting to see or an opportunity for me to practice my skills. She took her job as teacher very seriously and fulfilled it to the best of her abilities.

NAME: Sylvia Martinez

RESIDENCY PROGRAM: Internal Medicine

RESIDENT YEAR: 2

REASON FOR NOMINATION:
Dr. Martinez was my resident during my month in the TDCJ general medicine floors. While my attending did not teach or show any leadership on the team, Dr. Martinez, having only just finished her intern year stepped up and in my eyes truly became the leader of the team, taking charge of each of our patients' care. When our attending left the floor during our patient's code, she stepped up and took charge. When our attending asked for unnecessary tests or did not remember our patient's condition or scheduled procedures, she would step in and make sure that everything ran smoothly. I was always amazed by how much she was able to accomplish in a day, and still find time to laugh and be a totally upbeat and wonderful person. She always kept the patients and the team's best interests in mind – even when she was scheduled for a day off, if our census was too high or she knew that the interns needed help handling everything that needed to be done; she would come to work anyway. She was always available to answer any questions I had about medicine, and when I did not understand why we were treating a patient a certain way, she was ready with an explanation that was supported by mechanism and pathophysiology.

NAME: Terrell Singleton

RESIDENCY PROGRAM: General Surgery

RESIDENT YEAR: 3

REASON FOR NOMINATION:
Dr. Singleton was a terrific resident during my 4 weeks on Transplant Surgery. She is an extremely competent and patient facilitator who maximizes her students' learning by establishing thoughtful, realistically demanding goals and affording them the autonomy to succeed. She also sets a great example for just about everyone by working tirelessly to help her patients and successfully orchestrating a very large healthcare team that includes surgeons, internists, dieticians, clinical pharmacists, and others. She afforded us the perfect segway into our third year of medical school and I can only hope I have the chance to work with her again. Dr. Terrell Singleton is a wonderful surgery resident. She is startlingly encouraging. While on transplant service with her, she made a point to tell the students on the service that we were doing a great job at least weekly, and anytime we did anything particularly well. It reassured me (especially because it was my first rotation of 3rd year) and resulted in me asking more questions, trying to do more procedures and offering to help out in any way I could because I felt like I was contributing to the team thanks to her. Also, she is a great teacher.

NAME: Juan Diego Martinez

RESIDENCY PROGRAM: Internal Medicine

RESIDENT YEAR: 3

REASON FOR NOMINATION:
Dr. Martinez has always placed his patients as top priority. He is compassionate and goes above and beyond for his patients. He makes sure that all their concerns are addressed. He is always willing to help a colleague in need no matter the hour. He waits patiently to speak to family members and shows empathy and respect when speaking with them. To his students, he lets them know the importance of team work. He teaches them whenever an opportunity arises. He gives positive feedback and support. He is also a great role model by actively participating in community service. He is constantly volunteering in several medical student organizations to not only help the less fortunate but to teach the students. He truly entails what a physician in medicine should be.

NAME: Lindsay Hilbert

RESIDENCY PROGRAM: Internal Medicine

RESIDENT YEAR: 3

REASON FOR NOMINATION:
Dr. Hilbert is the ideal example of the type of resident a 3rd year medical student on her first rotation of the year would desire. Not only are you unsure of your knowledge and abilities when stepping foot in the hospital for the first time, but making that transition from 2nd year didactic learning to clinical learning can be a toughie. Top that with the possible intimidation factor of interns, residents and faculty above you, and you've likely got a steep learning curve to work with. Fortunately, the team I was a part of for my first month of Internal medicine, everything went right. You might call it luck of the draw, but I owe it to Dr. Hilbert for bringing us together and making us work efficiently and productively with compassion and respect for our patients. She is a great example of what kind of resident medical students love to learn from and don't feel afraid to talk to – whatever the reason. I believe that she is a wonderful physician who loves to teach and made an impact on the way that I now perceive my 3rd year rotations now that I'm nearly halfway done. For these reasons, among a host of others (that she is simply a great person) I would like to nominate her for the Thayer award.

NAME: Alfonso Perez

RESIDENCY PROGRAM: Internal Medicine

RESIDENT YEAR: 2

REASON FOR NOMINATION:
Dr. Perez is the best resident that I have had the privilege of working with during my four years at UTMB. I have worked with Dr. Perez on two occasions: during Infectious Disease and Endocrinology. During the ID month he was the only intern on a team with a huge patient load and yet he was always willing to teach and would volunteer information on patients without having to be asked. Dr. Perez is never condescending and never gives students scut work. I believe he is a model resident that always demonstrates sound scientific knowledge, compassion towards patients and definitely has a dedication to learning and teaching.

NAME: Tran (Cassie) Huynh

RESIDENCY PROGRAM: Internal Medicine

RESIDENT YEAR: 1

REASON FOR NOMINATION:
Dr. Huynh exemplifies the type of Intern that I would like to become. She is compassionate towards and concerned for the well-being of her patients, making sure that they understand everything that is going on as we care for them. She takes the time to translate medical jargon into words that patients will understand as well as address their concerns and fears, and yet still manages to be very efficient. Dr. Huynh does not only have a wonderful bedside manner, but she is very knowledgeable. She amazed me with how much she knew, and I wonder how it is that she is just two years ahead of me in my training. When she wasn't sure about something, she knew just where to find the answers, and did not hesitate to do so in order to ensure the best quality of care. Furthermore, Dr. Huynh never failed to answer my questions or even volunteer some pearl of knowledge, whether it be about a medication or procedure or related to direct patient care. She was also willing to take the time to explain her thinking as she made decisions in treating our patients so that I began to see the steps between identifying a clinical problem, finding and executing a solution.

NAME: Carlos Jimenez

RESIDENCY PROGRAM: Surgery

RESIDENT YEAR: Fellow

REASON FOR NOMINATION:
Dr. Jimenez is a fellow working in the Shriner's Hospital. He selflessly serves a patient population that is often forgotten about in their own healthcare systems. It was a daily occurrence to see kids brighten up whenever Dr. Jimenez was around, calling out his name to get his attention, at which he would respond with a smile, a joke, or a hand slap. No matter the number of hours that he worked, you never saw the level of care or his dedication to the patient diminish.

Dr. Jimenez also enjoyed teaching. He took me under his wing, and by watching you could tell where the term "shadowing" came from. He taught basic knowledge while also demonstrating advanced techniques. He would include me in all aspects of the day, treating me (as well as everyone around) as a valuable member of the team. I am honored to nominate Dr. Jimenez for the Thayer Award for his exemplary demonstration of knowledge, humanistic values, and teaching.

NAME: Erik Hauck

RESIDENCY PROGRAM: Neurosurgery

RESIDENT YEAR: 6

REASON FOR NOMINATION:
Dr. Hauck spent an incredible amount of time during the course of his daily clinical duties helping me grasp the intricacies of neurosurgery. Whether it was allowing me to assist in surgeries, guiding me through MRI and CT images, or gently correcting my mistakes in clinic, Dr. Hauck really made me feel at home and like an important part of the team. For sure, there have been other residents I have come across that have participated significantly in my learning, but none have come close in demonstrating such class, patience, and dignity in the process. The gentle giant gets my pick for the Thayer Teaching Award.

NAME: Farin Smith

RESIDENCY PROGRAM: Surgery

RESIDENT YEAR: 5

REASON FOR NOMINATION:
Dr. Smith is one of the best teachers I have ever had in all my years of schooling. He is enthusiastic and passionate about surgery and it is difficult not to feel as excited as he does about the case at hand. He explains the anatomy, procedures, etc. with expertise. He welcomes questions and concerns that may sound naïve to an experienced resident but seem perfectly legitimate to a third year medical student. Dr. Smith would continually probe us with questions and even when we had blank faces he would say "I know you know this. Talk through the question out loud." He was right. We did usually know the answer but had never seen the anatomy, pathology, etc. through the eyes of a surgeon. He taught us to think about common medical situations in a different way, to apply it in a different way. He encouraged us to think. We were never publicly embarrassed for giving the wrong answer but were engaged and motivated to do more reading. I want to thank Dr. Smith for sharing his knowledge and joy of surgery with us and I hope to encourage him to continue teaching after his residency. He's a natural teacher.