During the School of Medicine’s annual Curriculum Colloquium on Feb. 1, faculty, students and staff were honored for outstanding contributions to medical education.

The following are the winners of this year’s teaching awards:

• The Distinguished Service in Medical Education Award is the highest honor in medical education given by the School of Medicine, recognizing high educational achievement, significant administrative responsibilities, and dissemination of scholarship over many years: Ann Thompson, critical care medicine and pediatrics.

• The Kenneth E. Schuit Dean’s Master Educator Award recognizes basic science and clinical faculty for education-related contributions to the School of Medicine curriculum: Reed Van Deusen, internal medicine.

• The Sheldon Adler Award for Innovation in Medical Education recognizes individual achievement in innovation in medical education: Amanda Casagrande, family medicine.

• The Donald S. Fraley Award for Medical Student Mentoring recognizes individuals for their service as mentors to medical students: Andrew Nowalk, pediatrics.

•The Clerkship Preceptor of the Year Award recognizes faculty clinical preceptors who consistently provide outstanding clinical instruction in the clerkship setting for Pitt medical students: Amanda Casagrande, family medicine; Brielle Spataro, internal medicine; Elizabeth Sensenig, pediatrics; Justin Shuster, psychiatry; Kathleen Ober, ob/gyn; Laima Spokas, psychiatry; Pritha Workman, ob/gyn; Rachel Ibrahim, emergency medicine; Tawfiq Al-Lahham, neurology; Vaishali Schuchert, surgery.

• The William I. Cohen Award for Excellence in Clinical Skills Instruction recognizes faculty who consistently provide outstanding clinical skills instruction: Erin Cummings, pediatrics.

• The Award for Excellence in Clinical Precepting recognizes clinical preceptors who consistently provide outstanding clinical instruction in a community setting for Pitt medical students: April Dunmyre, ob/gyn; Natalie Gentile, family medicine

• The Carl R. Fuhrman Clinical Educator of the Year Award recognizes faculty who consistently provide outstanding clinical education in a third- or fourth-year elective course setting: Drew Klein, internal medicine; Allie Dakroub, internal medicine

• The Award for Outstanding Professional Enrichment Course recognizes faculty who volunteer their expertise to present a professional enrichment course for first- and second-year students: Shandong Wu, radiology; Ritu Thamman, cardiology

• The Social Justice Education Award recognizes faculty who have demonstrated excellence in teaching social justice: Eloho Ufomata, internal medicine; Katharina Hayes, pediatrics

• The Outstanding Early Career Educator Award honors faculty who teach in clinical elective courses: Lydia Strattan, pathology

• The Excellence in Education Awards, chosen by the Class of 2025 for valued contributions and dedication to teaching of the organ systems: course director, Jenifer Lee, medicine; lecturer, Louis Rapkin, pediatrics; small-group facilitator, Joshua Levenson, cardiology

 • The Excellence in Education Awards, chosen by the Class of 2026 for valued contributions and dedication to teaching of the basic sciences and organ systems: course directors, Drew Klein, internal medicine, and Allie Dakroub, internal medicine; lecturer, Martin Schmidt, microbiology and molecular genetics; small-group facilitator, Joe Suyama, emergency medicine.

• The Award for Outstanding Medical Student Contributions to the Curriculum recognizes a current medical student (or team of students) at any level who has demonstrated leadership and excellence in improving important aspects of the School of Medicine curriculum: Nathalie Chen, MD/Ph.D. candidate.

• The Award for Outstanding Staff Contributions to the Curriculum recognizes a current staff member (or team) at any level who has demonstrated leadership and excellence in improving important aspects of the curriculum at the School of Medicine: Patti Zahnhausen, Department of Family Medicine; and Denise Downs, Office of Medical Education.