Faculty, residents, and staff honored at 2013 commencement

Stephen Fleck Award

Jeanne Steiner, DO
Award to a faculty member 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.

"Not only has Dr. Steiner played a critical role in medical education throughout her tenure at the Connecticut Mental Health Center, she has, over the past several years, established, and greatly expanded, the Department’s fellowship in Public Psychiatry."

Chairman’s Award for Excellence

Kirsten Wilkins, MD
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.

"Medical students, residents and advanced fellows have all benefited from the teaching and innovative programming from Dr. Wilkins. She is one of the founders of the new rTMS clinic for refractory depression at the VA and has done an outstanding job of organizing and administrating the medical student clerkship"

Outstanding Clinical Faculty Award

Oscar Hills, 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.

"Dr. Hills has been a long-standing supervisor in our department, offering valuable clinical insights to trainees. Residents have commented on his remarkable ability to communicate complex ideas in an accessible manner, and they often make specific requests for this member to serve as their supervisor."

Laughlin Award

Frank Appah, 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

Noah Capurso, MD and Arjune Rama, MD
The Resident Teaching Award acknowledges and recognizes the contribution of Yale psychiatry residents as an outstanding teacher and role model. Residents are nominated for this award by students, peers, and faculty.

Medical Student Education Certificate

Devon Fagel and Megha Miglani, MD
This year, the Medical Student Education Committee wished to acknowledge the work of two trainees who have made extraordinary contributions to medical student education.

Ira Levine Award

Noah Capurso, MD and Brady Heward, 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.

Howard Zonana Award

Nabyl Tejani, MD
This award is presented to the graduating resident who has demonstrated developing expertise in the application of psychiatry to forensic cases or policy during the Yale residency.

Chief Resident Certificates

Michelanne Rothrock, MD and Frank Appah, MD, PhD

Benjamin S. Bunney Award

Tobias Wasser, MD and Frank Appah, MD, PhD
The Benjamin S. Bunney Award is awarded annually to residents who have demonstrated exceptional service to the Psychiatry Residents’ Association (PRA) mission of advocacy for residents and patients, clinical care, and education.

"Tobias Wasser is extremely thoughtful and approaches difficult clinical situations with grace and ease. His patients describe him as a dedicated, caring physician who does his best to advocate for their needs."

"Frank Appah is an innovator and is not afraid to think outside of the box when it comes to approaching patients’ needs. Not only did the patients love him, but the residents continuously sang his praises."

PRA Teaching Award

Robert Ostroff, MD and Kirsten Wilkins, MD
This award acknowledges the outstanding contribution of one or more attending physicians to the education and development of the residents.

"Dr. Ostroff's enthusiasm and passion for patient care makes him difficult to keep up with during rounds for both nurses and residents. He is a brilliant physician and a compassionate human being who is committed to the care of the chronically mentally ill."

"Dr. Wilkins clearly loves to teach and is always interested in hearing about opportunities to improve resident and medical student education. We are incredibly lucky to have her!"

PRA Supportive Services Award

Carol Sanders, LCSW, Psychiatric ER at West Haven VA and Emerson Stevenson, patient care assistant in Psychiatric ER at YNHH
This award, whose recipient is chosen by the Psychiatry Residents’ Association (PRA), goes to an outstanding nurse or social worker.

"Carol Sanders is the heart and soul of the psychiatric ER at West Haven VA. She is essential. She is truly a wonderful social worker, and she is an inspiration to all residents who work with her."

"Day in and day out, Emerson Stevenson works tirelessly to ensure that the patients in the CIU are well taken care of, while also making sure the needs of the residents are being met. He has all the qualities you could ask for in a hospital employee—nice to staff, pleasant to patients, but most importantly he gets the job done well and efficiently!"