Connecticut Chapter of the American College of Physicians

Three Yale faculty members received awards for distinguished service from the Connecticut Chapter of the American College of Physicians (ACP) at its annual meeting in Southington, Conn., in November. ACP represents more than 2,300 physicians, medical students, and residents practicing internal medicine and its subspecialties across the state.

The George F. Thornton Teaching Award, given annually to physicians in recognition of contributions to medical education and excellence in clinical teaching and motivational impact on students, residents, and colleagues, went to Auguste H. Fortin VI, M.D., M.P.H., associate professor of medicine; and Cyrus Kapadia, M.D., professor of internal medicine (digestive diseases). Fortin is director of the psychosocial curriculum for the Primary Care Internal Medicine Residency Program and director of communication skills education. He has a special interest in doctor-patient communication, the humanities in medicine, the psychosocial aspects of primary care, and professional burnout prevention.

As a gastroenterologist, Kapadia was instrumental in the development of techniques to identify precancerous changes in the colon. Kapadia directed the Internal Medicine Residency Program at Yale-New Haven Hospital from 1998 through 2011.

The 2012 Laureate Award was presented to Stephen P. O’Mahony, M.D., assistant clinical professor of medicine, who launched one of the state’s first hospitalist programs at Norwalk Hospital in 1999. He also began to use his expertise in computer engineering to integrate best practices and patient safety into clinical care through intelligent technology, decision support, and education.