School of Medicine celebrates faculty achievement with annual awards

At the 25th annual Faculty Excellence Awards on Wednesday, Sept. 20, faculty from various School of Medicine departments were honored for their achievements and contributions as educators, clinicians, researchers and leaders. 

Vice dean and senior associate dean of faculty affairs Betsy Ripley, M.D., delivered opening remarks applauding her fellow faculty members. 

“Your efforts to assure that our medical and graduate students have the very best experience is amazing,” Ripley said. “We’ve said it before and probably can’t say it enough. Thank you.” 

Ripley also recognized Michelle Whitehurst-Cook, M.D., who is retiring at the end of the year after 30 years of service at VCU School of Medicine. The former senior associate dean of admissions and associate professor of family medicine, Whitehurst-Cook “exemplifies what we stand for,” Ripley said. 

“I had a dream job, and it was lots of fun,” Whitehurst-Cook said to the audience and reward recipients. “The best part of VCU is our students. Thank you all for helping them on their journey to graduate.” 

Arturo Saavedra, M.D., dean of the School of Medicine, echoed Ripley’s sentiments, honoring the awardees with “well-deserved recognition” for their exemplary work in academic medicine. 

“It’s a privilege and an honor to come to work every day with such a talented faculty team. Their dedication to teaching and training, innovation and research, and an unwavering commitment to caring for our community makes the School of Medicine the outstanding institution it is,” Saavedra said. “These awards are a reflection of the fine work being done in our SOM community, and some of the amazing people doing it.”  

Teaching Excellence Awards   

Enrique Gerszten, M.D. Faculty Teaching Excellence Award 

Sarah Hobgood, M.D. 

Associate Professor, Department of Internal Medicine 

Since joining the VCU Department of Internal Medicine in 2009, Sarah Hobgood, M.D., has increasingly engaged with learners across the entire MCV Campus. She has numerous publications and presentations and has mentored and inspired innumerable students, residents and fellows. A former VCU internal medicine resident expressed appreciation for Hobgood and shared her impact on those around her: “Just passing by Dr. Hobgood on a busy clinic day is sure to raise the mood of anyone who has worked with her. Her gregarious attitude is infectious, and she cannot help but imbue her passion for clinic care on those around her. Simply put, she is aspirational. I hope that one day I may be as successful a clinician, educator, and coworker as Dr. Hobgood.”  

Irby-James Award for Excellence in Clinical Teaching 

Lisa K. Brath, M.D. 

Assistant Professor, Department of Internal Medicine 

Learners describe Lisa K. Brath, M.D., a professor in the Department of Internal Medicine, as “wonderful all- around,” as a “human, clinician, teacher, program director, you name it.” They praised Brath for creating a fun, safe and warm learning environment; solving “the unsolvable problems” while taking her learners along the diagnostic journey; and encouraging independence while providing non-judgmental and thoughtful critiques. When the Teaching Excellence Awards Selection Committee met to discuss the award nominees, a committee member familiar with Brath said that when making work decisions, they often ask themselves, “What would Lisa Brath do?”  

Distinguished Mentor Award 

Tomasz Kordula, Ph.D. 

Professor, Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology 

Tomasz Kordula, Ph.D., has mentored 23 graduate students and 13 postdoctoral fellows, and he has served on the graduate advisory committees of more than 80 Ph.D. students at VCU and Cleveland State University. One mentee, Michael Surace, Ph.D., summed up Kordula’s impact: “Dr. Kordula is what one might call a scientist’s scientist, meaning his curiosity and dedication to elucidating molecular mechanisms is both infectious and abundantly evident in the way he thinks, moves, speaks, jokes, cajoles, and critiques. He...creates an environment that fosters intellectual curiosity, critical thinking and self-confidence.”  

Educational Innovation/Educational Research Award 

Sarika Modi, M.D. 

Associate Professor, Department of Internal Medicine

Sarika Modi, M.D., is the clinical lead for health equity across the MCV Campus. She is shaping the future of how our institution and the community will work together to advance health equity and support greater justice for all of us. As an example of her innovative programs, she has designed a crucial part of the resident learner’s training with experiences that emphasize the local community and, by extension, the patients of VCU Health. Some of Modi’s insights and appreciation of the School of Medicine’s learners are summed up in her own words: “In the field of medicine, learners are often self-motivated, dedicated, and hard working. These students are wonderful to teach...to truly encourage critical thinking and change in behavior, I emphasize the application of this knowledge through small group discussions, case-based learning, improv exercises and other forms of active engagement.”  

Leonard Tow Humanism in Medicine Award 

Clifton C. Lee, M.D., F.A.A.P., S.F.H.M. 

Associate professor, Department of Pediatrics 

Colleagues and supporters of Clifton Leem M.D., describe him as “incredibly kind,” available, and a good role model for how to interact with patients and how to provide ethical and professional care by letting families know they are being heard and well cared for. He is also “the penultimate mentor for compassionate, collaborative care delivery.” Lee has been known to dress in costume on Halloween to brighten the day for patients, families, and his learners. “You need a human aspect to medicine instead of talking about tests and medications,” Lee says. “Without that, it’s not a complete journey to health.”  

Women in Science, Dentistry, and Medicine Professional Achievement “WISDM” Award 

Karen D. Hendricks-Muñoz, M.D., M.P.H., F.A.A.P. 

William Tate Graham Professor of Pediatrics 

Karen Hendricks-Muñoz, M.D., is known to be passionate about providing care to underserved populations. She founded and directs the Neonatal Continuing Care Follow-up Program at Children’s Hospital of Richmond at VCU, created to assure access to health care for high-risk infants. She also founded and directs the JACK’s Neonatology Summer Scholars Program for undergraduate and medical students to work with NICU fellows and staff on quality improvement projects. Hendricks-Muñoz directs the CHoR neonatology fellowship training program, with many trainees subsequently assuming leadership roles at the NIH and in the fields of neonatology and pediatric medicine. She is known to lead by example, with “calm grit and grace” during challenging times.  

MCV Physicians Distinguished Clinician Award 

Anne L. King, M.D. 

Professor, Department of Internal Medicine 

Throughout her 40-plus years as a nephrologist and leader in the field of transplantation, Anne King, M.D., a professor of both medicine and surgery, has exemplified the criteria of the MCVP Distinguished Clinician of the Year award: compassion, clinical effectiveness, efficiency, comprehensiveness, professionalism, availability and responsiveness to patients. Colleague Todd Gehr recalled, “In the early days of her career, as she looked for her niche in nephrology, she landed on transplantation as her focus.” As a result, “Anne single handedly organized a new transplant clinic.” She was “dogged in her determination to better care for these patients.”  

VCU/VCUHS Leadership in Graduate Medical Education “LGME” Awards 

Award for Fellowship Program Director 

Lisa K. Brath, M.D. 

Director, Pulmonary and Critical Care Medicine Fellowship 

Lisa Brath, M.D., has served in many educational leadership roles at VCU, including at the undergraduate and graduate medical education levels. She has served as both a member and vice chair of the Graduate Medical Education Committee, and as the pulmonary/critical care fellowship director since 2002. Under her leadership, nearly 80 pulmonary and critical care fellows have been trained and mentored. In their nomination letter, the fellows wrote: “Dr. Brath strives to not only provide excellent patient care, but also to teach others how to provide the same high quality and valued care to patients.” 

 Award for Program Director 

Josephina Vossen, M.D., Ph.D. 

Program Director, Radiology Residency 

Josephina Vossen, M.D., Ph.D., is a skilled clinician and educator, with 50 published peer-reviewed articles and book chapters and 38 invited podium presentations. What truly distinguishes Vossen, according to her colleagues and mentees, is her unwavering commitment to education. “Dr. Vossen also goes out of her way to take time to check in on how we are doing outside of work and that speaks volumes,” a trainee said. “She knows that although we are residents working hard to learn as much as we can, we also have lives outside of work and that we must take care of ourselves and our families.”  

Award for Program Coordinator 

Dawn Hunt 

Program Coordinator, Medicine-Pediatrics Residency 

As program coordinator, Dawn Hunt regularly goes above and beyond the call of duty. She embodies a growth mindset and is always looking for ways to not only grow as an individual but also as a program. For example, she spearheaded planning monthly resident wellness events, including Richmond-themed paint nights and game nights, many of which were hosted at her house. Her ideas and focus on resident wellness were so successful and appreciated that a dedicated wellness committee within the med-peds residency program formed because of her efforts and innovation. 

Congratulations to the other awardees 

The School of Medicine also honored outstanding faculty in health sciences education departments and undergraduate medical education, in addition to faculty graduates who completed the Certificate in Medical Education program and faculty inductees to the Alpha Omega Alpha Medical Honor Society. For a complete list of awards and honorees, click HERE.