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The UMass Medical School Alumni Association welcomed 112 new members on Friday, June 1, as the Class of 2018 and faculty members were recognized for outstanding achievement during the annual Alumni Breakfast.
“I want you to know that as you go forward, your medical school will be here for you. We take enormous pride in knowing that you will be holding the hands of your patients,” said Chancellor Michael F. Collins.
Kent B. Lewandrowski, MD, SOM ’86, president of the UMass Medical School Alumni Association, encouraged graduates to commit to lifelong learning, to always place patient care and safety first, and to treat their colleagues with respect.
Based on the compliments bestowed upon the class, some faculty said it would be surprising if each graduate didn’t adhere to the doctor’s advice.
“Your individual and your collective academic achievements; your service to your patients and your community; your compassion, kindness and humility are inspiring,” said Sonia Chimienti, MD, associate professor of medicine, associate dean for student affairs and vice provost for student life and enrollment.
Terence R. Flotte, MD, the Celia and Isaac Haidak Professor in Medicine, executive deputy chancellor, provost and dean of the School of Medicine, said he remains optimistic about the future of medicine and that “there has never been a better time to be a physician than right now, in this moment.”
“So, please do not give in to the voices of negative that have often fed physician burnout. You and your generation of doctors will be very much needed, very much wanted, and very much respected,” Dean Flotte said.
Flotte introduced Anne Larkin, MD, to the UMMS community as the new senior associate dean for educational affairs; Larkin was officially appointed in March.
During a special ceremony held at the breakfast’s conclusion, U.S. Navy Ensigns Yevin Roh and Christopher Androski, members of the SOM Class of 2018, were promoted to the rank of lieutenant after an oath ceremony conducted by Lt. Ted Macie, a health care administrator in the Naval Medical Corps. Roh and Androski will complete their residencies at the Naval Medical Center San Diego.
During the ceremony, the following awards and recognitions were presented to students and faculty:
Chancellor’s Award
Steven Krueger
The Leonard Tow Humanism in Medicine Award
as presented by The Arnold P. Gold Foundation
Raghu Appasani
Massachusetts Medical Society Scholars Awards
Charles Nessralla
Joseph Homsi
Joshua Kolikof
Michael Moverman
Marie-Michele Sainvil
Nichole Lang
Sarah Servattalab
Steven Krueger
American Medical Women’s Association Award,
Glasgow-Rubin Citation for Academic Achievement
Glasgow Certificate of Commendation:
Courtney Birchall
AMWA Citations:
Jessica Plager
Eva Rouanet
Amanda Winkler
Cassidy Mellin
Ann Nemitz Memorial Award
Hannah Rosenfield
Jessica Fortin
United States Public Health Service
2018 Excellence in Public Health Awards
Emily Yuan
Jacob Brem Pediatric Award
Anna Handorf
New England Pediatric Society Award
Cassidy Mellin
Marianne Felice Adolescent Health Award
Kristin Bevington
Excellence in Obstetrics & Gynecology Award
Courtney Birchall
Distinction in the Study of Neurology
Lisa Nobel
American Academy of Neurology Medical
Student Prize for Excellence in Neurology
Thomas Ford
UMass Surgical Society Award for Excellence
in the Student Clinical Performance
Matthew Carroll
Jonathan Durgin
UMass Surgical Society Award
for Excellence in Surgical Education
Brandon Smith
Association of Academic Surgery
Student Research Award
Rebecca Kasper
Department of Medicine Award
for Outstanding Performance in Medicine
Jessica Plager
Department of Medicine Award for
Outstanding Clinical Performance in Medicine
David Stein
SAEM Excellence in Emergency Medicine Award
Simone Miller
Aaron Lazare Award for Psychiatry
Leah Shesler
John S. Efstathiou Memorial Award
Nitin Shrivastava
Joseph Homsi
Sarah Stone Memorial Award
Elizabeth Ferzacca
Elizabeth “Betsy” Tammaro
Gary Winzelberg, MD, '74 Memorial Award
Christopher Androski
Kristen M Ettensohn Memorial Award for
Medical Excellence through Advocacy, Art and Athletics
Evangelia Murray
Massachusetts Department of Education 29 Who Shine
Charles (CJ) Nesralla
UMMS Certificate of Appreciation
for Leadership in the Learning Environment
Alex Miller
Jessica Kelly
Outstanding Accomplishment in
the longitudinal Capstone Scholarship and Discovery Course
Kelsey Mantoni and David Toomey
Kristin Bevington
William Fyfe
Jessica Plager and Cassidy Mellin
Senior Scholars Award for Achievement in Research
Charles Changik Chung
Eva Rouanet
Yan Yuan
Alpha Omega Alpha Honor Medical Society
Courtney Birchall
Emily Fan
William Fyfe
Joseph Homsi
Steven Krueger
Samuel Masur
Cassidy Mellin
Simone Miller
Jacob Modest
Michael Moverman
Charles Nessralla
Jessica Plager
Evan Rouanet
Leah Shesler
Nitin Shrivastava
David Stein
David Toomey
Zachary Weitzner
Amanda Winkler
Camilla Yu
Gold Humanism Honor Society
Corinne Ainsworth
Katarina Anderson
Christoper Androski
Raghu Appasani
Preetam Cholli
Emily Fan
Elizabeth Ferzacca
Robert Gakwaya
Anna Handorf
Joshua Kolikof
Steven Krueger
Nichole Lang
Michael Moverman
Charles Nessralla
Jonathan Quang
Blair Robinson
Yevin Roh
Leah Shesler
Elizabeth Tammaro
Camilla Yu
Yan Emily Yuan
Outstanding Medical Educator Awards
James Carroll, MD
Allen Chang, MD
Frank Domino, MD
William (Jerry) Durbin, MD
Timothy Gibson, MD
Howard Sachs, MD
Outstanding House Officer Awards
Andrew Hsu, MD
Gregory Leslie, MD
Richard Leslie, MD
Kevin O’Day, MD
