School of Medicine honors excellence among students, faculty

The UMass Medical School Alumni Association welcomed 122 new members on Friday, May 29, as students and faculty in the School of Medicine Class of 2015 were recognized for outstanding achievement.

“We’re extremely proud of your accomplishments; we’re extremely proud that you are graduates of our school; and we’re going to be extremely proud as we watch for your many accomplishments in the years ahead,” Chancellor Michael F. Collins told the students at the annual alumni breakfast.

Terence R. Flotte, MD, the Celia and Isaac Haidak Professor of Medical Education, executive deputy chancellor, provost and dean of the School of Medicine, encouraged the students to take the lessons of collaboration learned in medical school with them into their practices.

“This profession is one that is part of a team, and that is critical to how we do the best job we can for our patients,” Dean Flotte said.

Irvin Heifetz, MD, president of the school alumni association and member of the Class of 1974, applauded the graduating class for its generosity in the form of its class gift, which will, in part, fund the purchase of white coats for the class entering the medical school in the fall.

During the ceremony, the following awards were presented and people recognized:

Student Award Recipients

Chancellor’s Award
Andrew John Piper

The Leonard Tow Humanism in Medicine Award presented by The Arnold P. Gold Foundation (student)
Shu Yang

Gary D. Winzelberg, MD ’74, Memorial Award
Jonathan Paolino

Ann Nemitz Memorial Award
Anne Barnard and Chelsea Harris

Sarah L. Stone Memorial Award
Daniel Maselli

Jacob Brem Pediatric Award
Jennifer Perez

New England Pediatric Society Award
Eli Freiman

Marianne Felice Adolescent Health Award
Sydney Hartman

Society for Academic Emergency Medicine Medical Student Excellence in Emergency Medicine Award
Justin Chapman

Excellence in Obstetrics and Gynecology Award
Sebastian Ramos

UMass Surgical Society Award for Excellence in Student Clinical Performance
Pamela Lu

UMass Surgical Society Award for Excellence in Surgical Education
Achankeng Afiadata

Association of Academic Surgery Student Research Award
John Madore

Massachusetts Medical Society Scholars Award for Academic Excellence
Reem Abu-Libdeh
Nicole Mushero
Sebastian Ramos
Shu Yang

American Academy of Neurology Prize for Excellence in Neurology
Aditi Ahlawat

UMass Department of Neurology Outstanding Scholarship in Neurology Prize
Kyle Wu

American Medical Women’s Association Award
Amanda Gonsalves
Lauren Veit
Carolyn Buckley
Jennifer Perez
Mackenzie Bartlett
Meghan Gibson
Sydney Hartman
Keriann Nobil
Juliana Clough
Pamela Lu
Emily Tsanotelis
Sarah Aker
Michelle Pruchniewski
Oksana Babchenko
Katherine Hicks-Courant
Margaret Preissler
Caitlin Lawrence
Lorena Dollani

Alpha Omega Alpha Honor Medical Society
Sarah Aker
Oksana Babchenko
Mackenzie Bartlett
Carolyn Buckley
Justin Chapman
Juliana Clough
Michael Cohen
Jonathan Eisenberg
Eli Freiman
Meghan Gibson
Sydney Hartman
Hung Le
Pamela Lu
Daniel Maselli
Keriann Nobil
Jennifer Perez
Andrew Piper
Matthew Sloan
Lauren Veit
Kyle Wu
Shu Yang

Gold Humanism Honor Society
Reem Abu-Libdeh
Anne Barnard
Vitaliy Belyshev
Lorena Dollani
Madeline Fiore
Nathan Garvin
Chelsea Harris
Sydney Hartman
Caitlin Lawrence
Hung Manh Le
Daniel Maselli
Melinda Palma
Jonathan Paolino
Jennifer Perez
Andrew John Piper
Emily Tsanotelis
Benjamin Cordes Vaughan
Shu Yang
Gina Zarella

Faculty Award Recipients