Award and Honors
Congratulations to the following faculty and staff for achieving special distinction this quarter:
Internal Medicine
The Aesculapian Society recently announced the winners of this year's Aesculapian Excellence in Teaching Awards and the Department of Medicine was well represented:
- L2 Fall Semester Award: Dr. Matthew Foy, Internal Medicine - Baton Rouge, Nephrology
- Nominated: Dr. Michael Modica, Internal Medicine - New Orleans
- L2 Spring Semester Award: Dr. Randolph Roig, Internal Medicine - PM&R
- Nominated: Dr. Shane Guillory, Internal Medicine - New Orleans
- L3 Intern Award: Dr. John Johnson, Internal Medicine - Baton Rouge
- Nominated: Dr. Carlie Falgout, Internal Medicine - Baton Rouge
- L3 Staff Award: Dr. William Benton, Internal Medicine - Baton Rouge
- Nominated: Dr. Guido DeJesus, Internal Medicine - Baton Rouge
- Nominated: Dr. Murtuza Ali, Internal Medicine - New Orleans, Cardiology
- Junior Faculty Award: Dr. Jessica Zagory, Surgery - Pediatric General Surgery
- Nominated: Dr. Lauren Miles, Internal Medicine - Baton Rouge
- Department Award: Internal Medicine - Baton Rouge
Faculty members Dr. Amita Krishnan (Pulmonary/Critical Care), Dr. Mehnaz Rahman (Cardiology), and Dr. Seema Walvekar (Hospital Medicine) were recently elected to the Louisiana Beta Chapter of the Alpha Omega Alpha Medical Honor Society. AOA members vote to elect new members based on academic achievement, professionalism, research, service, and a commitment to scholarly excellence and medical education.
At the recent Doctor’s Day celebration, a number of departmental faculty received awards and many others were Best of Docs nominees. Awardees included:
- Best Research: Dr. Stephen Lim – Emergency Medicine
- Best Physician Advancing Health Equity: Dr. Pierre Detiege – Emergency Medicine
- Best Physician Leader: Dr. Zee Ali – Cardiology
Nominees included:
- Best Consultant: Dr. Victoria Burke – Infectious Diseases
- Best Quality Champion: Dr. Julio Figueroa – Infectious Diseases
- Best Resident Educator: Dr. Amita Krishnan – Pulmonary/Critical Care; Dr. Billy Imsais – Emergency Medicine/Hospital Medicine
- Best Clinic Physician: Dr. Elyse Stevens – Community & Population Health; Dr. Matt Lammi – Pulmonary/Critical Care; Dr. Ben DeBoisblanc – Pulmonary/Critical Care
- Best Physician Leader: Dr. Cynthia Brown
- Best New Faculty: Dr. Amita Krishnan – Pulmonary/Critical Care, Dr. Elyse Stevens – Community & Population Health
Dr. Elyse Stevens (Community & Population Medicine) was nominated by the Medical School Class of 2023 as the LSU SOM Arnold P. Gold Humanism in Medicine Nominee. Students nominate a faculty member who they feel best exemplifies excellence in teaching and service to the community, and the students overwhelmingly chose Dr. Stevens.
Dr. Cynthia Brown was recently elected to the position of Counselor for the Southern Society for Clinical Investigation (SSCI) for a four-year term. The SSCI is a regional academic society dedicated to the advancement of medically-related research. Its major focus is on encouraging students, residents and fellows to enter academic medicine and to support junior faculty success in clinical investigation.
Orthopaedics
Dr. Vinod Dasa of the Surgery Service was recently selected as OMC-Kenner’s Quarterly Physician
Champion. Dr. Dasa’s commitment to innovative high quality patient care, education,
and teamwork exemplifies the school and department’s mission and the outstanding service
that department representatives provide at OMC-Kenner.
Pathology
Dr. Gordon Love received a certificate of appreciation from the American Board of Pathology at the conclusion of his 13 years of service on the Test Development and Advisory Committee for Medical Microbiology. The award was presented in March by Gary Procop, MD, Chief Executive Officer of the American Board of Pathology, and Clarita Scioscia, ABP Administrative Assistant. From the time of his initial appointment in 2010, Dr. Love reviewed and formulated several hundred test questions with photographs for the general pathology and microbiology specialty examinations in addition to critiquing test performance in the areas of mycology and parasitology.
Ellen Connor, MD, PhD, has been selected as the recipient of the 2023 University Medical Center—New Orleans
(UMCNO) Physician New Faculty Award. Dr. Connor was presented with the award by Dr.
William Killinger, UMCNO Chief Medical Officer, and Dr. Paul Gladden, UMCNO Chief
of the Medical Staff, at the hospital’s Doctor’s Day Celebration held in March.
Pediatrics
Dr. Robin English has been awarded the 2023 COMSEP Teaching and Education Award. The award was presented
earlier this quarter at the annual meeting in Long Beach, CA. The awards program recognizes
COMSEP members who have made substantial contributions in the areas of teaching/education,
research/scholarship, and clerkship administration.
Dr. English was also nominated for the for the Aesculapian Society’s L2 Spring Semester Award.
Dr. Ryan Pasternak was recently awarded the Aesculapian Society Excellence in Teaching L4 Staff Award.
The society sponsors The Excellence in Teaching Award which acknowledges approachability,
enthusiasm, and superior quality of instruction. He and the 11 other winners were
honored at the Society's annual banquet earlier this year.
Dr. Elizabeth Wisner was recently recognized as the American Academy of Allergy, Asthma & Immunology (AAAAI) Practice Champion for February 2023. A Practice Champion is a community-based allergist/immunologist who has made a significant contribution to the specialty/community by any number of means. A Practice Champion is recognized for community service, care of patients with respect to housing, nutrition, employment and safety, and initiatives to educate and facilitate any allergy treatment to patients in the community.
Physiology
Dr. Patricia Molina was selected for the 2023 Soloman A. Berson Distinguished Lectureship of the APS Endocrinology and Metabolism Section.
Dr. Molina also received the Association of Chairs of Departments of Physiology (ACDP) Distinguished Service Award.
Surgery
Dr. Charles Chappuis was invited to the Alpha Omega Alpha Honor Medical Society.
Dr. Shawn McKinney received the UMCNO Champion of Advancing Healthy Equity Award.
Dr. Valentine Nfonsam received the UMCNO Leadership Award and the New Faculty Award.
Dr. Sharon Stanley received the UMCNO Educator Award.
Dr. Jessica Zagory received the Aesculapian Society Excellence in Teaching Junior Faculty Award.
Psychiatry
Dr. Rahn Bailey was elected the 2023-25 Chair of the of the American Psychiatric Association Caucus on Global Mental Health and Psychiatry.
Dr. Chuck Coleman was named Director of the LSUHSC IRB.
The GHHS class of 2023 has chosen Dr. Mike Dicharry for the Leonard Tow Humanism in Medicine Award.