On the eve of their graduation from Weill Cornell Medical College, 46 outstanding medical students took center stage as they were honored with special awards recognizing their distinguished achievement during their four-year education.
The awards, presented May 30, by Dr. Laurie H. Glimcher, the Stephen and Suzanne Weiss Dean of the Medical College, and Dr. Carol Storey-Johnson, senior associate dean for education, recognize outstanding academic achievement, dedication to scholarship and research, devotion to teaching or service or demonstration of exceptional professional qualities. Awards were also presented to other medical students, faculty and staff. Additionally, awards were presented to students in the Weill Cornell Graduate School of Medical Sciences earlier in the day.
Graduate students honored at the annual Weill Cornell Medical College Graduate School of Medical Sciences Convocation May 30.
"It's really a special day," said Joshua Halpern, who graduated Thursday. "It's a great accomplishment to be surrounded by all of our classmates who made the journey with me."
Faculty, family and friends packed Uris Auditorium that Wednesday evening to bear witness as students were called to the podium to receive their honors during the hour-long ceremony.
"I'm really delighted that you all joined us to honor these outstanding individuals," Dr. Glimcher said.
For the students, it's been an emotional experience to reach this new pinnacle in their careers.
"This is an exciting moment," said Elizabeth Gausden, a graduating fourth-year. "I think we are all honored to be recognized today, and I'm honored to be surrounded by the group here."
Fourth-year student Eleni Greenwood credits her education at Weill Cornell for landing her a residency in obstetrics and gynecology at her first choice site -- University of California San Francisco. She hopes that she can take what she learned and make a difference through her medical practice.
"I'm just hoping I can live up to the outstanding tradition before me and be an excellent doctor," she said. "I hope to make them proud and give back at some point."
To give back to the medical school that made them doctors, the class of 2012 established a Class of 2012 Scholarship Fund as the class gift. Fourth-year student Sarah Haseltine presented Dr. Glimcher with an oversized check for $1,030.40 to launch the fund.
"Thank you so much for this wonderful gift," Dr. Glimcher said. "It's been an incredible honor to be the new dean of Weill Cornell Medical College and to graduate such a wonderful class."
Student Awards
The Coryell Prize in Surgery
Daniel Howard Wiznia
The Coryell Prize in Medicine
Lindsay Tara Fourman
The Alfred Moritz Micheaelis Prize in General Medicine
Monica Eden Payne
The Oskar Diethelm Prize for Excellence in Psychiatry
Marta Ann Galecki
Alison E. Lenet
The Joan Severino Parisi Prize in Internal Medicine
Ximena A. Levander
The David and Gladys Drusin Memorial Prize
Gregory Aaron Bonci
The T. Campbell Thompson Prize for Excellence in Orthopedic Surgery
Elizabeth Bishop Gausden
The Mitchell Spivak Memorial Prize in Pediatrics
Benjamin Steven Frank
The James A. Moore Scholarship
David James Phillips
The Gustav Seeligmann Prize for Efficiency in Obstetrics
Nora Marie Ward
The Henry C. and Anne Hayworth First Honor Prize
Scott W. Connors
The Sidney and Viola Borkon Memorial Prize
Eleanor Emery
The George S. Meister Prize in Pediatrics
David Asher Nissan
The Elise Strang L'Esperance Prize in Public Health
Briar Lea Dent
Marilyn Diane Michelow
The George G. Reader Prize in Public Health
Robert R. Korom
David Asher Nissan
The G. Thomas Shires II Prize in Surgery
Sarah Jane Haseltine
The Alan Van Poznak Award for Excellence in Anesthesiology
Chonghua Carl Wang (in absentia)
The Richard N. Kohl Prize for Excellence in Psychiatry
Katherine Fichtel
Hal Kronsberg
The David Clayson Prize for Creativity
Lindsay M. Gibbon
The Charles Horn Prize
Nii O. Koney
The Gustave J. Noback Memorial Prize in Anatomy
Elaine C. Oliveira (in absentia)
The Gustave J. Noback Memorial Fund for Advanced Study and Teaching in the Field of Anatomy
Ugonna N. Ihekweazu
The Weiss Prize for Excellence in Clinical Medicine
Horatio Edward Rashleigh Holzer
The Medical Society of the State of New York
Kira Lauren Segal
The Yvette and Seymour Feil Prize in Medicine
Robert R. Korom
The William C. Thro Memorial Prize
Eleni Anne Greenwood
The Arthur Palmer Prize for Efficiency in Otorhinolaryngology
Andrew Charles Birkeland
The Herman L. Jacobius Prize in Pathology
Carlos Hipolito Villa
The Jay Lawrence Award for Clinical Proficiency in Infectious Disease
Robert R. Korom
The Ralph I. Poucher Prize for Proficiency in Obstetrics and Gynecology
Stephanie Erin Purisch
The Henry Adelman Memorial Award for Excellence in Geriatric Medicine
Stephanie Brown Ihnow
Sarah Jane Haseltine
The Anthony Seth Werner, M.D., Memorial Prize
Kara Elise Walter
The Edward Norton Prize in Ophthalmology
Sarah Jane Haseltine
The George Ladas Prize for Efficiency in Gynecology
Elizabeth Helen Milbank
The Society for Academic Emergency Medicine's Excellence in Emergency Medicine Award
Joseph Rudolph Pale
The Franklym Ellenbogen Prize in Hematology-Oncology
Tanaya Shree
The E. Darracott Vaughn, Jr. Prize
Joshua Alexander Halpern
The American Academy of Neurology Medical Student Prize for Excellence in Neurology
Ethan G. Brown
The William J. Ledger Prize in Obstetrics and Gynecology
Eleni Anne Greenwood
The Fabrizio Michelassi Medical Student Annual Award
Briar Lea Dent
The Harry L. Bush, Jr., M.D. Award for Excellence in Vascular Biology
Daniel Aaron Belkin
The Dean William Mecklenburg Polk Prize for Research
Andrew Charles Birkeland
The Dean's Research Award
Daniel Aaron Belkin
Milene Kennedy Crispin
The Alan von Kreuter Cancer Research Prize
Daniel Aaron Belkin
The Gustavo Cudkowicz Memorial Prize in Immunobiology
Milene Kennedy Crispin
The Harold G. Wolff Research Prize
Ethan G. Brown
The Medical Student Executive Council Award
Anh Thu Ngo Vu
The Paul Sherlock Prize in Internal Medicine
Kristin E. Gilbert
The John Metcalf Polk Prizes
Lindsay Tara Fourman
Eleni Anne Greenwood
Milene Kennedy Crispin
The Glasgow-Rubin Memorial Achievement Citations
Eleni Anne Greenwood
Milene Kennedy Crispin
Lena Kate Makaroun
Briar Lea Dent
Stephanie Erin Purisch
The Glasgow-Rubin Memorial Award
Lindsay Tara Fourman
The Hayworth-Gold Award for Excellence in Medical Professionalism
Adam S. Faye
Michael Mooney
The Compassionate Physician Award
Cora Maj Walsh
The Good Physician Award
Kristin E. Gilbert
The Leonard P. Tow Humanism in Medicine Awards
David Asher Nissan
Dr. Joseph Murray
Teaching Awards
The 1952 Resident Physician Award
Dr. Matthew McCarthy
The House Staff Teaching Award
Dr. Justin Brandt
The Medical Student Executive Council First Year Teaching Award
Dr. Avelin Malyango
The Medical Student Executive Council Second Year Teaching Award
Dr. Mark Pochapin
The Volunteer Clinical Faculty Award
Dr. Patricia Yarberry-Allen
The Charles L. Bardes, M.D. Teaching Prize
Dr. Ernie Esquivel
The Richard A. Herrmann, M.D., Teaching Award
Dr. Richard Lin
The Elliot Hochstein Teaching Award
Dr. Joseph Murray
Senior List
Dr. Charles L. Bardes
Dr. Salvatore Cilmi
Dr. Byron Demopoulos
Dr. Ernie Esquivel
Dr. Erica Jones
Dr. Sibel Klimstra
Dr. Joseph Lane
Dr. David Leeser
Dr. Richard Lin
Dr. B. Robert Meyer
Dr. Estomih Mtui
Dr. Joseph Murray
Dr. Anthony Ogedegbe
Dr. Mark Pochapin
Dr. Joseph Safdieh
Dr. Eugene Toy