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Kurt Schultz |
Third-year medical student Kurt Schultz received the first UMass Amherst College of Natural Sciences Mahoney Alumni Award at a ceremony held in June.
Schultz is a 2014 graduate of the UMass Amherst Integrated Concentration in Science (iCONS) program, where he studied biochemistry and molecular biology. He received the $5,000 award for his continued focus on addressing “real world” problems by encouraging collaboration across different disciplines as a UMMS student.
“My experience in the iCONS program encouraged me to continue to learn from my peers and bring different perspectives on board in my studies at UMass Medical School,” said Schultz, who is part of the Clinical Translational Research Pathway and co-president of the Student Body Committee. “What medical school offers is the intersection of science and arts. We don’t have to work in silos; having people from different disciplines as part of a team can only benefit patient care,” he said.
In 2017, the UMass Amherst College of Natural Sciences established the Mahoney Alumni Award for the iCONS Program, an annual award to be bestowed to one alum of the program who demonstrates application of the attitudes, knowledge and skills developed in the program and who has shown engagement and support of the iCONS community since graduation.
Michelle P. Pugnaire, MD, professor of family medicine & community health, nominated Schultz for the alumni award after a discussion with Schultz on innovation in education during an integrated curriculum development retreat.
“Kurt is a self-starter, is highly motivated and really puts his heart and soul into everything he does. He’s passionate about making a contribution and making a difference,” Dr. Pugnaire said.
Schultz is considering the field of surgical oncology. His interest stems from his time working in the lab of Michael A Brehm, PhD, associate professor of molecular medicine, where he did research on immunotherapy for various cancers; and with Giles F. Whalen, MD, professor of surgery and chief of surgical oncology and endocrine surgery at UMass Memorial Medical Center.
“I feel fortunate to be at UMMS,” he said.
