2023-2024 Department of Medicine faculty recognized at annual Distinguished Service Teaching Awards

Eva Aagaard, MD, Professor of Medicine and Senior Associate Dean for Education giving welcome remarks.
TIM PARKER/WASHU MEDICINE

On April 16, 2024, the annual Distinguished Service and Teaching Awards ceremony was held honoring WashU Medicine educators who have made the most significant contributions to the training of future physicians.

Initiated by students and implemented with support from the Office of Medical Student Education (OMSE), the DSTAs allow students to express their appreciation for the efforts, dedication, and patience of their educators. Since the late fall of 2019, the Medical Education Representatives from Medical Student Government (MSG), with support from MSG, OMSE and the Academy of Educators, have worked to re-design and update the DSTAs. This year’s DSTAs reflect the current co-existence of the Gateway and Legacy curriculums, as well as notably celebrate faculty who exemplify the values within Washington University’s mission statement.

We honor the educators who distinguished themselves in the academic year 2023-2024. In addition to the awardees, we want to thank all involved with medical education for their commitment to excellence during the continued rollout of the new Gateway curriculum. Your efforts are noted and appreciated by all.

Dr. Justin S. Sadhu (right) with Jane Phillips-Conroy Professor of the Year award.
TIM PARKER/WASHU MEDICINE

Dr. Timothy Yau (left) with Distinguished Service Teaching Award-Clinical Care.
TIM PARKER/WASHU MEDICINE

Dr. Dennis Chang (right) with Distinguished Service Teaching Award-Inclusion.
TIM PARKER/WASHU MEDICINE

Dr. Nigar Kirmani (right) with Distinguished Service Teaching Award-Diversity.
TIM PARKER/WASHU MEDICINE

Below are the Department of Medicine faculty:

Glenn Conroy Module Leader of the Year – Steven Cheng, MD
Jane Phillips-Conroy Professor of the Year – Justin S. Sadhu, MD, MPHS, FACC
Distinguished Service Teaching Awards: Inclusion – Dennis Chang, MD
Distinguished Service Teaching Awards: Diversity – Nigar Kirmani, MD
Distinguished Service Teaching Awards: Clinical Care – Timothy Yau, MD

Glenn Conroy Module Leader of the Year Award

The Glenn Conroy Module Leader of the Year Award is given to a first-year Module Leader in honor of Dr. Glenn Conroy, PhD, a professor emeritus of the Department of Neuroscience as well as the Department of Anthropology at Washington University. Joining Washington University School of Medicine faculty in 1983, Dr. Conroy is a world-renowned paleoanthropologist whose work covers nearly every epoch of primate and human fossil history, involving anthropological field research around the globe Before his retirement in 2017, Dr. Conroy served as Course Director for the first-year Human Body course for 32 years, passing his renowned anatomical expertise to thousands of aspiring clinicians. As a tribute to Dr. Conroy’s leadership and excellence in education, students voted him Course Director of the Year twelve times over, Preclinical Teacher of the Year three times, and recognized him with a DSTA on fourteen occasions. The Glenn Conroy Award recognizes Dr. Conroy’s scholarly accomplishments, years of dedicated service to students, and skillful leadership as a Human Body course director.

Jane Phillips-Conroy Professor of the Year Award

The Jane Phillips-Conroy Professor of the Year Award is given to a first-year Professor in honor of Jane Phillips-Conroy, PhD, a professor emeritus of the Department of Neuroscience as well as the Department of Anthropology at Washington University. She joined the Washington University School of Medicine in 1983 and remained a member of the faculty for 34 years. Through her research on wild baboons across Africa, Dr. Philips-Conroy became a leader in the field of primate biology. She was a favorite professor of WUSM medical students for her teaching in the first year Human Body course. As evidence of Dr. Phillips-Conroy’s excellence in teaching, students voted her Professor of the Year ten times, Preclinical Teacher of the Year three times, and honored her with a DSTA sixteen times. The Jane Philips-Conroy Award recognizes Dr. Philips-Conroy’s scholarly accomplishments, masterful teaching of the Human Body course, and years of dedicated service to students. The Jane-Phillips Conroy Professor of the Year is awarded to a faculty member for excellent teaching.

Distinguished Service Teaching Awards

Inclusion – for creating an engaging, accessible and inclusive experience for all
Critical Thinking – for facilitating opportunities for students to expand understanding of medical or clinical concepts beyond traditional curriculum
Research – for highlighting the intersection of curricular content with scholarship
Clinical Care – for integrating clinical concepts into preclinical curricular content
Diversity – for integrating social justice and equity principles into basic science or clinical content
Creativity – for incorporating new and diverse methods of curricular content delivery