The Class of 2010 already has begun first-year studies at the College of Medicine, the Class of 2008 is bound for regional campuses and members of the Class of 2006 are getting ready to begin their graduate medical education. Sounds like a good time to recognize some of the students, faculty and alumni who earned distinction for their performances over the course of the previous year.

From the Alpha Omega Alpha Honor Medical Society to a member of the first College of Medicine graduating class who is drawing praise for her work in residency, here’s a rundown on who stood out over the course of the 2005-06 school year, along with a list of winners from the year-end student gala and the first Faculty Council awards.

Honor society inducts students, faculty 

Six members of the 2006 graduating class were inducted into the Alpha Omega Alpha Honor Medical Society before receiving their M.D. degrees  May 20: Stefano Bordoli, Sandra Brafford, Jason Buseman, David Drossner, Matthew Lee and Shannon Price. The AOA also inducted one faculty member - Dr. Harold Bland, professor and education director for pediatrics in the department of clinical sciences.

In addition, Class of 2009 member Melissa Catenacci won the AOA Carolyn L. Kuckein Student Research Fellowship for her project, “Identifying influences on breastfeeding behavior in rural and urban African-American women.’’

The graduation awards ceremony also included recognition of various students in the 36-member class and faculty for their accomplishments: Merritt Ryals Clements, M.D., Excellence in Obstetrics and Gynecology - Melissa Smith (Pensacola), Manny Herrera (Orlando) and Shannon Price (Tallahassee); American Medical Women's Association Glasgow-Rubin Achievement Citation - Sandra Brafford and Shannon Price; Outstanding Graduate in Family Medicine - Chad Krisel.

Florida Geriatrics Society Outstanding Student in Geriatrics - Melissa Smith; Regional campus Dean’s Award - Jason Buseman (Pensacola), Stefano Bordoli (Orlando) and Stephanie Cruz Lee and Shannon Price (Tallahassee).

Increasing Access to Medical Care - Luis Izquierdo; Student Research- Shellie Marks and Rob Allison; Altruism in Medicine - David Drossner.

The Myra M. Hurt Leadership in Medicine award went to Shannon Price and Stefano Bordoli was named the J. Ocie Harris Outstanding Student.

The Class of 2006 presented Pensacola campus psychiatry Clerkship Director Dr. Ed Mobley with the College of Medicine’s Education Director of the Year award. Mobley, who has been simultaneously serving in the college-wide role of education director for psychiatry, already had received recognition from the Pensacola campus as its Clerkship Director of the Year. The class also presented Dr. James Cavanaugh of Tallahassee with the Hippocratic award, for best representing the ideals of Hippocrates in professionalism, compassionate patient care and inspirational teaching.

At the Tallahassee regional campus graduation celebration, students presented faculty with the following awards: Outstanding Clinical Professor in Geriatrics - Dr. John Agens; Outstanding Clinical Professor in Obstetrics and Gynecology - Dr. Arthur Clements and Dr. David O’Bryan; Outstanding Clinical Professor in Dermatology - Dr. Armand Cognetta; Outstanding Clinical Professor in General Surgery - Dr. Jeffrey Crooms; Outstanding Clinical Professor in Internal Medicine - Dr. Michael Forsthoefel and Dr. Dean Watson; Outstanding Clinical Professor in Sports Medicine - Dr. Kris Stowers; Outstanding Clinical Professor in Orthopedic Surgery - Dr. Andrew Wong; Outstanding Clerkship Director - Dr. Harold Bland.

Departing second-year students honored at gala 

Students in the Class of 2008 have finished their work at the main campus of the College of Medicine and soon will report to regional campuses or the rural track program in Marianna. As they finished up second-year exams at the main campus, class members were honored at an end-of-the-year gala at which the following awards were presented: Outstanding Leadership - Peter Bechtel; Distinguished Service - Lindsay Hinson-Knipple and Michelle Asher; Golden Caduceus - Jeremy Williams; Excellence in Academics- Erkan Alci; Torch Award - Peter Bechtel.

Class members also honored several faculty members who teach first- and second-year students, giving awards for: Excellence in Teaching (Year-one basic science) - Charles Ouimet; Excellence in Teaching (Year-two basic science) - Dr. Eugene Ryerson; Outstanding Clinical Professor Award – Dr. Eugene Ryerson. 

Additionally, members of the student body council from the Class of 2008 and 2009 nominated and selected the following: Organization of the Year - FSUCares; President of the Year - Moya Chin and Member of the Year - Stephen Viel.

Peer recognition for faculty service

The Faculty Council initiated an awards program this year to recognize outstanding faculty contributions. The group solicited nominations and chose winners in the following categories: Outstanding Clerkship Faculty Educator – Dr. Ashley Hill (Orlando), Dr. Luis Navas (Pensacola), Dr. Mark Brus (Sarasota) and Drs. Thomas Truman and Dean Watson (Tallahassee); Mission Model Award – Dr. Luis Allen (Orlando), Dr. Tara Gonzales (Pensacola), Dr. Mathew Thomas (Sarasota) and Dr. Scottie Whiddon (Tallahassee).

Outstanding Faculty Educator – Dr. Lisa Granville; Outstanding Junior Faculty Educator – Dr. Fred Kobylarz; Outstanding Faculty Researcher – Suzanne Johnson; Outstanding Junior Faculty Researcher – Yanchang Wang and Nir Menachemi; Exemplary Faculty Service – David Steele; Mission Leadership Award for advancing the mission of the College of Medicine - Dr. Curtis Stine.

The last award, for Outstanding Service and Support by a College of Medicine Staff Member or Group, went to the staff of the Charlotte Edwards Maguire Medical Library. 

First-year resident earns praise

Dr. Fawn Grigsby, a member of the first graduating class at the College of Medicine, was named the outstanding resident of the quarter at All-Children’s Hospital in St. Petersburg in April. Grigsby, originally from LaBelle, is finishing up her first year in the University of South Florida pediatrics residency program. She has an interest in one day practicing pediatrics in a rural, underserved area in Florida.

“Fawn is progressing very nicely, and we are delighted to have her as part of our pediatrics family,’’ said Dr. Lynn Ringenbeg, vice-chair for graduate medical education in the USF department of pediatrics.