School of Medicine Honors Faculty For Outstanding Contributions

• By Suzanna Cisneros
• June 1, 2018

The Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center (TTUHSC) School of Medicine honored faculty members at the annual Dean’s Faculty Appreciation ceremony on May 11. The Dean’s Awards were created to honor outstanding and dedicated support in medical education, research, patient care and administration.

 
Steven L. Berk, M.D., TTUHSC executive vice president, provost and School of Medicine dean, said these faculty exhibit outstanding commitment and service and have been instrumental in advancing the School of Medicine’s mission.
 
“We are grateful to an outstanding faculty,” Berk said. “Faculty who have molded our students into excellent physicians, cared for our patients, served our community and found new treatments for disease.”
 

The chair of the department nominates the Unsung Hero Awards. Recipients are considered 'go to' persons that can always be relied on. The recipients were:
 
Anil de Silva, M.D.– Department of Anesthesiology
Pablo Artigas, Ph.D.–Department of Cell Physiology and Molecular Biophysics
Kevin Pruitt, Ph.D.–Department of Immunology and Molecular Microbiology
Aliakbar Arvandi, M.D.–Department of Internal Medicine
Cassandra Kruczek, Ph.D.–Department of Medical Education
Mirla Avila, M.D.–Department of Neurology
Ammar Dhari, M.D.–Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology
Kelly Mitchell, M.D.–Department of Ophthalmology and Visual Science
Michel Diab, M.D.–Department of Orthopaedic Surgery and Rehabilitation
Latisha McLaurin, M.D.–Department of Pediatrics
Khalid Benamar, Ph.D.–Department of Pharmacology and Neuroscience
Jessica Nelson, M.D.–Department of Psychiatry
Amir Aryaie, M.D.–Department of Surgery
Cynthia Smith, M.D.–Department of Urology
 
Dean’s Faculty Awards also include:

 

The Outstanding Service Award is given on a rare occasion to faculty who demonstrate outstanding and dedication to the School of Medicine and TTUHSC and have left a mark that all recognize. This year’s recipient was Bernhard Mittemeyer, M.D., Department of Urology.

 

 

 

The Lifetime Achievement Award includestwo recipients that have made significant contributions to the School of Medicine spanning their entire careers.Those recognized were Jane Colmer-Hamood, Ph.D., Department of Medical Education, with 30 years of service and Terry McMahon, M.D., Department of Psychiatry, with 36 years of service.
 

Dean’s Teaching Awards Honorees included:
 
·     Dean’s Basic Science Teaching Award – MS I – Gregory Brower, DVM, Ph.D., Department of Medical Education
 
·     Dean’s Basic Science Teaching Award – MS II – David Trotter, Ph.D., Department of Family and Community Medicine
 
·     Dean’s Clinical Teaching Award – Franklyn Babb, M.D. – Department of Family and Community Medicine
                    Robert Gaines, M.D. – Department of Surgery – Covenant Branch Campus
 
The Dean’s Educational Innovation Award went to Lara Johnson, M.D., Department of Pediatrics, and Alan Peiris, M.D., Ph.D., Department of Internal Medicine
 
The Douglas M. Stocco Scholarship/Research Award was presented to Ina Urbatsch, Ph.D., Department of Cell Biology & Biochemistry.
 
The Distinguished Faculty Service Award was presented to Patti Patterson, M.D., MPH, Department of Pediatrics, and Thomas Tenner, Jr., Ph.D., Department of Medical Education.
 
Departmental Awards included the following:
 
Outstanding Achievement in Teaching – Department of Psychiatry

Outstanding Achievement in Research – Department of Cell Biology & Biochemistry

Outstanding Achievement in Patient Satisfaction – Department of Neurology