The Department of Internal Medicine recently held its inaugural Voluntary Faculty Awards, which honored voluntary faculty who are involved in teaching medical students, physician associate students, residents, and fellows across Yale School of Medicine (YSM) and Yale New Haven Health (YNHHS) affiliated hospitals.
“We created these awards to show appreciation to this group of 440 faculty for their time and commitment. This group is key to delivering excellent medical education to our trainees at YSM and YNHHS. Some members of our voluntary faculty have taught here for over 50 years,” said Adam Mayerson, MD, FACE, assoc. chief, community & voluntary faculty, Department of Internal Medicine.
The following five awards were presented during the ceremony:
Distinction in Leadership Award: Lucille Burgo-Black, MD, assistant clinical professor of medicine (general medicine), was given the Distinction in Leadership Award, which honors a physician who has demonstrated a capacity for team building and inspiring passion in their leadership roles throughout their career. Burgo-Black is one of the founders of primary care at the VA Connecticut Healthcare System, and has held many leadership positions during her 36 years as faculty. She continues to inspire trainees in her role as the national co-director for the Veterans Health Administration’s Post-Deployment Integrated Care Initiative, playing a major role in shaping the care of veterans.
General Medicine Award: Amenuve Bekui, MD, MPH, assistant clinical professor of medicine (general medicine), was honored with the General Medicine Award, given to a faculty member who has made outstanding contributions to the medical education of trainees at all levels across Yale-affiliated hospitals. He has received glowing evaluations from trainees, highlighting his abilities as a clinical instructor, his commitment to providing patient-centered care, and his consistent efforts towards fostering an open and welcoming learning environment for students.
Specialist Award: Gilead Lancaster, MD, associate clinical professor of medicine (cardiovascular medicine), was given the Specialist Award, which honors a medical specialist who has excelled in the education of trainees across Yale-affiliated hospitals. Lancaster recently took on a new role as program director for the Cardiology Fellowship Program at Bridgeport Hospital. Additionally, he created the cardiology rotation for the physician associate program at Bridgeport Hospital, which soon became the model for other physician associate rotations. He was spoken highly of by trainees and commended for his skills in teaching and creating a comfortable learning environment for students.
Distinction in Research Award: Carolina Borz-Baba, MD, assistant clinical professor of medicine, was given the Distinction in Research Award, which honors a faculty member who has made outstanding contributions to the promotion of basic, clinical, or translational research for trainees. She has been a voluntary faculty member for 10 years, now serving as associate program director at St. Mary’s Hospital. Additionally, she also acts as the research and scholarship coordinator for the residency program. She has also incorporated her dedication to research by establishing a resident research interest group, and has created a guide for residents to learn how to critically appraise research articles.
Inpatient Medicine Award: This award was given to Jensa Morris, MD, assistant clinical professor of medicine, honoring her accomplishments in providing excellent training to trainees at all levels in the inpatient setting. She serves as the director of the Smilow Hospitalist Service at Yale New Haven Hospital, using this position to engage her interests in education and team building. She has received the highest praise from students who have worked with her, highlighting how much she valued the importance of patient-centered care, as well as her skills as a great teacher and clinician. These attributes clearly resonated with students, who saw her as a role model for their goals as future clinicians.
The winners were nominated by their sponsors and reviewed by the voluntary faculty committee, consisting of Mayerson; Barry Wu, MD, FACP; Joni Hansson, MD; Robert McLean, MD; Sandip Mukherjee, MD, FACC; Nancy Angoff, MD, MPH, MEd; Peter Ellis, MD, MPH; Steven Saunders, MD; and administrator Lisa Labaire.
The Department of Internal Medicine at Yale School of Medicine is among the nation's premier departments, bringing together an elite cadre of clinicians, investigators, educators, and staff in one of the world's top medical schools. To learn more, visit Internal Medicine.