Graduation Awards – Class of 2023
Please join us in recognizing these outstanding students, faculty, residents and staff who receive awards ahead of graduation. The Class of 2023 Graduation Awards were held on Thursday, May 18, at 3:30 p.m. in Collier Building, Room 1000A.
View the following sections below:
Graduate Student Awards | Medical Student Awards | Distinction in Research | AOA Honor Medical Society
Gold Humanism Honor Society | Teaching Awards | Resident Awards | Staff Awards
Outstanding Graduate Student Awards
- Doctor of Philosophy in Biomedical Sciences Program Outstanding Student: Joshua Breidenbach
- Master of Science in Biomedical Sciences Medical Physics Program Outstanding Student: Jacob Gibbs
- Master of Science in Biomedical Sciences in Physician Assistant Studies Program Outstanding Student: Judd Koujane
- Master of Science in Biomedical Sciences Transplantation and Donations Sciences Program Outstanding Student: Josie Barger
- Master of Science in Biomedical Sciences Pathology Assistant Program Outstanding Student: Sophie Brown
- Emergency Medical Services Outstanding Student: Dalton Mitchey
Medical Student Awards
The Glidden L. Brooks Award
The Glidden L. Brooks Award, named in honor of the first president of the former Medical College of Ohio, is presented annually to that graduating medical student who is distinguishable by superiority in all phases of the curriculum.
Karim Ibrahim
Dean’s Award
The Dean's Award is awarded to that graduating medical student who, in the eyes of fellow students, shows the greatest promise as a practitioner of medicine.
Malik Mays
- Lucien E. Morris, M.D. Anesthesia Award: Mark Lewandowski
- Society for Academic Emergency Medicine Excellence in Emergency Medicine Award: Madison Rectenwald
- Jerri Nielsen FitzGerald Award: Megan Gothard
- Harry E. Mayhew, M.D. Department of Family Medicine Award: Brandon Speedy-Martin
- Office of Student Affairs Award for Excellence in Career Advising: Scott Gayfield
- Toledo/Lucas County Academy of Family Physicians Award: Allison Shimmel
- Diversity and Inclusion Award: Malik Mays
- American College of Physicians Ohio Chapter Outstanding Medical Student of the Year: Joyce Badal
- George D. Ludwig Prize in Medicine: Daniela Kaissieh
- Patrick J. Mulrow Prize in Medicine: Rochell Issa
- American Academy of Neurology Medical Student Prize for Excellence in Neurology: Nicholas Delcimmuto
- Outstanding Neurology Student Award: Nicholas Delcimmuto
- Outstanding Student in Obstetrics and Gynecology Award: Malik Mays
- Philip T. Nelson Award for Excellence in Ophthalmology: Alaina Zhang
- Outstanding Orthopaedic Student of the Year: Julia Beyer
- Pathology Award for Most Outstanding Student: Sadia Tahir
- Marian M. Rejent, M.D. Award in Pediatrics: Russell Catania
- Eleanore Coghlin Award for Excellence in Rehabilitation Medicine: Carter Billet
- Psychiatry Excellence Award: Swati Pandruvada
- Theordore P. and Evelyn H. Chengelis Memorial Award in Psychiatry: Julia Wright
- 2023 Excellence in Public Health Award: Jasskiran Kaur
- 2021 Excellence in Public Health Award: Nealie Ngo
- Outstanding Students in Radiology: Joseph Braun
- Dr. Sam Schaeffer Award: Malik Mays
- Marion C. Anderson Award for Excellence in Surgery: Megan Ireland
- Toledo Surgical Society Medical Center Student Recognition Award: Daniel Counihan
- Reginald Baugh Prize: Chanell Brown
- Edward F. Ockuly Student Award in Urology: Jacob Lang
Humanism in Medicine Award
The Leonard Tow Humanism in Medicine Awards presented by The Arnold P. Gold Foundation are bestowed on one graduating medical student and one faculty member who embody outstanding humanistic traits in the delivery of care to patients and their families and in their interactions with students, faculty, and staff. The recipients are selected by the graduating class.
Shahnaz Vellani
Joan Duggan, M.D.
Distinction in Research Awards
The College of Medicine and Life Sciences has an annual Distinction in Research Award for students in the M.D. program. Research conducted by M.D. students is very often a major driving force of a lab’s success, and in turn makes a significant contribution to the success of research at the UToledo College of Medicine and Life Sciences. The COMLS Medical Student Research Committee has been instrumental in assuring quality research opportunities for students in the M.D. program. Students who are awarded the status of Distinction of Research will have that listed on their diploma and have cords as part of their commencement regalia.
- Rachel Atkinson
- Karen Bach
- Dhanushya Battepati
- Alex Carsel
- Karan Chawla
- Madison Connelly
- Daniel Craig
- Megan Ireland
- Rochell Issa
- Laura Jayne
- Amber Kihm
- Erin Koffman
- Rebecca Kuang
- Jacob Lang
- Stephanie Ong
- Swati Pandruvada
- Shaunak Roy
- Rachel Royfman
- Noah Saunders
- Eve Schodowski
- Barat Venkataramany
- Rame Yousif
Alpha Omega Alpha Honor Medical Society
The Alpha Omega Alpha Honor Medical Society was founded in Chicago in 1902 by medical students to formulate higher ideals of scholastic achievement and to foster the scientific and philosophical features of the medical profession. The Delta of Ohio chapter at The University of Toledo College of Medicine and Life Sciences was installed in 1974. Election to membership is extended to junior and senior medical students whose academic excellence places them in the upper sixth of their class and who show promise of leadership in medicine. Induction in the junior year is extended to the top 8% of the class.
- Rachel Atkinson
- Karen Bach
- Joyce Badal
- Morgan Bailey
- Julia Beyer
- Bradley Brickman
- Russell Catania
- Madison Connelly
- Daniel Counihan
- Cameron Crasto
- Meridith DeLuca
- Pratyush Devarasetty
- Katelyn Einloth
- Louis Filipiak
- Benjamin Hoste
- Karim Ibrahim
- Megan Ireland
- Rochell Issa
- Gavin Kelly
- Rebecca Kuang
- Jacob Lang
- Nealie Ngo
- Casey Pollard
- Michaela Rasmussen
- Kylie Rostad
- Sadia Tahir
- Claire Turgeon
- Shahnaz Vellani
- Barat Venkataramany
- Emma Whiteley
Gold Humanism Honor Society
The Gold Humanism Honor Society is a national honor society initiated in 2001 by The Arnold P. Gold Foundation to recognize individuals who have demonstrated exemplary attitudes and behaviors characteristic of the most humanistic physicians, including integrity, excellence, compassion, altruism, respect, empathy and service. The University of Toledo chapter of the Gold Humanism Honor Society was founded in 2005. The members are selected by peer nomination and endorsed by the College of Medicine and Life Sciences Senior Leadership Team.
- Humza Aamir-Khan
- Rachel Arens
- Rachel Atkinson
- Karen Bach
- Julia Beyer
- Camille Bratton
- Joshua Busken
- Russell Catania
- Madison Connelly
- Katelyn Einloth
- Scott Gayfield
- Megan Gothard
- Benjamin Hoste
- Karim Ibrahim
- Jasskiran Kaur
- Adam Koenig
- Erin Koffman
- Karthik Mohanarangan
- Kylie Rostad
- Shaunak Roy
- Erica Sheehan
- Alena Sidwell
- Claire Turgeon
- Shahnaz Vellani
- Barat Venkataramany
- Mallory Vild
- Adrian Zhou
Teaching Awards
Please join us in recognizing these outstanding faculty members who receive awards ahead of graduation:
Robert T. Tidrick Golden Apple Awards
The Robert T. Tidrick Golden Apple Awards for teaching excellence are named in honor of Dr. Tidrick, a surgeon and outstanding educator on the faculty of the former Medical College of Ohio from 1969 until his death in June 1983, at the age of 73. Faculty, both basic scientists and clinicians, are selected for the honor each year by members of the graduating class of medical students.
Teaching Excellence in Basic Sciences
Patrick Frank, D.C.
Adel Maklad, M.D., Ph.D.
Bindu Menon, Ph.D.
Teaching Excellence in Clinical Science
Lawrence Elmer, M.D., Ph.D.
Amira Gohara, M.D.
Stephanie Pannell, M.D.
Resident Awards
Please join us in recognizing these outstanding residents who receive awards ahead of graduation:
Natalia Barragan, M.D.
Department of Surgery
Katherine Chen, M.D., M.A.
Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology
Service Awards
Please join us in recognizing these outstanding faculty and staff members who receive awards ahead of graduation:
Victoria Kelly, M.D.
Office Of Student Affairs Award For Excellence In Career Advising – Faculty
Assistant Professor and Vice Chair for Education
Director of General Psychiatry Residency Program
Department of Psychiatry
Dawn Jagodzinski
Outstanding Clerkship Coordinator Award
Education Program Administrator
Department of Medicine
Christopher Prevette
Outstanding Student Services Staff Award
Assistant Director, Instructional Design and Academic Technology
Department of Medical Education
Congratulations to all of the award Recipients!
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