Wednesday, May 20, 2020

USA College of Medicine honors class of 2020

Although this year's graduating class could not gather in person for honors convocation and commencement, the significance of their achievements is not diminished. Below are the award and scholarship recipients from the University of South Alabama College of Medicine class of 2020.

View the full Honors Convocation program.

Watch the virtual Commencement ceremony.

Dean’s Award: Davis Copeland Diamond
Awarded to the graduating senior who has accumulated the highest scholastic grade point average for the full four years of medical school.

Merck Award: Travis Bedsole Goodloe III, Daniel Philip Zieman
Awarded to senior students who have demonstrated superior academic achievement.

Glasgow-Rubin Achievement Citations: Erin Savanna Bouska
Presented to those women students who graduate in the top 10% of their class.

Dr. Robert A. Kreisberg Endowed Award of Excellence: Maria Siow
Awarded to a graduating senior student in the top 25% of the class who is distinguished in both the clinical and basic sciences. This student has demonstrated superior leadership and integrity, possesses a strong work ethic, and has performed in such a way as to earn the respect of his or her fellow students and faculty.

The Leonard Tow Humanism in Medicine Award: Michael Patrick Steadman, Nicolette Holliday, M.D.
Presented by The Arnold P. Gold Foundation to the senior student and to the faculty member nominated and selected by the senior class who have demonstrated outstanding compassion to patients and their families.

Medical Alumni Leadership Award: Tyler Joseph Kaelin
Awarded to the senior student by vote of classmates, in recognition of outstanding leadership of the graduating class.

Excellence in Public Health Award: Supraja R. Sridhar
Presented by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services and the U.S. Public Health Service to recognize the medical student who has demonstrated a commitment to public health and public health practice and has exhibited leadership and hard work with a passion and dedication to public health within the medical profession.

Community Service Award: Supraja R. Sridhar, Jeremy R. Towns
Presented by the Medical Society of Mobile County to two senior medical students whose classmates believe best fulfill the ideals of humanitarian public service as demonstrated by superior awareness of, and achievement in, civic and community programs.

SNMA Leadership Award: Destini Aliyah Smith
Awarded by the Student National Medical Association to a graduating senior who has demonstrated outstanding community, school, and organizational service and leadership qualities.

Ritha Baliga Memorial Medical Scholarship: Erin Savanna Bouska
Awarded to an outstanding senior student who demonstrates a merit ranking within the top 50% of the class and is interested in pursuing a career in pediatric healthcare.

Dr. Richard William Gurich Memorial Endowed Scholarship: Hannah Marie Ficarino
Awarded to a graduating senior student who has not only performed at the highest level during the third and fourth year, but has also demonstrated efficacy in patient relations and professionalism.

Dr. William James Atkinson Jr. Memorial Endowed Scholarship: Michael Patrick Steadman
Presented to a fourth year medical student exhibiting exemplary character, possessing a dedication to the field of medicine, and demonstrating a commitment to compassionate patient care. This student is interested in primary care and plans to practice in the state of Alabama.

Dr. Joseph G. Hardin Jr. Memorial Scholarship: William Berney Caine Nicolson
Awarded to a graduating senior student who is interested in pursuing a career in internal medicine.

John A. Desak Award: Kristin Nicole Sheehan
In honor of USA College of Medicine graduate Dr. Maryella Sirmon’s father, this award is presented to the highest ranking female in the graduating class who has accepted a residency in internal medicine.

Steven Karl Teplick, M.D., FARC Memorial Award: William Chase Wiggins
Awarded to a graduating senior student specializing in radiology and committed to lifelong learning as exemplified by Dr. Steven Teplick.

Outstanding Student in the Pre-Clerkship Curriculum: Davis Copeland Diamond
Awarded to a graduating senior student for outstanding performance in the pre-clerkship curriculum.

Award for Excellence in Teaching Clinical Skills: Maria Siow
Awarded to a graduating senior student for outstanding teaching skills and student mentoring in the Clinical Skills Program. This student has demonstrated a dedication to education in the field of clinical skills.

Clinical Pharmacology Excellence Award: Patricia R. Connor
Presented to a graduating senior student for demonstrating outstanding knowledge in basic and clinical pharmacology.

Hollis J. Wiseman Award for Excellence in Pediatrics: Maria Siow
Presented to the student who best exemplified Dr. Wiseman’s outstanding scholarship, compassion for patients and families, involvement in the profession and community, enthusiasm for exploration and steadfast love of family, friends and colleagues.

Samuel Eichold Award: Natalie Jean Hargrave
Presented to the graduating medical student who through scholarship, patient care, interaction with faculty and housestaff, and motivation, has demonstrated outstanding achievement in internal medicine.

Dr. Michael M. Linder Endowed Award: Elisabeth May Potts
Awarded to a senior student who has accepted a residency in family medicine and exemplifies a commitment to family medicine, as practiced by Dr. Michael Linder, through astute clinical acumen based on the knowledge of the human body and evidence-based medicine. This student possesses a passion for teaching this knowledge and the  art of family medicine to others, and demonstrates courage to do what is best for the whole patient and their family.

Ralph Denny Wright and Anne G. Wright Memorial Scholarship: Elisabeth May Potts
Awarded to the senior student focusing on internal medicine/family practice, who strives to become a compassionate physician and skilled diagnostician as exemplified by Dr. Wright.

John W. Donald Memorial Award in Surgery: Matthew A. Kassels
Awarded to the senior student who best demonstrated clinical and academic excellence in the surgery clerkship.

H. C. Mullins, M.D. Award: Elisabeth May Potts
Awarded by the faculty of the Department of Family Medicine to the graduating senior who demonstrated excellence in the ability to apply principles, practice, and philosophy of family medicine in caring for patients and their families. This award is given in honor of Dr. H. C. Mullins, professor emeritus and founding chair of the department.

Obstetrics and Gynecology Award: Hayden Hamby Kassels
Presented to the graduating medical student who, through scholarship, patient care, interaction with faculty and housestaff, and motivation, has demonstrated excellence in obstetrics and gynecology.

Excellence in Emergency Medicine Award: Travis Bedsole Goodloe III
This award is presented by the Department of Emergency Medicine to recognize the graduating senior student who demonstrated outstanding performance and academic excellence in emergency medicine.

Society for Academic Emergency Medicine (SAEM) Award: Benjamin Wade Gibson
Presented on behalf of SAEM to the graduating medical student who has demonstrated excellence and academic proficiency in emergency medicine.

Excellence in Psychiatry Award: Taylor Bartlett Ousley
Presented to the graduating medical student who through scholarship, patient care, motivation, and interaction with faculty and housestaff, has demonstrated excellence in psychiatry.

AAN Medical Student Prize for Excellence in Neurology Award: Destini Aliyah Smith
Awarded to the medical student who exemplifies outstanding scientific achievement and clinical acumen in neurology or neuroscience, and outstanding personal qualities of integrity, compassion, and leadership.

Faculty Awards
Best Pre-Clerkship Module: Respiratory
Best Pre-Clerkship Educators: Brian Fouty, M.D., Troy Stevens, Ph.D.
Best M3 Clerkship: Internal Medicine
Best Clerkship Educator: Linda Ding, M.D.

COM Dean’s Scholarship
Erin Bouska
Hunter Childers
Davis Diamond
Tyler Kaelin
Michael Marfice
Benjamin McCormick
Robert Ousley
Taylor Ousley
Supraja Sridhar
Kelsey Templeton
Kelsea Wright

COM Enrichment Award
Breanna Heard-Pinho
DeJarra Johnson
Malik McMullin
Destini Smith
Jeremy Towns

Charlotte H. and Samuel Eichold Scholarship
Joseph Cortopassi
Aaron Dinerman
Robert Ousley
Anna Stevens
Will Martin

Medical Alumni Scholar Award
Justin Beasley
William Nicolson
Whitney Smith
M. Patrick Steadman

Crampton Trust
Elisabeth Potts
Jordan Smith
Christopher Tidwell

Dr. Thomas J. Wool Endowed Scholarship
Lucas Ramsey

Thaddeus H. Waterman Scholarship
M. Patrick Steadman
Daniel Zieman

Ralph B. Chandler Scholarship
Travis Goodloe III

William S. McKnight Scholarship
William Nicolson
Lucas Ramsey

USA Medical Faculty Guild Mendenhall Scholarship
Joseph Cortopassi

Regan Robinson-Young Memorial Scholarship
Aaron Dinerman
Malik McMullin

Daniel F. Sullivan Memorial Scholarship in Pediatrics
Seth Lamb

Donna B. Ledet Memorial Scholarship
M. Patrick Steadman

L. W. Cave Family Endowed Scholarship
Hannah Ficarino
William Nicolson

Mark K. McDonald Memorial Fund
Davis Diamond

Mr. & Mrs. Mendel P. Goldstein Memorial Scholarship
Heath Donahue

Cope Memorial Scholarship
Travis Goodloe III

Stephanie A. Marsh Medical Scholarship
Travis Goodloe III

Robert E. Russell Memorial Scholarship
Aaron Dinerman

Virginia Webb Endowment
John Friend IV

Christian Grinaker Memorial Scholarship
Bonnie Holley

AΩA Scholarship
Davis Diamond

Semple Family Endowed Scholarship
Maria Siow

Taylor-Davis Scholarship
Dylan Adams

Drs. Ron & Vicky Franks Scholarship Endowment
Maria Siow