School of Medicine

Faculty Assembly

2023-2024 Faculty Assembly Awardees

Outstanding Mentor

Erich Conrad, MD

Department of Psychiatry

 

Outstanding Service to the Institution

Judy Crabtree, PhD

Department of Genetics 

 

Outstanding Service to the Community

Jennifer Creedon, MD

Department of Psychiatry 

 

Outstanding Junior Faculty Member

Catherine Hudson, MD, MPH

Department of Surgery  

 

For a list of previous winners, click  here.

 

The Faculty Assembly Awards are chosen by the faculty and given annually for outstanding contributions to the School of Medicine (SOM) of LSUHSC - NO.

The Faculty Assembly will be soliciting nominations for the 2025 Faculty Awards. Nominations will be accepted from all SOM faculty members. All faculty members are eligible except administrators (Dean and Associate/Assistant Deans, Department Chairs, Center Directors), Faculty Assembly Delegates, and previous awardees (within the past five years).

Along with a prestigious plaque acknowledging the recipients's specifc contribution, Dr. DiCarlo has generously agreed to provide an educational grant to each of the five recipients. Awards will be presented at the Spring General Faculty Meeting.

Application Process:

Please provide, in pdf form, the two items below and submit both electronically to Dr. Liz Simon Peter at lsimo2@lsuhsc.edu. Nominations are due February 28, 2025.

  1. One-page nomination form letter from the nominator (See Below)
  2. CV of nominee  

     

Forms:

Sample Nomination Form

 

Criteria for Faculty Awards for Specific Contributions to the School of Medicine at LSUHSC in New Orleans:

Award Categories:

  1. Outstanding Service to the Institution
  2. Outstanding Service to the Community
  3. Outstanding Junior Faculty Member
  4. Outstanding Mentor
  5. Outstanding Service in Community and Health Equity Efforts

Eligibility

All School of Medicine (SOM) faculty members are eligible for nomination, except for administrators (i.e., department heads, center directors, and Assistant or Associate Deans), faculty assembly delegates, or anyone receiving the award within the past 5 years.

Award Process

Award Presentation will occur at the Spring General Faculty Meeting.  Award recipients will receive a plaque and an educational grant sponsored by the Dean.

 

1. Outstanding Service to the Institution

Purpose: To recognize those individuals who have made major, enduring contributions to the development of the SOM and who have advanced its mission.

Background: Service to the institution may be difficult to define, especially when it occurs outside of the traditional scope of academic duties.  Nevertheless, this award will honor a faculty member who has demonstrated service to other members of the faculty for the common good of the institution.

Indicators:

  • Effectively participated in institutional committees, resulting in programmatic development or change.
  • Elected or appointed to leadership role(s) in institutional committees (indicative of trust and recognition of past superior service and administrative abilities).
  • Promoted innovation and excellence in the SOM.
  • Enhanced participation and engagement of SOM faculty across the various SOM sites.

 

2. Outstanding Service to the Community

Purpose: To acknowledge selfless acts by an individual faculty member for the benefit of others served by either the SOM community and/or humanity in general.

Background: One of the primary missions of the SOM is to serve as a model of excellence in public and private medical care and in community-oriented programs.  Given that the faculty are often the face of the SOM in these various venues for health care, this award seeks to recognize a faculty member that has enhanced the reputation of the SOM within the community through acts of generosity with their time and talent, .  These acts can include their participation in community service activities within or outside of their profession, or any other activities that promote the mission of the school within the community. 

Indicators:

  • Developed community outreach programs that provide educational and service opportunities that enhance the quality of life of constituent communities.
  • Identified community needs that can be met by the SOM.
  • Demonstrated leadership in promoting education and/or service to the community.

3. Outstanding Junior Faculty Member

Purpose: To acknowledge contributions by this vitally important component of the faculty in an effort to reduce attrition from academic medicine and improve retention within the SOM.

Target: Instructor or Assistant Professor within the first 5 years of appointment

Background: Attrition rates of U.S. Medical School Faculty are highest among first-time assistant professors (i.e., faculty with no prior appointments at or above the rank of assistant professor) with 43% leaving academic medicine.  In addition, first-time assistant professors, MD's, PhD's, or MD/PhD's, are also the most likely to leave for another academic position.  This award seeks to provide early recognition of significant contributions by an individual young faculty member in an effort to retain these individuals within the institution and academic medicine.

Indicators:

  • Attained research independence as evidenced by successful competition for extramural research grants and/or other extramural support (e.g., support from pharmaceutical or biomedical industries) and substantive independent contribution(s) to their field of interest.
  • Exceeded expectations for teaching within the institution (undergraduates, medical/graduate students, residents, postdoctoral fellows, etc.).
  • Established productive collaborations.
  • Produced evidence of potential by presenting at national, international lectures/seminars, participating in professional society committees, study sections, editorial boards, etc., and receiving awards or other notable academic achievements.

4. Outstanding Mentor

Purpose: To honor individual faculty members for helping build a supportive academic environment, providing a vital resource for student and faculty growth and success, and enhancing excellence in the SOM.

Background: What frequently determines whether or not someone will have a successful career in the basic sciences or medicine is the extent to which they were mentored, yet the special talents or skills of a mentor are rarely rewarded even though they are essential for the progression and development of young students and faculty.

Indicators:

  • Generously donated their time and expertise to critiquing and improving the work that is critical for the academic and career success of mentees (e.g., grantsmanship, manuscript preparation, presentations, teaching skills, management of personnel and staff, career choices, etc.).
  • Offered sound counsel and valuable information to their mentees in order to advance and develop a mentee's own path to academic and professional success.
  • Made others aware of the contributions and value of their mentees.
  • Provided guidance to their mentees in navigating the professional environment in which he or she works.
  • Showed continued interest in the professional advancement of former mentees.

 

5. Outstanding Service in Community and Health Equity Efforts

Purpose: To recognize those individuals who have made major, enduring contributions to the SOM Community Engagement and Health Equity (CEHE) efforts and have advanced the SOM CEHE mission.

Background: One of our most revered missions is ensuring that the institution’s relationships with and between faculty, staff, students, and our community are equitable. This award recognizes a faculty member who has demonstrated dedication to the school's CEHE mission and led efforts that integrate CEHE through service in areas of medicine, research, medical and/or biomedical education.

Indicators:

  • Promoted, led, or facilitated CEHE initiatives (e.g. academic programs, workshops, curriculum development, scholarly activities) aimed at promoting health equity.
  • Elected or appointed to CEHE leadership role(s), membership, and/or received recognition for advocating for CEHE
  • Ethically engaged and earned trust of diverse communities to enhance participation in clinical research/clinical trials.
  • Research contributions that examine the direct and the underlying effects of the social determinants of health, and thereby determining the genetic, biochemical, and/or physiological impacts on health inequities in the community.
  • Established productive collaborations SOM-wide, campus-wide, and/or with the community-at-large, to promote health equity by addressing systemic barriers and promoting access to health care for people from all backgrounds.