The Yale Department of Psychiatry honored residents, fellows, and faculty at its annual Residency & Fellowship Commencement Ceremony held June 23 at the Omni New Haven Hotel.
The event marked the graduation of 14 residents and 26 fellows.
The honorees included the following residents: Paola C. Ayora, MD; Ish Prasad Bhalla, MD; Emeric F. Bojarski, MD; Youngsun Theresa Cho, MD, PhD; Kali D. Cyrus, MD, MPH; Matthew M. Griepp, MD; Karsten M. Heil, MD; Rachel Brooke Katz, MD; Naomi Ella Bass Libby, MD; Phelan Elizabeth Maruca-Sullivan, MD; Francesco Carlo Peluso, MD; Hannah Elaine Reed, MD; Rachel L. Wurmser, MD; and Stephanie Cassandra Yarnell, MD, PhD.
Fellows honored were:
Addiction Psychiatry: Javier Ballester Gonzalez, MD; Kathleen Louise Broad, MD; Hector A. Colon-Rivera, MD; Jason I. Dailey, MD; Robert Joseph Feeley, MD; Brian A. Frankel, MD; Maria Gabriela Garcia Vassallo, MD; and Ramzi Mardam Bey, MD, MSc.
Forensic Psychiatry: Paul Abbott Bryant, MD; Tanuja Gandhi, MD; Varma Satya Sesha Sai Penumetcha, MD; Rafik Sidaros, MD; Mohit Singh, MD; and Celeste Erika Valencia, MD.
Geriatric Psychiatry: Marilise Hyacinth, MD, PhD; Kim Graham Johnson, MD; Adam Mecca, MD, PhD; and Sarah A. Nguyen, MD.
Psychosomatic Medicine: Mario Andres Caro Sabogal, MD; Ryan Thomas Peterson, MD; and Walter Piddoubny, MD.
Public Psychiatry: Ashleigh Colin, MBBCh, MA, and Walter Stanley Mathis, MD.
Advanced Fellowship in Mental Illness Research and Treatment: Benjamin Kelmendi, MD.
Young Adult Psychiatry: Maria Ghanbari Motlagh, MD.
Psychopharmacology/Schizophrenia Research: Mohamed Sherif, MD, MBBCh.
The list of awardees is below.
Faculty Awards
Stephen Fleck Award
Robert Ostroff, MD, and Gerard Sanacora, MD, PhD
Awarded to a faculty member (s) who demonstrates the highest standards of a clinician and educator, following in the footsteps of the late Dr. Stephen Fleck, a long-time member of the Yale faculty who served as a shining example of a clinician-scholar who insisted on giving the highest priority to patient care and teaching.
Chairman’s Award
Cindy Crusto, PhD
The Chairman's Award is given to a junior, full-time faculty member who has excelled in the department's goals of enriching knowledge, transmitting understanding and providing excellence in the delivery of care.
Outstanding Clinical Faculty Award
Katherine "Kiki" Kennedy, MD
The recipient for this award is chosen from the voluntary (clinical) faculty and has demonstrated an ongoing commitment to the department, on a completely voluntary basis. The areas of service include, but are not limited to, teaching, supervision, and committee work.
Resident Awards
Laughlin Foundation Merit Award
Youngsun Cho, MD, PhD
For more than thirty years, the Laughlin Family Foundation has honored outstanding residents in psychiatric training programs across the country. Award recipients are selected by the senior faculty at their universities. This award is presented to an outstanding fourth-year resident who combines clinical and scholarly excellence.
Resident Teaching Award
Ish Bhalla, MD; Emeric Bojarski, MD; and Chadrick Lane, MD
The Resident Teaching Award is given in memory of our former resident and colleague, Dr. James Longhurst. It acknowledges and recognizes the contribution of a Yale Psychiatry Resident as an outstanding teacher and role model. The residents are nominated for this award by students, peers, and faculty.
Ira Levine Award
Emma Lo, MD, and Myra Mathis, MD
The Ira Levine Award was established in 2004 to recognize outstanding PGY-2 psychiatry residents who best embody the qualities of clinical excellence, breadth of learning, and devotion to the care of severe psychiatric illness exemplified by Dr. Levine.
Chief Resident Certificates
Kali Cyrus, MD, MPH, and Phelan Maruca-Sullivan, MD
Awards Presented by the Psychiatry Residents' Association (PRA)
PRA Teaching Award
Zheala Qayyum, MBBS
This award acknowledges the outstanding contribution of one or more attending physicians to the education and development of the residents.
Benjamin S. Bunney Award
Myra Mathis, MD, and Chadrick Lane, MD
The Benjamin S. Bunney Award is awarded annually to a resident who has demonstrated exceptional service to the Psychiatry Residents’ Association (PRA) mission of advocacy for residents and patients, clinical care, and education.
PRA Outstanding Supportive Service Award
Gina Morrow, Emily Muscolino and Jennifer Dolan-Auten
This award goes to an outstanding nurse, social worker, or other support staff.
Featured in this article
- Paola Ayora, MPH, MD
- Paul A. Bryant, MD
- Youngsun Cho, MD/PhD
- Cindy Crusto, PhD
- Maria Gabriela Garcia Vassallo
- Marilise Hyacinth, MD, PhD
- Rachel Katz, MD, BS
- Benjamin Kelmendi, MD
- Katherine Kennedy, MD
- Naomi Libby, MD, MHA
- Phelan Maruca-Sullivan, MD
- Walter S. Mathis, MD
- Myra Mathis, MD
- Adam Mecca, MD, PhD
- Maria Motlagh, MD
- Robert Ostroff, MD
- Francesco Peluso, MD
- Zheala Qayyum, MBBS
- Gerard Sanacora, PhD, MD
- Mohamed Sherif, MBBCh
- Stephanie Yarnell-Mac Grory, MD, PhD, MBA