2027 AAIM Award Recipients


The Alliance will honor the 2027 awards recipients during Academic Internal Medicine Week 2027, held April 4-7, in Baltimore, MD.

The 2027 recipients represent an outstanding group of academic internal medicine professionals who have been recognized for their exceptional leadership, dedicated service, and astounding achievements. Join us in congratulating these individuals for their contributions to academic internal medicine.

AAIM Inclusive Excellence Award

Luis Castellanos, MD, MPH

Vice Chair for Culture and Community in Academia

University of California, San Diego School of Medicine

The AAIM Inclusive Excellence Award recognizes academic internal medicine physicians, administrators, and physicians-in-training whose work substantially advances diversity, equity and inclusion through systems which ensure high quality care for all patients. The award is presented to an individual or team who promotes and champions diversity, equity, and inclusion in their department of medicine.

AIM Distinguished Service Award

Carol A. Cottrell

Senior Department Administrator

University of Miami Leonard M. Miller School of Medicine

The AIM Distinguished Service Award recognizes an AIM member who has made significant contributions to the field of administration of academic internal medicine, either by scholarly activity that advances the knowledge base or best practices, by role model leadership in the profession, and by fostering collegiality among our membership.

APDIM Dema C. Daley Founders Award

Ethan D. Fried, MD, MACP

Interim Chief Academic Officer

Baptist Memorial Health Care Corporation

The APDIM Dema C. Daley Founders Award honors a member of the internal medicine community recognized nationally as an educator, innovator, and leader.

APDIM Distinguished Community Associate Program Director / Core Faculty Award

Paul O'Rourke, MD, MPH, FACP

Associate Professor

Johns Hopkins University/Bayview Medical Center

The APDIM Distinguished Community Associate Program Director Award recognizes an Associate Program Director or Core Faculty at a community-based program for outstanding contributions to the field of graduate medical education. This award honors those medical educators who have made a significant institutional, regional and/or national contribution based on their work as educators in residency training programs.

APDIM Distinguished University Associate Program Director / Core Faculty Award

Ronda Mourad, MD

Associate Program Director

Case Western Reserve University School of Medicine

The APDIM Distinguished University Associate Program Director Award recognizes an Associate Program Director or Core Faculty at a university-based program for outstanding contributions to the field of graduate medical education. This award honors those medical educators who have made a significant institutional, regional and/or national contribution based on their work as educators in residency training programs.

APDIM Distinguished Community Medical Educator Award

Tom Baudendistel, MD

Program Director

Kaiser Permanente Northern California (Oakland)

The APDIM Distinguished Community Medical Educator Award honors a member of the internal medicine community who has demonstrated exceptional, sustained achievement in graduate medical education. This award honors those educators who have made either a lasting local or regional impact, or who have made significant national contributions based on their work as educators in community hospital-based residency programs.

APDIM Distinguished University Medical Educator Award

Jennifer Swails, MD, FACP

Vice Chair of Education

Emory University School of Medicine

The APDIM Distinguished Medical Educator Award recognizes an individual or a team for outstanding contributions to the field of graduate medical education. This award honors those medical educators who have made significant contributions to the development of new and innovative curricula or educational programs, novel approaches to core teaching skills, and advocacy for high quality education on the national level.

APDIM Program Administrator Excellence Award

Denise M. Keyser

Program Manager

Geisinger Health System

The APDIM Program Administrator Excellence Award is presented to an individual who has achieved professional excellence at the local, regional and/or national level in the field of program administration. Nominees for this award are individuals who have demonstrated exceptional work within their program, institution, or organization to improve, advance, and elevate their program and their profession.

APDIM Program Administrator Rising Star Award

Allie N. Fenerty

Program Administrator

Louisiana State University Health Sciences Center School of Medicine in New Orleans

The APDIM Program Administrator Rising Star award is presented to an emerging leader in the Internal Medicine GME community, including core programs and medicine subspecialties, whose record reflects ongoing and exceptional commitment to the profession.

APM Robert H. Williams, MD, Distinguished Chair of Medicine Award

Alpesh N. Amin, MD, MBA

Professor and Thomas & Mary Cesario Chair (Emeritus) of Medicine; Founding Chief of Hospital Medicine & Palliative Medicine

University of California, Irvine School of Medicine

The APM Robert H. Williams, MD, Distinguished Chair of Medicine Award is presented to a physician who has demonstrated outstanding leadership as the chair of a department of internal medicine.

ASP Eric G. Neilson, MD, Leadership in Specialty Internal Medicine Award

Rupam Ruchi, MD, FASN

Clinical Associate Professor; Fellowship Program Director

University of Florida College of Medicine

The ASP Neilson award recognizes a leader who has shaped the internal medicine specialties landscape. The award acknowledges and promotes the work of outstanding leaders who bring about change for specialty medicine and the internal medicine community.

CDIM Charles H. Griffith, III, MD, Educational Research Award

Cindy Lai, MD

Professor of Medicine; Clerkship Director

University of California, San Francisco School of Medicine

The CDIM Charles H. Griffith, III, MD, Educational Research Award recognizes a CDIM member who has contributed significantly to educational research related to undergraduate medical education. The award is presented at Academic Internal Medicine Week.

CDIM Early Career Medical Student Educator Award

Zeb Ijaz Saeed, MD

Associate Physician - Endocrinology

Harvard Medical School Brigham and Women's Hospital

The CDIM Early Career Medical Student Educator Award is an award that recognizes innovation and excellence in medical student education by a CDIM member at the instructor or assistant professor level. Areas of achievement may include leadership and scholarship in medical student education, teaching, or service to CDIM or AAIM.

CDIM Linda J. Marts Administrator Service Award

Joe Orman, MLIS

Healthcare Education Coordinator

University of Wisconsin School of Medicine and Public Health

The CDIM Administrator Service Award recognizes a CDIM education administrator member who has made significant contributions to the association, either while serving as a Clerkship Administrators Advisory Council chair or council member, as a leader of a committee, task force, or special interest group, as a presenter at a CDIM national conference, or contributions made as a mentor to CDIM associate members.

CDIM Louis N. Pangaro, MD, Educational Program Development Award

Sherine Salib, MD, MRCP, FACP

Clerkship Director; Professor and Associate Dean of Curriculum

University of Texas at Austin Dell Medical School

The CDIM Educational Program Development Award recognizes a CDIM member who has made significant contributions to the development of an outstanding educational program in areas such as curriculum development, ambulatory educational programs, inpatient educational programs, and community medicine education.

CDIM Ruth-Marie E. Fincher, MD, Service Award

Amber T. Pincavage, MD

Clerkship Director; Professor of Medicine; Assistant Dean

University of Chicago Division of the Biological Sciences, Pritzker School of Medicine

The CDIM Ruth-Marie E. Fincher, MD, Service Award recognizes a CDIM member who has contributed greatly to the association and demonstrates sustained service to, or engagement with CDIM.

MPPDA Alex Djuricich, MD, Award

Sarah Mennito, MD, MSCR

Program Director

Medical University of South Carolina College of Medicine

The MPPDA Alex Djuricich, MD, Award is presented to a Program Director of a Medicine Pediatrics Residency Program who demonstrates a notable record of individualized advocacy for each trainee, excellence in program leadership, and innovations in curriculum, teaching and/or medical education.

MPPDA Brendan P. Kelly, MD, Award

Nabil Abou Baker, MD

Associate Program Director

University of Chicago Division of the Biological Sciences, Pritzker School of Medicine

The MPPDA Brendan P. Kelly, MD, Award is presented to an Associate Program Director of a Medicine-Pediatrics Residency Program who demonstrates the teaching excellence, collaborative leadership, and compassionate patient care that Dr. Kelly modeled so well.

MPPDA Leadership in Med-Peds Award

Ronald Williams, MD, FAAP, FACP

Medicine-Pediatrics Residency Program Director

Penn State Milton S Hershey Medical Center

The MPPDA Leadership in Med-Peds Award is presented to a physician who has made significant contribution to Medicine-Pediatrics as a profession and to the education of Medicine-Pediatrics residents.

MPPDA Program Administrator Service Award

Melinda Johnson

Medicine-Pediatrics Residency Program Coordinator

Wayne State University School of Medicine

The MPPDA Program Administrator Service Award is presented to a current or former program administrator who has demonstrated outstanding service and contribution to the Med-Peds Program Directors Association.

MPPDA Walter W. Tunnessen, Jr., MD, Award

Christopher K. Wong, MD, MSc

Med-Peds PGY-4 resident

Baylor College of Medicine

The MPPDA Walter W. Tunnessen, Jr., MD, Award honors a graduating medicine-pediatrics resident who demonstrates many of the qualities that were admired in Dr. Tunnessen, recognizing his dedication and gifts as an educator, clinician, and advocate for children.

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