Graduation Awards – Class of 2026
Please join us in recognizing these outstanding students, faculty, residents and staff who receive awards ahead of graduation. The Class of 2026 Graduation Awards will be held on Thursday, May 14, 2026, at 3 p.m. in Collier Building, Room 1000A/B.
View the following sections below:
Graduate Student Awards | Medical Student Awards | Distinction in Research | AOA Honor Medical Society
Gold Humanism Honor Society | Teaching Awards | Service Awards
Graduate Student Awards
- Doctor of Medicine/Doctor of Philosophy in Biomedical Sciences Program Outstanding Student: Justin Franco
- Doctor of Philosophy in Biomedical Sciences Program Outstanding Student: Emma Elizabeth Sabu Kattuman
- Master of Science in Biomedical Sciences Medical Physics Program Outstanding Student: JB Rudisill
- Master of Science in Biomedical Sciences Physician Assistant Program Outstanding Student: Sydney Smith
- Master of Science in Biomedical Sciences Transplantation and Donation Sciences Program Outstanding Student: Emma Bonnell
- Master of Science in Biomedical Sciences Assistant in Pathology Program Outstanding Student: Rebecca Martin
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.
Charles Adams
Anna Buchholz-Schmieder
Jacob Chinthagada
Kaitlin Cole
Summer Drees
Alan Fahoury
Patrick Gorman
Benjamin Heck
Julia Keating
Rachel Ko
Ethan Kosco
Matthew Kunas
Johnny McKeown
Anish Sharma
Juliana Simon
Riki Tanaka
Matthew Wainstein
Erica Werner
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.
Eric Lassiter
- Dr. Sam Schaeffer Award: Ajay Nair
- Office of Student Affairs Excellence in Career Advising Award: Sarah Bon
- Lucien E. Morris, M.D. Anesthesiology Award: Shikha Lakhani
- Society for Academic Emergency Medicine Excellence in Emergency Medicine Award: Alexander Heid
- Jerri Nielsen FitzGerald, M.D. Award: Alyssa Davis
- Harry E. Mayhew, M.D. Department of Family Medicine Award: Jamison Stout
- Toledo/Lucas County Academy of Family Physicians Award: Kaitlin Cole
- Inclusion and Opportunity Award: Vincent Smith and Noelle Thompson
- American College of Physicians of Ohio Chapter Outstanding Medical Student of the Year: Johnny McKeown
- George D. Ludwig, M.D. Prize in Internal Medicine: Benjamin Heck
- Patrick J. Mulrow, M.D. Award in Internal Medicine: Summer Drees
- Excellence in Infectious Diseases: Benjamin Heck
- Excellence in Immunity: Ajay Nair
- Earl H. Freimer, M.D., Ph.D. Scholarship Award: Justin Franco
- Mark Rayport M.D., Ph.D. Award in Neurological Surgery: Benjamin Klein
- American Academy of Neurology Medical Student Prize for Excellence in Neurology: Ahmed Khalil
- Outstanding Student in Neurology Award: Matthew Kunas
- Outstanding Student in Obstetrics and Gynecology Award: Tricia Aho
- Philip T. Nelsen Award of Excellence in Ophthalmology: Anja Rabljenovic
- Outstanding Orthopaedic Student Award: Matthew Folkman
- Pathology Award for Most Outstanding Student: Gabriel Kleer
- Marian M. Rejent, M.D. Award in Pediatrics: Anna Buchholz-Schmieder
- Eleanore Coghlin. M.D. Award for Excellence in Rehabilitation Medicine: Erica Werner
- Psychiatry Excellence Award: Emma Wolinsky
- Theodore P. and Evelyn H. Chengelis Award in Psychiatry: Fatimah Aftab
- 2026 United States Public Health Service Excellence Award: Alex Hasselbach
- Outstanding Student in Radiology Award: Sanjana Yerubandi
- Marion C. Anderson, M.D. Award for Excellence in Surgery: Yoon-Jung Chang
- Toledo Surgical Society Student Recognition Award: Brandon Mount
- Edward F. Ockuly, M.D. Student Award in Urology: Surina Patel
- Reginald Baugh, M.D. Prize: Zialesi Win Adissem
- Department of Medical Education 2026 M.D. Student Impact Award: Drew Pariseau and Erica Werner
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.
Graduating Medical Students
Ethan Kosco
Julia Mumper
Faculty Members
Nezam Altorok, M.D.
Amira Gohara, 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 receive a certificate.
- Zialesi Win Adissem
- Sharad Chandra
- Kelly Curcillo
- Domonique DiGiacomo
- Summer Drees
- Katherine Esser
- Matthew Folkman
- Alex Hasselbach
- Makoto Ibaraki
- Louie Kamel-Abusalha
- Ahmed Khalil
- Bella Khatib-Shahidi
- Benjamin Klein
- Ethan Kosco
- Eric Lassiter
- Ajay Nair
- Oscar Salichs
- Elizabeth Schumacher
- Anish Sharma
- Juliana Simon
- Noelle Thompson
- Ameisha Tutwiler
- Rohun Vangal
- Matthew Wainstain
- Emma Wolinsky
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.
- Isaac Arefi
- Anna Buchholz-Schmieder
- Sharad Chandra
- Jacob Chinthagada
- Kaitlin Cole
- Sydnie Davis
- Samuel Dunseith
- Katherine Esser
- Alan Fahoury
- Matthew Folkman
- Matthew Golonka
- Patrick Gorman
- Benjamin Heck
- Taryn Hibshman
- Julia Keating
- Reece Kendall
- Benjamin Klein
- Rachel Ko
- Ethan Kosco
- Eric Lassiter
- Johnny McKeown
- Zachary Mills
- Surina Patel
- Emma Scott
- Anish Sharma
- Samuel Simpson
- Hannah Starbuck
- Jamison Stout
- Riki Tanaka
- Kristina Tarter
- Kristina White
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.
- Zialesi Win Adissem
- Charles Adams
- Steuart Besly
- Sarah Bon
- Dominique DiGiacomo
- Katherine Esser
- Neal Chase Farmer
- Patrick Gorman
- Safa Habib
- Merrick Harris
- Jasmine Jones
- Ahmed Khalil
- Benjamin Klein
- Ethan Kosco
- Maya Mendonsa
- Julia Mumper
- Nithara Murthy
- Drew Pariseau
- Elizabeth Schumacher
- Anish Sharma
- Vincent Smith
- Jamison Stout
- Kirollos Tadrousse
- Noelle Thompson
- Merina Varghese
- Lisa Zhang
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
- Kathryn Eisenmann, Ph.D.
- Adel Maklad, M.D., Ph.D.
- Bindu Menon, Ph.D.
Teaching Excellence in Clinical Science
- Nezam Altorok, M.D.
- Amira Gohara, M.D.
- Stephanie Pannell, M.D.
Office of Student Affairs Excellence in Career Advising Faculty Award
- James Van Hook, M.D.
Outstanding Resident Award
- David Yatsonsky II, M.D.
Service Awards
Please join us in recognizing these outstanding staff members who receive awards ahead of graduation:
Outstanding Clerkship Coordinator Award
- Joseph Osinski
Outstanding Student Services Staff Award
- Lindsay Ferguson
Congratulations to All of the Award Recipients!
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