Medical and physician assistant students from the Class of 2026 were honored during convocation May 13 for their dedication to scholarship, excellence in research, devotion to teaching or service and exceptional professional qualities. The ceremonies also recognized exceptional faculty.
Dr. Robert Harrington, the Stephen and Suzanne Weiss Dean of Weill Cornell Medicine and provost for medical affairs of Cornell University, and Dr. Joseph Safdieh, the Richard P. Cohen, M.D. Senior Associate Dean for Education, hosted M.D. Program Convocation. Dr. Kelly Porta, associate dean of physician assistant studies, Dr. Safdieh and Dr. Harrington hosted the Master of Science in Health Sciences for Physician Assistants Convocation.
M.D. Program Convocation
2026 Student Awards
The Alan Van Poznak Award for Excellence in Anesthesiology
Yilun Ma
The Society for Academic Emergency Medicine’s Excellence in Emergency Medicine Award
Daniel McInerney
The Henry Adelman Memorial Award for Excellence in Geriatric Medicine
Abhay Tiwari
The Anthony Seth Werner, M.D., Memorial Prize
Adam Neal Tucker
The Jay Lawrence Award for Clinical Proficiency in Infectious Diseases
Ariel Gonzalez
Alfred Moritz Michaelis Prize in General Medicine
Caitlin Cristina Unkenholz
The Clarence C. Coryell Prize in Medicine
Felipe d’Andrea
The David and Gladys Drusin Memorial Prize
Alexander Lun Zhao
The Joan Severino Parisi and Alfred F. Parisi, MD '63 Prize in Internal Medicine
Rahma Mahmoud Ibrahim
The Weiss Prize for Excellence in Clinical Medicine
Jacob Keith Richards Jamison
The Yvette and Seymour Feil Prize in Medicine
Caroline Ji-Hae Yim Young
The American Academy of Neurology Medical Student Prize for Excellence in Neurology
Lexa Sophia Harpel
Danielle Inge Yerdon
The Gustav Seeligmann Prize for Efficiency in Obstetrics
Alex Raghunandan
The William J. Ledger Prize in Obstetrics & Gynecology
Nisha Chandra
The Edward Norton Prize in Ophthalmology
Emily Suyin Szeto Mei
The T. Campbell Thompson Prize for Excellence in Orthopedic Surgery
Amy Ziyue Lu
The Arthur Palmer Prize for Efficiency in Otorhinolaryngology
May Lin He
The George S. Meister Prize in Pediatrics
Nicole Weitzel
The Mitchell Spivak Memorial Prize in Pediatrics
Zion Floyd-Iverson
The Oskar Diethelm Prize for Excellence in Psychiatry
Ella Blicker
The Richard N. Kohl Prize for Excellence in Psychiatry
Constance Zhou
The Clarence C. Coryell Prize in Surgery
Anna Vaeth
The Fabrizio Michelassi Medical Student Prize
Joanna Lin
The G. Thomas Shires II Prize in Surgery
Sophia Salingaros
The Gustave J. Noback Memorial Prize in Anatomy
Joanna Lin
The Gustave J. Noback Memorial Fund for Advanced Study and Teaching in the Field of Anatomy
Anna Vaeth
The Moselle and Milton Pollack Prize in Medical Ethics
Daniel Anisfeld Tay
The Herman L. Jacobius Prize in Pathology
Maressa Kavita Cumbermack
The William C. Thro Memorial Prize
Helen Jin-Lee
The Barbara Slifka Global Health Award
Shannon Nicole Arnold
The Elise Strang L’Esperance Prize in Public Health
Constance Zhou
The George G. Reader Prize in Public Health
Manish Kumar
The United States Public Health Service Excellence in Public Health Award
Sarah Chowdhury
The Dean’s Research Award
Sarah Louise Stewart
The Alan von Kreuter Cancer Research Prize
Rachel Margaret Gropper
The Harry L. Bush, Jr. M.D. Award for Excellence in Vascular Biology
Caitlin Cristina Unkenholz
The Harold G. Wolff Research Prize
Andrew Boyuan Yang
The Sondra Lee Shaw Memorial Prize
Bala McRae-Posani
The Susanna Cunningham-Rundles Medical Student Research Prize
Daniel Anisfeld Tay
Area of Concentration Certificates of Excellence
- Cheyenne Acker
- Divija Chopra
- Rachel Margaret Gropper
- Sophie Kush
- Michael Liu
- Bala McRae-Posani
- Miranda Agnes Metz
- Ian Nykaza
- Hannah Otis
- Sophia Salingaros
- Daniel Anisfeld Tay
- Caroline Ji-Hae Yim Young
- Eric Zhao
WCM Award for Academic Excellence
- Nisha Chandra
- Maressa Kavita Cumbermack
- Felipe d’Andrea
- Rachel Margaret Gropper
- Lexa Sophia Harpel
- Jacob Keith Richards Jamison
- Bala McRae-Posani
- Ian Nykaza
- Sarah Louise Stewart
- Adam Neal Tucker
- Harrison Nicholas White
The Charles Horn Prize
Jacob Keith Richards Jamison
The David Clayson Prize for Creativity
Annie (Haoqing) Wu
The Hayworth-Gold Award for Excellence in Medical Professionalism
Simon Ortiz
Robert Uzzo
Steven Zeldin
The Henry C. and Anne Hayworth First Honor Prize
Kate Lu
The Sidney and Viola Borkon Memorial Prize
Tara Joseph
The John Metcalf Polk Prizes
Maressa Kavita Cumbermack
Felipe d’Andrea
Ian Nykaza
The Medical Student Executive Council Award
Joanna Lin
The Compassionate Physician Award
Sarah Shu-Lien Wozniak
The Good Physician Award
Noelle Desir
The Nelson Felix Sánchez M.D. LGBTQ+ Excellence Award
Manish Kumar
The Paul Sherlock Prize in Internal Medicine
Maressa Kavita Cumbermack
The Leonard P. Tow Humanism in Medicine Award
Student recipient: Sarah Shu-Lien Wozniak
Faculty recipient: Dr. Cecilia E.W. Nicol
The Gurvitch Medical Student Professionalism Award
Mackenna Marie Mejdell
Brendan Tarantino
The Gurvitch Faculty Professionalism Award
Dr. Jennifer Salant
Dr. Sam Senturia
2026 Faculty Awards
The Senior List Excellence in Teaching
- Dr. Juliet Aizer
- Dr. Sabina Bera
- Dr. Kathleen Bubb
- Dr. June Chan
- Dr. Philip Chang
- Dr. Salvatore Cilmi
- Dr. Vishal Dodia
- Dr. Brian Eiss
- Dr. Domenick Falcone
- Dr. Kyle Godfrey
- Dr. Bryan Leppert
- Dr. Anthony Ogedegbe
- Dr. Amanda Katherine Knapp Ramsdell
- Dr. Lee Seligman (IN ABSENTIA)
- Dr. Sam Senturia
- Dr. Tanping Wong (IN ABSENTIA)
The Charles L. Bardes, M.D. Teaching Prize
Dr. Susan Samuels, assistant professor of clinical psychiatry
The 1952 Resident Physician Prize
Dr. Varshini Gali
The House Staff Teaching Award
Dr. Alim Esemnli
The Elliot Hochstein Teaching Award
Dr. Anthony Ogedegbe
Medical Student Executive Council First Year Teaching Award
Dr. Kathleen Bubb
The Medical Student Executive Council Second Year Teaching Award
Dr. Marc Dinkin
The Richard A. Herrmann, M.D. Teaching Award
Dr. Bryan Leppert
Physician Assistant Awards
The physician assistant program honors exceptional students and faculty May 13 during convocation.
Excellence in Preclinical Teaching Award
William Ameres, M.S., PA-C
Excellence in Clinical Teaching Award
Matthew Skeens, M.D.
Excellence in Student Development Award
Maria Compte, M.D.
The Peer Award for Outstanding Generosity, Teamwork and Empowerment
Chewon Lee
The Academic Excellence Award for Outstanding Performance During the Preclinical Phase of the Program
Emily Smith
The Academic Excellence Award for Outstanding Performance During the Clinical Phase of the Program
Christine Ye
The Research Excellence Award for Outstanding Performance During the Thesis Proposal and Defense
Natalie Mercado
The Service Award for Outstanding Dedication and Service to the PA Program and Community
Abigail Barrett
The Leadership Award for Outstanding Leadership, Initiative and Commitment to the PA Program
Veerali Patel