VCU School of Medicine announces 2005 Faculty Excellence Awards

VCU’s School of Medicine presented its seventh annual Faculty Excellence Awards at an Oct 12 ceremony and reception.

Robert F. Diegelmann, Ph.D., professor of biochemistry and molecular biophysics and surgery, received the top honor — the faculty teaching excellence award, which honors extraordinary accomplishments in all aspects of education. Diegelmann, who has taught biochemistry for nearly 35 years, specializes in tissue repair and wound care.

“While there are many extraordinary teachers, many who also serve as mentors for individuals and some of whom may even impact a group of students or graduating class, few if any have the opportunity to influence an entire field and have achieved the level of success Bob Diegelmann has,” said Robert S. Kirsner, M.D., Ph.D., of the University of Miami Miller School of Medicine.

The Irby-James Award for Excellence in Clinical Teaching was awarded to Alpha “Berry” A. Fowler III, M.D., in recognition of superior teaching in clinical medicine taught in the last two years of medical school and residency training — an increasingly complicated and challenging environment.

Fowler, chair of the division of pulmonary and critical medicine, has been repeatedly voted Outstanding Teacher, Best Faculty Attending and Best Faculty Teacher by third-year medical students and residents.

“Although he is a superb lecturer, his passion and unique expertise is in teaching clinical medicine at the bedside,” wrote colleague and Professor of Medicine Curtis N. Sessler, M.D. “He has an innate ability to unravel complex clinical problems and make perfect sense of complicated concepts – and make it interesting. He guides the young clinician through the process, requiring that they think it through and not merely be fed the answers. And he cares deeply about his patients and they, in turn, trust, admire and love him.”

Two professors received distinguished mentor awards, which recognize significant contributions to the career development of others, including colleagues, residents, fellows and students. Roland N. Pittman, Ph.D., received the Distinguished Mentor in Basic Sciences Award, and David X. Cifu, M.D., received the Distinguished Mentor in Clinical Sciences Award.

Pittman, professor of physiology, has been a VCU faculty member for 30 years, and is known as much for his sense of humor as for his unfathomable knowledge of physiology, mathematics and physics. He is the principal investigator of a research team at the VCU Reanimation Engineering Shock Center, VCURES, that received a $1.9 million grant from the National Institutes of Health earlier this year. The team is studying how oxygen is transported by the tiniest blood vessels during severe hemorrhage and resuscitation.

“His profound knowledge in physiology, mathematics and physics, great research experience, ability to clearly and simply explain the most complicated problems, always-friendly attitude and great sense of humor compose the cement that holds the lab together,” said Aleksander S. Golub, Ph.D., an associate professor in the Department of Physiology.

The other distinguished mentor award recipient, Cifu, is the Herman Flax Chair of the Department of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation. He received the Distinguished Mentor in Clinical Sciences Award. His students and colleagues commend his steadfast encouragement, confidence and influence.

“With the benefit of David’s leadership, our physical medicine and rehabilitation reputation has risen steadily to the highest rank nationally,” wrote colleague Jeffrey S. Kreutzer, Ph.D. “There is no doubt that David’s mentoring abilities have strengthened the qualifications of individual faculty members and the department as a team.”

J. Dennis Hoban, Ed.D., received the Educational Research Award. Hoban, director of education research, has boosted the school’s prominence nationally in the area of research.

“He has mentored and fostered so many faculty that we have recently been noted nationally for having some of the best educational research available,” said Associate Dean for Admissions Cynthia M. Heldberg. “Our presence at national meetings has been unmatched by any school in the south.”

The Leonard Tow Humanism in Medicine Award was given to Linda J. Abbey, M.D.

Abbey, director of VCU’s House Calls program, works with both nurse practitioners and physicians to provide care and to educate medical students and residents on the importance of in-home care.

“She practices medicine in an unrushed manner that has been abandoned by today’s typical, busy, office-based practitioner,” said Betty Anne Johnson, M.D., Ph.D., professor of medicine. “In fact, she has made it clear that she does not want a higher salary, as this would mean that she would have less time to spend with each patient, thus diminishing the quality of care that she provides and robbing her of the joy and fulfillment that she receives in her day-to-day encounters with patients.”

Ann S. Fulcher, M.D., received the Women in Science, Dentistry & Medicine Professional Achievement Award. Chairman of the department of radiology at VCU’s School of Medicine, Fulcher is not only the medical center’s youngest chairperson, she’s also the school’s only woman chair of a clinical department.

“Ann embodies all of the qualities that this unique award recognizes,” said Cecelia H. Boardman, M.D., associate professor of gynecologic oncology. “Her support of her peers, staff and faculty outside of her own department as a mentor and role model has helped many women faculty navigate the challenging waters of academic medicine.”

James L. Levenson, M.D., a professor of psychiatry, surgery and medicine, was named the 2005 Distinguished Clinician. Levenson also serves as chairman of the division of Consultation-Liaison Psychiatry at VCU.

“Gentle passion for psychiatry and medicine is an outstanding characteristic of Dr. Levenson’s teaching and clinical work,” wrote his colleagues, in nominating him for the award. “He communicates a deep respect for the patients, faculty and house staff he encounters. This gentle passion, coupled with his excellent sense of humor and incredible knowledge of medicine and psychiatry and his love of clinical care all allow him to achieve excellence as an educator/clinician.”

Nearly 100 Outstanding Departmental and Outstanding Teaching awards also were handed out during the ceremony.