Distinguished Educator Award

Excellence in Teaching is defined as use of scholarly teaching approaches to foster the knowledge, skills, and values necessary for students to succeed in an evolving healthcare environment.  An excellent teacher demonstrates subject area expertise and enthusiasm for the teaching process while using self-reflection and peer-assessment to promote continuous professional development.

Commitment to Students is defined as dedication to student learning and success exhibited during formal and informal teaching and mentoring interactions.  The committed educator is intentional in creating opportunities for student growth and advocates to optimize the student learning experience.

Supporting Student Engagement involves the development of relevant teaching and learning experiences that empower students to invest in their own learning. Individuals who support student engagement establish clinical context for learning, instill interest and passion in the topic, and provide continuous opportunities for dialog and student interactions.

Valuing Inclusive Learning Environments indicates that the educator has a commitment to treating students equitably while remaining sensitive to factors that influence individual student learning. In an inclusive learning environment, all students feel supported intellectually and academically, and are extended a sense of belonging in the learning environment.  Individuals demonstrating inclusivity seek out multiple viewpoints and welcome diversity of thoughts and ideas.

Demonstrating Integrity and Respect indicates that the educator is trustworthy, reliable, and encourages open and honest communication with students.  This individual incorporates these approaches in all aspects of their teaching, including formal and informal interactions.

Distinguished Service Award

Commitment to Service, Outreach, and Community Engagement indicates that the individual or team shows a consistent and ongoing contribution to the health and welfare of the college, the profession, and/or society.  This individual or team works collaboratively to build, sustain, and/or promote efforts that address issues affecting the well-being of the target population.

Critical Community Needs are defined as those resources or services needed by a community that are integral to the health and welfare of its population.  This individual or team has a sustained track record of identifying and/or addressing critical community needs through collaborative partnerships.

Student Engagement is defined as involving student learners in service and philanthropic activities that seek to impact the health and wellness of a population.  This individual or team has a sustained track record of actively incorporating students into the development, implementation, and/or promotion of service activities.

Supporting the Medically Underserved is defined as emphasizing service activities which target the needs of individuals with health disparities, including marginalized communities, communities of color, and communities with lower average incomes.  This individual or team has a sustained track record of partnering with community members to define needs and identify approaches to addressing health inequities.

Research activities include planning, designing, and implementing research studies and/or research grant/funding applications. Research activities may also include participation/acting as a mentor in the ACOM summer research program, participation in the SHAREs colloquium, journal clubs, or volunteering as a mentor and/or judge for Science Fair or other research-related community outreach activities. Consideration of excellence should be given for leadership in research projects, enthusiasm for research activities, and inclusion/collaboration between departments and/or students.

Scholarship may include abstracts, poster presentations, podium presentations, invited talks, books, book chapters, blog posts, grant applications, and peer-reviewed journal articles. Consideration of excellence may be given for authorship (first or last author), number of scholarly activities, submitted grants, funded grants, and impact of meeting (regional, national, international) or journal (rated by impact factor).

Student mentorship can include acting as a principal investigator (PI) on a student-driven project, mentoring students in the ACOM summer research program, acting as a preceptor for the ACOM (or other) research elective, regardless of authorship status. Guidance on study design manuscripts, presentation or journal club practice, statistics, and literature searches are also considered student mentorship, even if these activities do not result in authorship. Consideration of excellence may include significance of involvement, number of projects/ideas mentored, time spent with students, and outcome of mentorship activities.

Integrity, service, passion, and excellence encompass all of the above with activities that demonstrate enthusiasm, responsible and ethical conduct of research, willingness to mentor students, staff, and faculty, and pride in the research work. Excellence is considered for activities that ensure research compliance, uphold ACOM core values, and promote scholarly integrity and high research standards.

Distinguished Staff

Demonstrating Integrity and Respect indicates that the staff member is trustworthy, reliable, and encourages open and honest communication.  This individual incorporates these approaches in all interactions with colleagues and students.

Support and Engagement is defined as working with students and/or colleagues to achieve a common goal or task in an effective and efficient manner.  Staff members receiving this award demonstrate an exemplary work ethic, seeking out opportunities to contribute to the growth and/or effectiveness of the College.

Collaborative staff members work constructively and respectfully with individuals or teams from various backgrounds, making compromises, building consensus in decision-making, assuming shared responsibility for work, and valuing the opinions and contributions of individual team members.

Innovative ideas include contributions to projects that enhance the process or impact of institutional efforts.  Individuals receiving this award are problem-solvers and seek out unique approaches to achieve shared goals. The recipient identifies areas of need, explores opportunities for improvement, and promotes appropriate change.

Collaboration Award

Positive Impact is defined as the teamwork that results in the continued growth and/or effectiveness of the College, healthcare system, or community.   Recipients of this award can demonstrate observable benefits and/or measurable achievements clearly linked to the efforts of the team.

Effective Relationships are evident within the team through demonstrations of mutual respect among team members.  Members practice open and honest communication, with all individuals contributing to decision-making.  Effective relationships may also be demonstrated through the team’s relationships with other stakeholders.

Cooperation is defined as the ability to work constructively and respectfully with individuals or teams from various backgrounds, making compromises, building consensus in decision-making, assuming shared responsibility for collaborative work, and valuing the opinions and contributions of individual team members.  Cooperation may be demonstrated by examples within the team or through the team’s relationships with other stakeholders.

Teamwork is the ability of a team to achieve a common goal or task in an effective and efficient manner.  Effective teamwork requires clear understanding of individual roles by all team members, investment in shared goals, ability to work cohesively, effective and efficient communication, and the ability of members to anticipate and meet each other’s needs.  Effective teamwork inspires confidence through positive outcomes, resulting from a coordinated collective action.

Student Advocate

Commitment to Student Success is demonstrated through sustained efforts to provide the highest quality experience for medical students, whether in the teaching environment or other aspects of students’ academic lives.  Individuals receiving this award are devoted to continuously improving the experiences of students while creating processes that enhance student achievement.

Contributing to Student Welfare and Enrichment involves providing relevant experiences that empower students to invest in their own learning. Individuals receiving this award promote physical and emotional support of students while also attending to intellectual growth.  These individuals often provide time outside of their regular schedules to support the needs of students.

Student Guidance and Support is defined as the academic, emotional, and physical resources needed to successfully navigate the challenges of medical school.  This individual initiates connections with students, anticipates student needs, and celebrates student successes.  Though this individual may provide specific resources, guidance and support may also be demonstrated through mentorship and dedicated time.

Outstanding physician educators use teaching approaches that foster the knowledge, skills, and values necessary for students to succeed in an evolving healthcare environment. The recipients of this award demonstrate commitment to the education of future physicians through sharing clinical insights, role modeling professional behaviors, and promoting a positive learning environment.

Commitment to excellence in clinical education is demonstrated through sustained efforts to provide the highest quality educational experience for medical students. Individuals who are committed to excellence pursue opportunities for professional growth, seek out best practices in teaching, and use innovative approaches to meet the needs of students. These individuals are receptive to feedback and consistently pursue ways to improve student learning.

Role models are preceptors who showcase the knowledge, attitudes, and skills of a physician professional. These individuals demonstrate strong clinical expertise, model and articulate clinical decision-making, and manifest positive characteristics consistent with professional standards. The recipient of this award is respected by peers and students and sets an example for professionalism.

Andrew Taylor Still Distinguished Preceptor

Supporting student growth and exposure to osteopathic principles and practice is defined as facilitating opportunities for students to expand understanding of principles of osteopathic medicine.  The individual receiving this award embraces the unique skills of the osteopathic physician and is dedicated to promoting continuous student learning.

Facilitating student practice includes supporting both formal and informal opportunities to explore the practice of integrating the principles of osteopathic medicine and/or osteopathic manipulative techniques in a wide range of cases.

Incorporating osteopathic principles and techniques includes intentional integration of osteopathic concepts and therapies within learning experiences across the rotation. Individuals who fulfill this need may or may not be osteopathic physicians but consistently demonstrate a willingness to learn and explore osteopathic principles to promote continuous student learning.