News

December 2007 - Holiday Gathering

This year's Department of Internal Medicine annual holiday gathering was held in The Anlyan Center lobby on Thursday, December 13. It was quite a success despite the inclement weather!

This year, faculty and staff were asked to bring a new, unwrapped toy for the Toy Closet program at Yale-New Haven Hospital. This program was developed to provide age-appropriate and educational toys to pediatric patients at the Yale-New Haven Children's Hospital. Pictured above with the generous donations are: Dr. Jack Elias, Chair of Internal Medicine; Amy Sison, Coordinator for Faculty and Postdoctoral Affairs; Jonathan Tamir, Associate Chair of Finance and Administration.

July 2007 – Yale Medal Presented to Alumni

Samuel D. Kushlan, MD

Five Yale University alumni have been selected by the Association of Yale Alumni (AYA) to receive the Yale Medal in 2007.

This year's recipients are Victor E. Chears, Dr. Samuel D. Kushlan, John E. Pepper Jr., Jon E. Steffensen and Vera F. Wells.

The Yale Medal is the highest award presented by the AYA and recognizes outstanding individual service to the University. Since its inception in 1952, the Yale Medal has been presented to 262 individuals...

Kushlan, a 1932 alumnus of Yale College, has been a volunteer and alumni leader for the Yale School of Medicine, where he earned his M.D. in 1935. Kushlan has taught residents, medical students and physicians voluntarily at the School of Medicine for over 50 years. At age 95 he continues to attend "morning report" of Yale-New Haven Hospital's Department of Medicine, where one of the services bears his name. He also established Merit Awards for the Medical House Staff and Digestive Disease Fellows. In addition, Kushlan has volunteered his time and resources to create a Capital Visiting Professorship in Gastroenterology.

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June 2007 – Traditional Residency Program Awards to Faculty and Staff Presented during Graduation Ceremony

Housestaff Teacher of the Year Award for Attending Faculty at Yale – John McArdle, MD, Assistant Professor of Medicine (Section of Pulmonary & Critical Care)

The Asghar Rastegar Award for Teacher of the Year at the VA – John Moriarty, MD, Assistant Professor of Medicine (General Medicine)

Stephen R. Shell Award – Isaac Hall, MD (PGY III)

For uncompromising commitment to General Internal Medicine and to the best interest of patients.

Frederick L. Sachs Award – Scott Heysell, MD and Johnny Kim, MD

For possessing those attributes of the heart and mind that best exemplify the dedication to learning and empathy towards patients.

Samuel D. Kushlan Award – Meyeon Park, MD (PGY I) and Tannaz Moin, MD (PDY II)

For contributing most to patient care at Yale-New Haven Hospital.

June 2007 – Primary Care Residency Program Awards to Residents, Faculty and Staff Presented during Graduation Ceremony

George Thornton Community Teacher of the Year Award – Raymond Wong, MD, Assistant Clinical Professor of Medicine

Dr. George Thornton, former Chief of Medicine at Waterbury Hospital, was a founder of the Yale Primary Care Residency Program. An international leader in Infectious Disease, he was recognized by the Housestaff and by his colleagues as an outstanding clinician and educator. He championed the role of community hospitals in patient care and in graduate medical education. In our Program, he was instrumental in initiating office-based rotations. Dr. Thornton died in 1994. In honor of his commitment to the community and to community-based education, this award is given to a member of the community-teaching faculty.

Hospital-Based Teacher of the Year Award – JoAnn Cosgriff, MD, Assistant Clinical Professor of Medicine and Marc Ciampi, MD, Assistant Clinical Professor of Medicine

An annual award has been established to acknowledge the contribution of the hospital-based faculty member who has contributed most to the education of the housestaff.

John W. Bracket Award – Carla Casulo, MD (PGY III) and Stephen Holt, MD (PGY III)

Dr. John Brackett has been an important influence in the Primary Care Residency Program since its establishment. A pulmononologist, ethicist, and outstanding clinician, he has been a role model for a generation of physicians. This award honors the Resident, selected by his or her colleagues, who best exemplifies Dr. Brackett’s outstanding teaching abilities.

Gary Vernon Ralph “Humanism in Medicine” Award -- Kevin Baran, MD (PGY III) and Mark Simone, MD (PGY III)

Dr. Gary Ralph, a native of Waterbury, was a graduate of Fairfield University and the University of Connecticut School of Medicine. He became a member of the Primary Care Housestaff in 1992. Gary died during his second year of residency. Everyone who knew Gary came to recognize his compassion and genuine empathy for his patients, colleagues, and all members of the community. Gary wanted to contribute to the profession and to the community that he felt had given so much to him. This award was established to acknowledge Gary’s contributions to the Primary Care Residency Program and to recognize the Resident who carries on his spirit. Gary’s family is informed of the recipient each year.

Intern of the Year Award -- Jorge Augusto Galvez Delgado, MD (PGY I)

Clinical Support Recognition Award -- Lori Williams and Beverly De Santo

In recognition of the outstanding contributions of the office and clinical staff to the education of Residents in the Yale Primary Care Training and Medicine/Pediatrics Residency Programs, the Housestaff select a member of the support staff to receive this appreciation award.

June 2007 – Department of Medicine Faculty Awards

Clinical Award – Mark Siegel, MD

The Clinical Award recognizes an outstanding clinician who has had significant impact on the care of patients in his/her field. The candidate must be full-time faculty within the first 15 years of his/her initial appointment as Assistant Professor.

Dr. Siegel is Associate Professor in the Section of Pulmonary and Critical Care, and the Director of the MICU. He attends several months annually in this unit, spending an inordinate about of time caring for some of the most complex patients. As Director of the MICU, he has initiated a number of quality improvement strategies, which have made this unit a model of excellence in the hospital. Additionally, Dr. Siegel is an outstanding teacher, having been recognized as such by the housestaff with the Department Teaching Award.

Education Award – Majid Sadigh, MD

Dr. Sadigh

The Education Award identifies an outstanding educator and innovator who has had a significant impact on the educational aspect of the Department. The candidate must be full-time faculty within the first 15 years of his/her appointment.

Dr. Sadigh is Associate Professor in the Section of General Medicine and is considered a master clinician and teacher. Evaluations by students and residents praise him for his devotion to his patients. He is a recognized teacher on the national and international level, having been recognized by both the American College of Physicians and the Infectious Society of America. In the past year, he has developed an innovative collaboration between Yale and Makere School of Medicine in Uganda to improve the education of residents and students in both institutions. This site will host more than 30 Yale residents, students, and faculty in the coming year.

Research Award – Jonathan Bogan, MD

The research award acknowledges an outstanding research physician whose work promises a highly successful career, as evidenced by its significance, grant support, and the impact of his/her publications. The candidate must be full-time faculty within the first 5 years of his/her appointment.

Dr. Bogan is Assistant Professor in the Section of Endocrinology. His research is central to understanding the metabolic action of insulin in glucose transport through regulation of GLUT4. He described the first of the proteins – TUG – that regulates GLUT4 trafficking to the membrane. His latest research has focused on molecular mechanism of insulin action on this novel protein. His work has been published by such high impact journals as Nature and Journal of Biological Chemistry, and he is the recent recipient of the prestigious Distinguished Young Scholar in Medical Research Award from the W.M. Keck Foundation.

May 2007 – School of Medicine Commencement Awards to Faculty and Housestaff

Faculty and residents of the Department of Medicine received the majority of the awards given by the graduating class this year. This is a reflection of the continued commitment of this department to the education of students. Congratulations to the winners!

Bohmfalk Prize – Fred Gorelick, MD, Professor of Medicine (Section of Digestive Disease) and Professor of Cell Biology

Established in 1989 under the terms of the Alice Bohmfalk Charitable Trust. Prestigious prizes awarded annually to individuals who have made outstanding contributions to the teaching program, one in the basic sciences and one in the clinical sciences, as judged by the faculty and students.

The Leonard Tow Humanism in Medicine Award Presented by The Arnold P. Gold Foundation – Majid Sadigh, MD, Associate Professor of Medicine (General Medicine)

Established in 1998 to honor the faculty member who demonstrates the highest standard of compassion and sensitivity in his or her interaction with patients.

The Leah M. Lowenstein Award – Vincent Quagliarello, MD, Professor of Medicine (Section of Infectious Disease)

Presented annually by the Office for Women in Medicine and by the graduating class, to that member of the faculty who most clearly represents the highest degree of excellence in the promotion of humane and egalitarian medical education.

The Betsy Winters House Staff Ward – Damani Piggott, MD, Med/Peds Resident

Established by the Fourth Year Class and presented annually to that member of the House Staff of the Yale-New Haven Medical Center, designated by the Fourth Year Class, who has made the most significant contribution to the education of medical students.

The Alvan R. Feinstein Award – Leo Cooney, MD, Professor of Medicine (Section of Geriatrics)

Presented to a Yale School of Medicine faculty member chosen as the outstanding teaching of the year of clinical skills by a committee of chairs of the clinical departments, associate chairs and students.