School of Medicine honors dozens of students, residents and faculty with annual awards
The UC Davis School of Medicine recently recognized more than 100 students, residents, faculty, and a staff member for their exceptional contributions to the medical school as part of its 2021 annual awards.
“It’s a privilege to recognize these outstanding students, residents, faculty and staff,” said Dean Allison Brashear. “Throughout their time at UC Davis School of Medicine, and especially during the pandemic, they have shown extraordinary commitment to excellence and service to our community.”
The student awards were announced during the School of Medicine’s 50th annual commencement ceremony last month. At the virtual event, 104 graduates earned their Doctor of Medicine degrees.
2021 Student Awards
School of Medicine Medal
Sarah L. Blacher
Golden Goblet Award
Matthew Massie
Eli Benjamini Endowed Fund for Biological Sciences
Sindhu Addepalli
Mary L. Welter
Loren D. Carlson Endowed Scholarship Research Award
Christopher Y. Itoh
Healing Arts Award
Farsam Fraz
Mansoor Ally Memorial Scholarship Award
Rachel A. Caynak
Edward J. Hurley, M.D. Scholarship Fund
Mennatalla S. Hegazi
David Michael Igdaloff, M.D. and Michael Arthur Igdaloff Memorial Scholarship
Pong Xiong
The Johnson Family Scholarship (Irvine Leonell Johnson, Ethel Mildred Cushman Johnson and Marilyn Beverly Johnson Endowed Scholarship Fund)
Arta Gharib Parsa
J.T. Simon Lie, M.D. Memorial Scholarship Award
Mary L. Welter
Helen McConnell Palthe Fellowship Award
Britany R. Lundberg
Kieu-Yen G. Luu
Eve A. Solomon
Jacqueline J. Tasarz
Kailee A. Tougas
James Franklin McManus Scholarship Award
Kendra E. Verga
The Merck Manual Award
Nicole T. Leong
Emily A. Moody
Atrin Toussi
Allan T. Nunn, M.D. Memorial Scholarship
Soo Kyoung Kim
O.M.E. Medical Student Scholarship Award
Simson Hon
Sarah K. Westcott
San Joaquin Valley Prime Endowed Scholarship Award
Lizette Rodriguez
Rena & Gabriel Smilkstein Humanitarian Award
Bisrat K. Woldemichael
Kenneth W. and Phyllis J. Snow Endowed Award in Medicine
Ryan E. Pascua
Alpha Omega Alpha Honor Society, Class of 2021
Sindhu Addepalli
Analucia Barragan
Rachel A. Caynak
Ramandeep K. Dhillon
Mennatalla S. Hegazi
Dayna J. Isaacs
Esther H. Kang
Liliya V. Klimkiv
Nicole T. Leong
Samantha C. Nguyen
Janet Phan
Jacob I. Priester
Alejandro L. Ramirez
Liliana Z. Samano
Cristal M. Suarez
Atrin Toussi
Kendra E. Verga
Mary L. Welter
Sarah K. Westcott
Madelyn R. Wheeler
American Medical Women’s Association Janet M. Glasgow-Rubin Citation for Academic Achievement
Kylie D. Abeson
Sarah L. Blacher
Sindhu Addepalli
Rachel A. Caynak
Dayna J. Isaacs
Liliya V. Klimkiv
Nicole T. Leong
Emily A. Moody
Atrin Toussi
Sarah K. Westcott
The Doctoring Awards
Mona M. Abutouk
Esther H. Kang
Christina M. Lowry
Angelina Mikityuk
Nicholas Jung-Lum Tom
Mary L. Welter
2021 Excellence in Public Health Award by the United States Public Health Service
Harjot S. Virk
2021 Gold Humanism Honor Society
Sindhu Addepalli
Ellen M. Asselin
Roxana Cabrera
Hillary A. Carneal
Farsam Fraz
Enrique Guzman Van Dyken
Betty Hom
Joshua C. Hwang
Dayna J. Isaacs
Esther H. Kang
Liliya V. Klimkiv
Christina M. Lowry
Kieu-Yen G. Luu
Francis Rangel Ventura
Lizette Rodriguez
Faculty Awards
John Tupper, M.D. Prize for Excellence in Teaching
Heike Wulff, Ph.D.
Hibbard Williams Award for Extraordinary Achievement
Sergio Aguilar‐Gaxiola, M.D., Ph.D.
Diana L. Farmer, M.D., FACS, FRCS
Kaiser Foundation Hospitals Annual Awards for Excellence in Teaching
Excellence in Teaching Basic Sciences: Hana Anderson, Ph.D.
Excellence in Teaching Clinical Sciences (Full-time faculty): Shubha Ananthakrishnan, M.D.
Excellence in Teaching Clinical Sciences (Volunteer faculty): Shagufta Yasmeen, M.D.
Outstanding Instructor Awards from the Class of 2021
Basic Sciences Faculty: Colleen Sweeney, Ph.D.
Clinical Sciences (Full-time Faculty): Paul B. Aronowitz, M.D.
Clinical Sciences (Volunteer Faculty): Brenden Tu, M.D., M.S.
Outstanding Teaching Awards Resident Medical Staff
Emergency Medicine
Kavian Toosi, M.D.
Family and Community Medicine
Rosemary Cotter, M.D.
Internal Medicine
Alyssa Milliron, M.D.
Obstetrics and Gynecology
Tali Pomerantz, M.D.
Pediatrics
Shaina Kaye, M.D.
Psychiatry
Hammad Khan, M.D.
Surgery
Kevin Lee, M.D.
Staff Award
Golden Bladder Award from the Class of 2021
Woubejig Shiferaw
Department Awards
Outstanding Medical Student in Anesthesiology and Pain Medicine
Daniel Dinh
Janet Phan
Outstanding Medical Student in Biochemistry
Javid R. Mahmoodi
The Department of Cell Biology and Human Anatomy Barry F. King Memorial Award
Liliya V. Klimkiv
Cristal M. Suarez
Outstanding Medical Student in Dermatology
Sally Madiba
Kendra E. Verga
The Society of Academic Emergency Medicine Award in Excellence
Angelina Mikityuk
Family and Community Medicine Award in Excellence
Kendra E. Verga
Ernest M. Gold, M.D. Awards for Excellence in Internal Medicine
Esther H. Kang
Mary L. Welter
Outstanding Medical Student in Neurology
Rebecca Dutta
Matthew Massie
Christopher Y. Itoh
Outstanding Medical Student in Obstetrics and Gynecology
Farsam Fraz
Outstanding Medical Student in Orthopaedic Surgery
Analucia Barragan
Jacob I. Priester
Award for Excellence in Otolaryngology
Joshua C. Hwang
Robert E. Stowell, M.D., Ph.D. Award for Excellence in Pathology
Brian Park
Crystie Halsted Award for Excellence in Pediatrics
Esther H. Kang
Outstanding Medical Student in Pharmacology
Mary L. Welter
Outstanding Medical Student in Physical Medicine & Rehabilitation
Betty Hom
Peter M. Cala Outstanding Medical Student in Physiology & Membrane Biology
Sarah K. Westcott
Robert E. Hales Award for Excellence in Clinical Psychiatry
Jacqueline J. Tasarz
Hailee A. Tougas
Award for Excellence in Public Health Sciences
Dayna J. Isaacs
The Heineman Award for Excellence in Pulmonary & Critical Care Medicine
Esther H. Kang
Outstanding Medical Student in Surgery Award
Sarah Mahdavi
Rural PRIME Outstanding Medical Student Award
Roxana Cabrera
SJV PRIME Outstanding Medical Student Award
Amanda Panh
Teach-MS Outstanding Medical Student Award
Esther H. Kang