Join us in celebrating our exceptional colleagues!
Recently Submitted Student Accolades
- Ashima Agarwal, MS2
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Ashima Agarwal approached the course directors for EBM I&D early in the semester to discuss opportunities to improve the course. We had a wonderful initial discussion. Ashima of her own volition set up a survey to inquire among their peers in the class about some of the topics we discussed.
Today we got an e-mail from Ashima summarizing the findings including some very thoughtful integration of the findings.
What she has done has been more helpful for me as a course director than any feedback I have ever had from students.
Independent of this, Ashima has been an active member of the curriculum committee and also in that setting provide thoughtful, constructive input.
Pitt Med is better now, and will be better in the future because of the professional way Ashima has engaged in improving what we do.
-Submitted by a Faculty Member
Investigation and Discovery, Fall 2022 - Aniruddh Ajith, MS2
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Anu is a fantastic colleague, his thoughtfulness has helped classmates through the Advanced Physician Exam 3 course in the Presby emergency room. Every week, unprompted, Anu makes sure he prints out the HPI forms for all of us. His consideration has helped all improve our medical history taking, and helped us become better student doctors! Keep up the good work, Anu!
-Submitted by a Medical Student
Advanced Physical Exam, Fall 2022 - Sarah Atta, MS4;
Owen Clinger, MS2;
Amrish Selvam, MS3;
Haniah Zaheer, MS4 -
The medical students were each instrumental in the success of the Mission of Mercy event at the Convention Center on August 5th and 6th.
Over two days, they gave their time, skills and sweat to help prescribe eyeglasses for over 700 of our neighbors in need. They performed patient intake testing and choreographed the flow of patients from station to station.
In doing so, they embodied PittMed and UPMC’s commitment to providing care with dignity & respect to all members of our community.
I believe that their efforts will serve as an example across UPMC and PittMed.
While everyone of them is deserving of an accolade, Owen Clinger, Haniah Zaheer, Amrish Selvam, and Sarah Atta stood out as team leaders. The event could not have happened without them.
-Submitted by a Faculty Member
Mission of Mercy, Summer 2022 - Sarah Atta;
Daniel Awad;
Richard Brown;
Emely Carmona;
Owen Clinger;
Richelle DeBlasio;
Katherine Du;
Enoh Tonge;
Panagiotis Gourlias;
Crandall Jones;
Nikita Kedia;
Christopher Keenan;
Melissa Kukowski;
Baraa Nawash;
Amrish Selvam;
Anthony Tang;
Shiva Yagobian;
Amy Yu;
Haniah Zaheer;
Arman Zarnegar -
These medical students were each instrumental in the success of the Mission of Mercy event at the Convention Center on August 5th and 6th.
Over two days, they gave their time, skills and sweat to help prescribe eyeglasses for over 700 of our neighbors in need. They performed patient intake testing and choreographed the flow of patients from station to station.
In doing so, they embodied PittMed and UPMC’s commitment to providing care with dignity & respect to all members of our community.
I believe that their efforts will serve as an example across UPMC and PittMed. The event could not have happened without them.
-Submitted by a Faculty Member
Mission of Mercy, Summer 2022 - Lauren Burnette Stumpp, MS2
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In the midst of anxiety and confusion for STEP studying, I was helped immensely by Lauren Stumpp. I was very confused as to the best study schedule I should follow to get all the necessary material covered…Lauren has assured my concerns after sharing with me her resources provided to her by her advisory dean, Dr. Serra. Lauren was so great at explaining how the schedule should be tackled and to me and others. Everyone was grateful for her insight and consideration to share the schedules…
- Lauren Burnette Stumpp, MS2
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Lauren Burnette Stumpp approached the course directors for EBM I&D early in the semester to discuss opportunities to improve the course. We had a wonderful initial discussion. Lauren of her own volition set up a survey to inquire among her peers in the class about some of the topics we discussed.
Today we got an e-mail from Lauren summarizing the findings including some very thoughtful integration of the findings.
What they have done has been more helpful for me as a course director than any feedback I have ever had from students.
Independent of this, Lauren has been active members of the curriculum committee and also in that setting provide thoughtful, constructive input.
Pitt Med is better now, and will be better in the future because of the professional way Lauren has engaged in improving what we do.
-Submitted by a Faculty Member
Investigation and Discovery, Fall 2022 - Aniket Dhariwal, MS2
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Myself and two of my coworkers got lunch from the Presby cafeteria. We got on the elevator, along with about 8 other people. The last person to get in must have triggered a sensor because the inside doors automatically opened back up, but the outside doors remained closed. Once we all realized we were stuck, panic set in for me... I was turned to the side and I recognized the sweet young lady behind me as a medical student. She is second year student Aniket Dhariwal. She spoke very low and very calmly said, “it's ok, you're going to be ok,” while she rubbed my arm. Although it seemed like we were stuck for hours, it was probably only ten minutes. But as someone who was panicking to the point of losing it, I am very grateful for Aniket for soothing me. Once we got out of the elevator, she led me to the steps as well. I hate that we were in the situation we were in, but again, I'm very grateful that she was there and was so kind to me.
- Salsabil Gehan, MS1
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Salsabil was an incredibly professional, supportive, and compassionate student in anatomy class. On multiple occasions, she went out of her way to make sure that the women in our anatomy group and other groups were getting equal access to the donor, were able to see what the surgical attendings were demonstrating without being blocked out by height, and were able to participate in a meaningful matter. She was also consistently present for anatomy lab and an incredibly helpful and skillful dissector. She was always checking in on her group members and empathizing with their experiences…Salsabil went above and beyond to demonstrate and facilitate respect, compassion, and collaboration. Her contributions to bettering the learning environment through her interactions with others and passion for the material are an undeniably positive contribution to this school and the people in it. This outstanding professionalism has continued well beyond the end of anatomy. Therefore, there's no one in our class I would recommend more for an accolade.
- Sol La Bruna, MS1
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Sol La Bruna was part of a student team that volunteered to create a student-led anatomy practice lab practical for the extremities exam. Sol volunteered her time to help out early in the morning on an optional study day to help pin structures to help students quiz themselves in advance of the exam. Sol went above and beyond to make sure other students were well-prepared in an effort to better the PittMed community!
In addition, I would like to officially commend Sol for going above and beyond in terms of sharing resources for each class the MS1s have been undergoing. Sol takes it to heart to help everyone pass and is so consistently kind and thoughtful in donating her time to help students gain a better understanding of the material. I am incredibly grateful that she is a part of the PittMed community.
- Ryan Gilbert, MS1
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Ryan Gilbert was part of a student team that volunteered to create a student-led anatomy practice lab practical for the extremities exam. Ryan volunteered his time to help out early in the morning on an optional study day to help pin structures to help students quiz themselves in advance of the exam. Ryan went above and beyond to make sure other students were well-prepared in an effort to better the PittMed community!
- Makenna Laffey, MS4
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Makenna was an incredible asset during Medical Anatomy. Consistently, she donated her time and talent to make sure MS1s were gaining a full understanding of the Anatomy material, whether in lab or beyond class hours. Her dedication to student success and wellness was incredible, and I am so glad to have had her as a teaching assistant throughout the Medical Anatomy course. I wish her the best of luck in residency!
-Submitted by a Medical Student
Medical Anatomy, Fall 2022 - Maya Muenzer, MS3
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Maya was so wonderful to all of her patients. While on neuro consults, she had multiple patients who were in WPIC dealing with significant mental health conditions, but she always treated them with the utmost respect and dignity. She showed nothing but kindness to all of her patients and to the entire team.
-Submitted by a medical student, Neurology Clerkship, Spring 2022
- Katarina Schneiderman, MS2
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Thanks to the dedication of Katarina Schneiderman, there are now multiple locations in Scaife that dispense free menstrual products. Her advocacy has made it easier for menstruating medical students at UPSOM to manage their cycle with discretion and dignity. While her work is a drop in the bucket of equity for diverse and marginalized students, it has been an uphill battle that she has met with resolve and professionalism. As she develops professionally, we have no doubt of the accomplishments she will deliver for the sake of the well-being of her future patients and broader community.
-Submitted by a Medical Student
2022 - Timothy Sigler, MS4
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Tim was instrumental in our experience of Medical Anatomy. Throughout our time in Medical Anatomy, Tim consistently lent his time and talent at his expense to make sure that each and every MS1 felt comfortable and confident going into each Anatomy exam. I really appreciate how much time and effort he put into the process, whether in lab, creating mock lab practicals, or creating question-and-answer sessions for students to voice concerns or questions in a professional manner. Tim always conducted himself as a professional and his dedication to students went above and beyond his responsibilities-I wish him the best of luck in residency!
-Submitted by a Medical Student
Medical Anatomy, Fall 2022 - Shwetabh Tarun
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Tabo used his extensive knowledge of suturing to help his other group members for the duration of the suturing workshop. Tabo set aside his own suturing practice time to make sure those around him understood the basics and built up their confidence.
-Submitted by a Medical Student
Skin and Musculoskeletal Diseases, Fall 2022
A full list of student accolades is available.
A list of other student achievements is available from the Office of Medical Education.
Recently Submitted Faculty & Trainee Accolades
- Michaela Barry, MD
Resident, Department of Medicine -
Michaela was a fabulous teacher who went above and beyond to teach me during our time together on the renal service. She frequently did short chalk-talks for me just for the sake of my learning, usually about medicine topics and not even renal topics. Her dedication to teaching and generosity with her knowledge was incredibly appreciated.
-Submitted by a Medical Student
Renal Disease, Summer 2022 - Kristen Critelli, MD
Department of Pediatrics -
There was some confusion on a question pertaining to HBV serology during the questionRx review. Dr. Critelli sent me an extremely well explained email clarifying the explanation. Her email was so thorough (totaling just over 500 words) and I felt so touched that she followed up on that point of confusion. I feel like there is always so much information to learn in our coursework that it can be easy to overlook these points of confusion, so I am so grateful she went above and beyond that she took the time and effort to walk through the concepts over email.
-Submitted by a Medical Student
Digestion and Nutrition Course, Fall 2022 - Miles Gray, MD
Resident, Department of Anesthesiology and Perioperative Medicine -
Dr. Gray and the team went above and beyond to enhance my learning on my anesthesia rotation. While showing exceptional dedication to patient care, Dr. Gray also spent significant time teaching, addressing specific knowledge gaps, supporting my involvement, and practicing clinical skills. Dr. Gray was patient, encouraging, and quick to provide actionable feedback while I learned new skills. Dr. Gray should be commended for his genuine dedication to patients and trainees.
-Submitted by a Medical Student
Anesthesiology Clerkship, Spring 2023 - Laura Jeanerette, MS
Senior Advisor, Office of Medical Education -
Adjusting to Pitt Med was tough for me (especially with starting during Covid) and finding a sense of community. But I felt like I finally found my happy place during step prep because of LLJ. It was evident that she cared about me and my success/well-being going through step prep. I always looked forward to (and still do) receiving emails and texts from her. She always put Pitt Med students first and did anything you could to help/support us. Her care for us inspires me to do the same for my future patients.
- Andrew Jaye, MD
Resident, Department of Pediatrics -
Dr. Jaye has gone above and beyond to make the new medical students feel welcome on my rotation. He made an effort to teach us practical medical information prior to rounding, always found ways to highlight our strengths in front of our attending on rounds, and would debrief with the medical students for difficult cases. Even when Dr. Jaye wasn't my resident, he would check in on me to see how my rotation was going. Among the many great residents I've had on rotations so far, Dr. Jaye stands out as the one who has made me feel most confident in my abilities and supported.
-Submitted by a Medical Student
Pediatrics Clerkship, Summer 2022 - Christof Kaltenmeier, MD
Resident, Department of Surgery -
Dr. Kaltenmeier was endlessly supportive and enthusiastic of medical student engagement and learning on the Surgery clerkship. He often spent extra time and energy ensuring that students were able to safely participate in aspects of patient care and management, asking questions of the team, and teaching technique and reasoning. He was also an exemplary team leader; when members of the team were doing well he encouraged them to find ways to get to the next level, and when they struggled he spent extra time helping them to improve and to reach their goals. Dr. Kaltenmeier's work as an educator, leader, and physician should be commended.
-Submitted by a Medical Student
Surgery Clerkship, Spring 2023 - Andrew Klein, MD
Department of Medicine -
Dr. Klein was an exemplary small group facilitator for the Racism in Medicine course. He took an active interest in students' diverse perspectives and interests. He embodied the idea of the two way transfer of knowledge between students and faculty. After a passionate group discussion about the use of language in medical note writing, he took it upon himself to source student feedback to improve the teaching materials for the first-year IMI and IPE courses.
-Submitted by a Medical Student
Racism in Medicine, Fall 2022 - Roderick Tan, MD
Department of Medicine -
…Dr. Tan introduced himself, told us about his background, why he chose nephrology, and why he was teaching. It really made him personable and approachable. He also made it clear that it was okay if we didn't know the answer and that no question was a stupid question... He then allowed us to have input in how the workshops were structured. He allowed us to think about what would work best and went with that. He ended up giving a brief summary of the material and answered any questions before we jumped into the cases, which was so helpful!...
…it was evident he was being intentional in getting to know us, made jokes to keep the energy up throughout the time we spent together, and cared about our individual success (and how that may mean different things to different people). I have never felt so invested in by a facilitator, especially in a short 3-week course. He created an inclusive, fun, and engaging learning environment, and I truly think we have such a good grasp on the material because of that.
- Katie Webb, MD
Resident, Department of Pediatrics -
Katie Webb was my pediatric clerkship resident during my oncology week on inpatient service in a time that would be best described as chaotic. Despite this, she prioritized my education to the utmost degree outside the usual expectations of a resident on clerkship. Taking time to go through a detailed plan every morning for my patients, provide real time feedback with encouragement, and making sure that my mental health was also in good spirits. She was the reason that I really started to feel confident in my ability to be a clinician and her professional demeanor will be remembered by me for the rest of my education. Also, as a role model, she demonstrated the most important attribute of empathy for her patients to the utmost degree and was instrumental in coordinating their care.
-Submitted by a Medical Student
Pediatrics Clerkship, Fall 2022
A full list of faculty, staff, and trainee accolades is available.