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Annual Faculty Awards

The University of South Carolina School of Medicine Greenville values the efforts and contributions of its high caliber faculty. Each year we recognize outstanding faculty for their teaching, research, mentoring, and other contributions that further the mission of the School of Medicine Greenville. Award information and nomination guidelines are available below.

Faculty Award Nomination Form

Please submit your Faculty Award nominations via this form. Each award will require a separate submission. 
Emailed submissions will not be accepted.

 

Dean’s Award 

The Dean’s Award recognizes individuals who demonstrate excellence, commitment, and outstanding contributions to the mission and vision of the medical school and/or advance one or more strategic initiatives that make measurable progress in achieving our primary institutional goals. 

We prepare physicians committed to improving the health and wellness of your family and your community through creative teaching, innovative research, and quality clinical care. 

Cultivate a culture of curiosity and commitment to others to transform the health and wellness of communities.  

  • Promote lifelong learning 
  • Drive innovation 
  • Enhance recognition 
  • Foster an inclusive environment  
  • Educate students who are advocates for transforming healthcare delivery and who embrace lifelong learning. 
  • Drive innovation in teaching, research, patient care and community wellness. 

  • Accelerate national recognition for our: 

    • Creative education 
    • Research that impacts patient care 
    • Innovative multidisciplinary approach to care delivery
    • Lasting impact on our community. 
  • Foster an inclusive environment that welcomes each individual’s unique experiences. 
  • Sustain financial health by mastering operational efficiency while maintaining quality programs. 

Inclusive Excellence Award 

The Inclusive Excellence Award recognizes one faculty member who demonstrates an enduring dedication to address and mitigate outmoded perspectives and practices, welcomes and honors differences in background, identity, and viewpoint, and advocates for inclusive excellence in alignment with the mission and vision of the School of Medicine Greenville. Possible achievements include implementing a project or program which has enhanced the climate of inclusivity at the School of Medicine or advocated for addressing health disparities, or improved access to person-centered health care. This may include initiatives to promote an environment in which the faculty, staff and student body truly reflect the demographics of our local communities, to promote an inclusive campus climate, to address health disparities through teaching, research, clinical interventions or community outreach, and/or to promote other aspects of inclusive excellence. 

  • Extent to which the nominee's activities have promoted a learning community that is welcoming, supportive, and nurturing of human differences, including but not limited to cultural, ethnic, racial, class, religious, gender, sexual orientation, ability, and language preference. 
  • Evidence that the nominee demonstrates commitment to the principles of diversity through development of an/or engagement in activities that promote inclusion and respect for diverse racial, cultural, ethnic, and other differences.
  • Evidence that the nominee has served as an advocate for the interests of historically excluded and under-represented populations and has led efforts aimed at improving representation on campus. 
  • Nomination materials provide sufficient evidence to demonstrate that the nominee has excelled in one or more of the following:  
    • actively enhanced the recruitment and retention of students, faculty, and staff who reflect the demographics of our local communities
    • engaged in and/or supported innovative curriculum and program development that incorporates communities of difference  
    • advanced inclusive excellence through the pursuit of academic research and scholarship and/or supporting research endeavors 
    • developed experiential immersive learning that expands self-awareness, cultural humility and competence, and personal responsibility to social justice   
    • pursued grants/funding and/or supported the development/implementation of grants/funding that advances inclusive excellence
    • advised individual students or student organizations and created pathways to success for historically excluded and marginalized populations
    • demonstrably adopted clinical practices integrating knowledge of difference to provide person-centered care and/or improves access to care that was limited due to difference
    • led or engaged in activities to change systems and structures at the institutional level (e.g. institutional, policy, procedure, practice, curriculum, etc.) in an effort to advance inclusive excellence and create a welcoming and supportive learning community 

LeadinG Through Change Award 

The LeadinG (Lead-in-SOM-Greenville) Through Change award recognizes one faculty member who consistently exceeds expectations and demonstrates optimism and adaptability in the face of adversity. This faculty member demonstrates transformative leadership by empowering others and facilitating change within the School of Medicine Greenville. Additionally, the recipient provides encouragement to all and delivers outcomes which directly progress the mission of School of Medicine Greenville. Activities encompassed by the award may be outstanding singular accomplishments beyond the context of his/her/their current role or emerging or innovative leadership initiatives across units.

  • Extent to which the nominee’s activities have demonstrated exemplary adaptability, such as making adjustments to the COVID-19 pandemic, beyond those expected of all faculty and/or staff members. 
  • Evidence that the nominee has engaged in activities to change systems and structures at the program, department, or institutional level (e.g. policy, procedure, tradition, curriculum, etc.) in response to challenges that require agile, adaptive responses. 
  • Evidence that the nominee has a record of leadership skills development, and/or leadership training to nurture the leadership development of others. 
  • Nomination materials provide sufficient evidence to demonstrate that the nominee has excelled in one or more of the following areas:  
    • Building relationships
    • Developing synergies across people, departments, programs, etc.
    • Enhancing operational activities  
    • Leveraging appropriate leadership approaches (e.g. transformational, servant, etc.) to   move the SOMG forward 

Golden Peach Excellence in Education Award

The Golden Peach Award for Excellence in Education recognizes faculty members deemed to have most demonstrated excellence in education in the biomedical sciences curriculum, integrated practice of medicine curriculum, M3-M4 curriculum, or GME/Residency curriculum.  Such excellence may be exhibited through a combination of effective classroom teaching and/or small-group teaching, development of curricula or educational media, scholarly activity related to education, fostering student motivation, development, and independent learning, or other achievements. Documentation of such achievements may include student ratings of instruction, peer evaluations of teaching, recognized improvement in learning outcomes, implementation of curricula or educational media, dissemination of the results of scholarly activities related to education, and other sources of evidence.

Three awards will be conferred, one each for excellence in pre-clinical teaching, clinical teaching, and residency/GME teaching.

  • Extent to which the nominee’s activities have demonstrated successful implementation of current best practices for teaching and learning. 
  • Evidence that the nominee has engaged in activities to change systems and structures (e.g. policy, procedure, tradition, curriculum, etc.) to advance teaching and learning. 
  • Evidence that the nominee has a consistent record of building upon established best practices and/or creatively innovating to enhance student learning. 
  • Nomination materials provide sufficient evidence to demonstrate that the nominee has excelled in one or more of the following:
    • Seeking additional knowledge of current best practices for teaching and learning above  and beyond that expected of faculty.
    • Activities such as collaborative teaching and learning innovations.
    • Scholarly activity in the area of teaching and learning.
    • Recognition at the regional and/or national level for innovation in teaching and   learning. 

Faculty Research Awards

The Faculty Research Awards recognize individuals whose productive scholarly activity makes important contributions to their respective fields, the reputation of the shared academic health system, and the quality of education and/or total health care provided by Prisma Health. Such contributions may be exemplified through a sustained program of research, acquisition of resources for scholarship, partnerships and collaborations, dissemination of scholarly work(s), and/or recognized impact of the research on educational and/or health outcomes. 

  • The Clinical Research Award recognizes one physician faculty member for their contributions to clinical and patient care research.
  • The Bench to Bedside Award recognizes one basic sciences or physician faculty member whose research focuses on highly applicable basic to translational research.
  • The Community-Based/Partner Research Award recognizes one basic sciences or physician faculty member whose research focuses on epidemiology, biostatistics, and/or lifestyle medicine. 
  • Extent to which the nominee’s activities have made an important contribution to their respective field, the reputation of the shared academic health system, or the quality of education and/or total health care provided by SOMG/Prisma Health.  
  • Evidence that the nominee has engaged learners, residents, or fellows in activities to advance their research capabilities. 
  • Extent to which the nominee’s scholarly activities have earned recognition at the regional and/or national level. 
  • Nomination materials provide sufficient evidence to demonstrate that the nominee has excelled in one or more of the following:
    • Making specific scholarly contributions to clinical and patient care research.
    • Making specific scholarly contributions to highly applicable basic to translational research.
    • Making specific scholarly contributions in the fields of epidemiology, biostatistics, and/or lifestyle medicine.
    • Scholarly activity that furthers the mission of the SOMG and/or Prisma Health.  

Outstanding Mentor Awards

Outstanding Student Mentor Award (BMS and Clinical)
Outstanding GME Mentor Award (Clinical)
Outstanding Faculty Mentor Award (BMS and Clinical)

The Outstanding Mentor Awards recognize biomedical and clinical science faculty members who exemplify excellence in mentoring others. This award acknowledges the time, sacrifice, and dedication faculty mentors devote to fostering the career development and advancement of learners (of students – Outstanding Student Mentor Award, of resident/fellows – Outstanding GME Mentor Award) and of other faculty members (Outstanding Faculty Mentor Award) in the areas of research, education, service, and/or clinical practice. Faculty mentors selected for this award demonstrate a continued commitment to fostering the intellectual, creative, scholarly, and professional development of their mentees.

  • Extent to which the nominee serves as a role model for learners and other faculty by maintaining high standards for excellence in their own discipline and the greater institution. 
  • Extent to which the nominee has imparted guidance and expertise, and generously shared their time in encouraging and critiquing the mentee’s research, teaching, clinical, and/or scholarly works.
  • Extent to which the nominee involves mentee(s) in networking activities with other professionals and makes others aware of the contributions and value of their mentee(s).
  • Nomination materials provide sufficient evidence to demonstrate that the nominee has excelled in one or more of the following:
    • helping the mentee achieve excellence in teaching (e.g., classroom, bedside, and/or laboratory teaching/supervising; teaching awards; recommendations from trainees)
    • supporting the mentee with engaging in service on intramural and extramural   committees, community endeavors, volunteer/pro bono work, clinical directorship roles, etc.
    • helping the mentee develop as a researcher; guiding them on presentations and publications; and assisting them with the preparation of federal, industry-sponsored, or  investigator-initiated grants
    • helping the mentee develop clinical expertise by appropriately guiding them through patient care experiences that challenge their growth as a future physician and/or STEM  or health profession.
    • helping to create a robust mentoring experience that supports the mission of the SOMG and/or Prisma Health

Wellbeing Champion Award

Awarded to a faculty member who has made a significant impact on improving the wellbeing of other individuals in their department, their department more broadly, the medical school, and/or the health system. The recipient of this award will be an individual who creates a positive and supportive environment that empowers others in the organization to be their best.

  • The recipient of this award will have demonstrated one or more of the following:
    • Advocacy and/or actions taken on behalf of other faculty and/or trainees to improve the wellbeing of those individuals
    • Improving the practice or training environment in a way that improves the lives of faculty/clinicians and/or learners
    • Implementing systems changes that enhance faculty/clinician and/or learner wellbeing
    • Fostering a community of wellbeing
    • Please include relevant metrics of success and describe the impact the nominee has made.

Community Health Service Award

This award recognizes a faculty member who has provided exceptional outreach to the community, made significant contributions to improving community health, and/or provided leadership to professional organizations or university governance.

  • The recipient will have demonstrated one or more of the following::  
    • Community service, including service that improves the health status of a specific community or target population
    • Professional service, including recognized leadership in health-related organizations
    • Exceptional service within the University or health system, whether at the department, school, or University level
    • Please include relevant metrics of success and describe the impact the nominee has made.

Past Awards Recipients

Inclusive Excellence Award

  • Frank A. Clark, M.D., DFAPA, ACPsych

LeadinG Through Change Award

  • Matthew Bitter, M.D., MEd, FACEP

Golden Peach Excellence in Pre-Clinical Education Award

  • Renee Chosed, Ph.D.

Golden Peach Excellence in Clinical Education Award

  • Sarah Farris, M.D.

Golden Peach Excellence in Residency/GME Education Award

  • Caroline S. Astemborski, M.D., MEHP

Clinical Faculty Research Award

  • Sudha Garimella, M.D., FAAP

Outstanding Mentor Award - BMS

  • Jennnifer T. Grier, Ph.D.

Outstanding Mentor Award - Clinical Faculty

  • Sudha Garimella, M.D., FAAP

Dean's Award

  • Thomas I. Nathaniel, Ph.D., FWSO, FAHA

 

Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Award

  • Dr. Lisa J. Green, M.D., MPH

LeadinG Through Change Award

  • Dr. Prerana Jain Roth, M.D. 

Golden Peach Excellence in Pre-Clinical Education Award

  • Dr. Alison Huppmann, M.D.

Golden Peach Excellence in Clinical Education Award

  • Dr. Veeral M. Oza, M.D., Excellence in Clinical Education

Golden Peach Excellence in Residency/GME Education Award

  • Dr. Megan W. Zappitelli, M.D.

Bench to Bedside Faculty Research Award

  • Dr. Jason L. Guichard, M.D., Ph.D.

Outstanding Mentor Award - Clinical Faculty

  • Dr. Blakely Amati, M.D.
  • Dr. Anna V. Blenda, Ph.D.

Dean's Award

  • Dr. Renee J Chosed, Ph.D.

Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Award

  • Dr. Ann Blair Kennedy, LMT, BCTMB, DrPH 

LeadinG Through Change Award

  • Dr. Anand Pariyadath, MD

Golden Peach Excellence in Pre-Clinical Education Award

  • Dr. Mohammed Khalil, DVM, MSEd, PhD

Golden Peach Excellence in Residency/GME Education Award

  • Dr. Mary Blumer, MD

Bench to Bedside Faculty Research Award

  • Dr. Anna Blenda, PhD

Outstanding Mentor Award - Clinical Faculty

  • Dr. Camiron Pfennig-Bass, MD, MHPE

Link to 2020 Faculty Award Video

Dean's Award 

  • Staff:  Dr. Julie Linton
  • BMS:  Dr. Renee Chosed
  • Clinical:  Dr. John Absher

Golden Peach Award

  • M1:  Dr. Anna Blenda
  • M2:  Dr. Kirk Baston
  • Clinical:
    Dr. Page Bridges
    Dr. Sandip Jain
    Dr. Joy Shen-Wagner

Leading Through Crisis Award

  • Staff: April Brown
  • BMS: Dr. Thomas Nathaniel
  • Clinical: Dr. Arwen Declan

Outstanding Mentor Award

  • BMS: Dr. William Roudebush
  • Clinical: Dr. Chris Troup

Outstanding Scholar Award

  • BMS:  Dr. Mohammed Khalil
  • Clinical:  Dr. Phillip Moschella

Outstanding Junior Scholar Award

  • Dr. Jennifer Grier

Outstanding Service Award

  • Staff:  Casey Wiley
  • BMS:  Dr. Lauren Fowler
  • Clinical:
    Dr. Mark O’Rourke
    Shannon Sternberg
    Dr. Dustin Morrow

Outstanding Clinical Role Model Award

  • Dr. Anu Nagar

Volunteer Faculty Appreciation Award

  • Dr. Mary Hughes

Conscious Leadership Award

  • Theresa Baultrippe (Office of Academic Affairs)
  • Meenu Jindal, MD (Medicine)

Golden Peach, Biomedical Sciences Education

  • Shanna Williams, PhD (Biomedical Sciences)
  • Lauren Fowler, PhD (Biomedical Sciences)

Golden Peach, Integrated Practice of Medicine Education

  • Chelsea Burgin, MD (Family Medicine-Emergency Medicine)
  • Dustin Morrow, MD (Emergency Medicine)

Golden Peach, M3/M4 Clinical Education

  • Christy Lee, MD (Obstetrics-Gynecology)
  • Sanjeev Sivakumar, MD (Neurology)
  • Aniel Rao, MD (Medicine)
  • Gretchen Coady, MD (Medicine-Pediatrics)

Outstanding Mentor Award

  • Ann Blair Kennedy, DrPH (Biomedical Sciences)
  • Frank Clark, MD (Psychiatry)
  • Mary Rippon, MD (Surgery)

Outstanding Scholar Award

  • Alain Litwin, MD (Medicine)

Young Investigator Award

  • Renee Chosed, PhD (Biomedical Sciences)

Outstanding Service Award

  • Anne Green Buckner (Office of Academic Affairs)
  • Molly Benedum, MD (Family Medicine)

Outstanding Clinical Role Model Award

  • Matt Grisham, MD (Pediatrics)
  • Steve Connelly, MD (Medicine)

Dean’s Award 

  • April Brown (Simulation Center)
  • Anne Blair Kennedy, DrPH (Biomedical Sciences)
  • Lauren Demosthenes, MD (Obstetrics/Gynecology)

Golden Peach Award for Excellence in M1 Education

  • Asa Black, Ph.D., Biomedical Sciences

  • Amy Welcome, M.D., Internal Medicine

Golden Peach Award for Excellence in M2 Education

  • Mark Pittman, M.D., Emergency Medicine
  • James Fulcher, M.D., Pathology

Golden Peach Award for Excellence in M3 Education

  • Josh Brownlee, M.D., Pediatrics

  • Kacey Eichelberger, M.D., OB/GYN

Golden Peach Award for Excellence in M4 Education

  • Sarah Farris, M.D., Emergency Medicine

  • Aubrey Bryant, M.D., Emergency Medicine

Outstanding Clinical Role Model

  • Joanne Skaggs, M.D., Internal Medicine

  • Frank Clark, M.D., Psychiatry

  • Bryce Nelson, M.D., Pediatrics

Outstanding Mentor

  • Rebecca Russ-Sellers, Ph.D., Biomedical Sciences

  • Marty Lutz, M.D., Emergency Medicine

  • Page Bridges, M.D., Emergency Medicine

Outstanding Scholar

  • Peggy Wagner, Ph.D., Biomedical Sciences

  • Jennifer Hudson, M.D., Pediatrics

Outstanding Service

  • Mendy Ingiaimo, Ed.D.

  • Amy Ramsay, M.D., Emergency Medicine

Conscious Professionalism

  • Paul Catalana, M.D.

Volunteer Faculty Appreciation Award

  • Rafael Igartua, M.D.

  • Larry Harper, M.D.

  • Carl Bailey Jr., M.D.

  • Jack Bonner III, M.D.

Dean’s Award

  • Devin Evans

  • Matt Tucker, Ph.D., Biomedical Sciences

  • Tom Pace, M.D., Orthopaedics, Biomedical Sciences

Dean’s Recognition Award

  • Dean Douglas, Emergency Medicine

The Outstanding Mentor Award

  • Camiron Pfennig, M.D., Department of Emergency Medicine

The Outstanding Clinical Role-Model Award

  • Meenu Jindal, M.D., Department of Medicine

The Innovation in Education Award

  • Mohammed Khalil, Ph.D., Department of Biomedical Sciences

The Golden Peach Award for Excellence in M1 Education

  • Shanna Williams, Ph.D., Department of Biomedical Sciences
  • Thomas Nathaniel, Ph.D., Department of Biomedical Sciences

 

The Golden Peach Award for Excellence in M2 Education

  • Allison Young, M.D., Department of Pathology

The Golden Peach Award for Excellence in M3 Education

  • Sandip Jain, M.D., Department of Medicine, Neurology Division

The Golden Peach Award for Excellence in M4 Education

  • Amanda Hartke, M.D., Department of Pediatrics

The Conscious Professionalism Award

  • Sheldon Herring, Ph.D., Department of Biomedical Sciences

The Outstanding Scholar Award

  • Manuel Casanova, M.D., Department of Biomedical Sciences/Pediatrics

The Outstanding Service Award

  • Camiron Pfennig, M.D., Department of Emergency Medicine

The University of South Carolina School of Medicine Greenville Volunteer Faculty Appreciation Award

  • Carl Bailey, M.D.
  • Larry Harper, M.D.
  • Darrell Jervey, M.D.
  • Pam Snape, M.D.
  • Rafael Igartua, M.D.
  • Robin Howe, M.D.
  • William Algary, M.D.
  • Eddie Ellison, M.D.
  • Paul Schaefer, M.D.
  • Woodrow Long, Jr., M.D.

The Dean’s Award

  • April Buchanan, M.D., Interim Associate Dean for Academic Affairs
  • William Wright, Ph.D., Department of Biomedical Sciences
  • Michael Wiederman, Ph.D., Office of Faculty Affairs

The Golden Peach Award for Excellence in M1 Education Recipients

  • Mohammed Khalil, Ph.D., Department of Biomedical Sciences
  • Tom Pace, M.D., Departments of Biomedical Sciences and Surgery

The Golden Peach Award for Excellence in M2 Education Recipients

  • Kirk Baston, M.D., Departments of Biomedical Sciences and Pathology 
  • Lauren Demosthenes, M.D., Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology 

The Golden Peach Award for Excellence in M3 Education Recipients

  • Molly Benedum, M.D., Center for Family Medicine 
  • John Emerson, M.D., Center for Family Medicine 

The Golden Peach Award for Excellence in M4 Education Recipients

  • Melissa Janse, M.D., Department of Emergency Medicine 

The Innovation in Education Award Recipients

  • Benjamin Griffeth, M.D., Department of Psychiatry 

The Outstanding Mentor Award Recipients

  • Donna Schwartz-Watts, M.D., Department of Psychiatry 

The Outstanding Scholar Award Recipients

  • Bruce Lessey, M.D., Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology
  • Thomas Nathaniel, Ph.D., Department of Biomedical Sciences 
  • Amy Picklesimer, M.D., Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology 
  • Jennifer Trilk, Ph.D., Department of Biomedical Sciences 

The Outstanding Service Award Recipients

  • Mohammed Khalil, Ph.D., Department of Biomedical Sciences 
  • Thomas Nathaniel, Ph.D., Department of Biomedical Sciences
  • Jayne Reuben, Ph.D., Department of Biomedical Sciences 
  • William Wright, Ph.D., Department of Biomedical Sciences 

The Conscious Leadership Award Recipients

  • Tom Pace, M.D., Departments of Biomedical Sciences and Surgery
  • Peggy Wagner, Ph.D., Department of Biomedical Sciences 

The Dean’s Award

  • Spence Taylor, M.D., Senior Associate Dean for Academic Affairs
  • Ron Knappenberger, Director of Integrated Technology
  • Stanley Van Hofe, M.D., Clinical Professor Emeritus

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