2025 Department of Medicine Awards Ceremony

Each year, faculty, staff, and trainees are nominated for the Department of Medicine annual awards in recognition of their outstanding contributions to their divisions, the department, the College of Medicine, and MUSC.

These honorees were recognized Thursday, June 5, at the 2025 Department of Medicine Awards Ceremony. We extend our gratitude to the faculty and staff members who attended in person, as well as the enthusiastic virtual audience who cheered them on via Zoom.

We are proud to honor this year’s fellow awards, division awards, faculty awards – clinical care and education, faculty awards – research, resident awards, faculty and trainee awards, and employee awards.

Fellow Awards

Fellow of the Year: Awarded to the Department of Medicine fellow who has demonstrated the most dedication to teaching residents this year. Selected by residents.
Winner: Elena Vlachos, D.O., Pulmonary & Critical Care

Division Awards

Division of the Year: Awarded to the Department of Medicine Division that has demonstrated the most dedication to teaching residents this year. Selected by residents.
Winner: Division of Hematology and Oncology

Faculty Awards - Clinical Care and Education

Michael E. Assey Department of Medicine Attending Teaching Award: Awarded to a member of the Medicine faculty who has excelled in educating residents in the inpatient setting. Selected by residents.
Winner: Nancy Hagood, M.D., Assistant Professor, Hospital Medicine

Ambulatory Teacher of the Year (Outpatient Attending): Awarded to a member of the Medicine faculty who has excelled in educating residents in an ambulatory care setting. Selected by residents.
Winner: Cara Blythe Litvin, M.D., MS, Professor, General Internal Medicine

Consult Teacher of the Year: Awarded to a member of the Department of Medicine faculty who has excelled in educating residents/fellows on a medicine consult service. Selected by residents.
Winner: Natalie Freidin, M.D., Associate Professor, Nephrology

Excellence in Medical Student Teaching: Awarded to clinical faculty within the Department of Medicine who interact with students as part of the Internal Medicine Clerkship and who exceed expectations in the realms of student education, mentorship, and/or leadership. Selected by medical students.

• Faculty Winners: Will Shelley, M.D., Instructor, Hospital Medicine and Eric Palecek, M.D., Associate Professor, General Internal Medicine
• Fellow Winners: Femi Osunnuga, D.O., First Year Fellow, Pulmonary & Critical Care and Larry P.A. DeBellis, D.O., MS, Second Year Fellow, Endocrinology
• Resident Winner: Vincent Bolus, M.D., PGY-2, IM Resident

Education Mentoring Award: This award is to acknowledge and value a Department of Medicine clinician educator for the mentoring of junior faculty or trainees. Selected by faculty. 
Winner: Susan Dorman, M.D., Professor, Infectious Diseases

Outstanding Junior Faculty Clinician Educator of the Year Award: Awarded to a junior faculty member at the Clinical Instructor or Assistant Professor level who exemplifies excellence in patient care, communication, and teaching to students, residents and/or fellows. Selected by faculty.
Winner: Jensie Burton, M.D., MS, Assistant Professor, Infectious Diseases

Outstanding Mid-Career Clinician Educator of the Year Award: Awarded to a mid-career faculty member at the Assistant Professor or Associate Professor level who exemplifies excellence in patient care, communication, and teaching to students, residents and/or fellows. Selected by faculty. 
Winner: Harsha Karanchi, M.D., Associate Professor, Endocrinology

Outstanding Established Clinician Educator of the Year Award: Awarded to an established faculty member at the Associate Professor (≥ 5year) or Professor who exemplifies excellence in patient care, communication, and teaching to students, residents and/or fellows. Selected by faculty.
Winner: Cassandra Salgado, M.D., MS, Division Director, Professor, Infectious Diseases

The Doctor’s Doctor Award: Awarded to a Department of Medicine physician who provides outstanding clinical care and exemplifies characteristics that would lead you to send a loved one to them. Selected by faculty.
Winner: Scott Curry, M.D., Associate Professor, Infectious Diseases

Professionalism Award: Awarded to a Department of Medicine faculty member who exemplifies the highest standards of professionalism, compassion, and a deep and abiding commitment to humanism in health care, delivering person-centered care. Selected by residents and faculty.
Winners:
Elisha Brownfield, M.D., Professor, General Internal Medicine
Marc Heincelman, M.D., Associate Professor, Division Director, Hospital Medicine

Hidden Gem Award: Awarded to Department of Medicine faculty member(s) in recognition of their outstanding, but often unnoticed or unrecognized contributions to the division, DOM, or MUSC. Each division nominates a Hidden Gem. Nominated by Division Directors.
Winner: Nathalie Malcolm, M.D., Assistant Professor, General Internal Medicine

DOM Lifetime Clinician Educator Achievement Award: Intended to recognize lifetime achievement in the service of the academic missions of the DOM. Nominated by Division Directors.
Winner: Brenda Hoffman, M.D., Professor, Gastroenterology & Hepatology

Faculty Awards - Research

Research Faculty Mentor of the Year Award: Nominated by mentees, this award is intended to recognize mentors at any career stage — junior, mid-career, or established — for excellence in mentoring junior faculty researchers. Selected by Research Symposium Committee.
Winner: Diane Kamen, M.D., MSCR, Professor, Rheumatology

Outstanding Scientific Publication Award: Recognizes faculty member(s) with CY24 high impact original science publications.
Winners:
Michael Zile, M.D., Distinguished University Professor, Cardiology
Sheldon Litwin, M.D., Professor, Cardiology

MilliPub Club Award: The MilliPub Club honors and recognizes current faculty who have published one or more individual papers throughout their careers that have each garnered more than 1,000 citations. Such a paper is commonly considered a “citation classic” and represents high impact scholarship. 
Winners:
Michael Zile, M.D., Distinguished University Professor, Cardiology
Michael Gold M.D., Ph.D., Professor, Cardiology

Best Mentored Paper Award: Recognizes a faculty member who is the senior author on a paper with their mentee. Selected by Research Symposium Committee. 
Winners: (mentee): Adam Fox, M.D., Assistant Professor, Pulmonary & Critical Care; (mentor): Gerard Silvestri, M.D., Distinguished University Professor, Pulmonary & Critical Care

Outstanding Achievement in Early Career Research Award: Recognizes a faculty member within 8 years of his or her initial faculty appointment that have received major funding within the calendar year (non-K awardees). Selected by Research Symposium Committee.
Winner: Jessica English, M.D., Assistant Professor, Rheumatology & Immunology

Top 10 Publishers Club Award: Recognizes the top 10 faculty members in the Department of Medicine with the most original science publications in past calendar year (CY24). 

Winners:

• Michael Zile, M.D., Distinguished University Professor, Cardiology
• Don Rockey, M.D., Distinguished University Professor, Gastroenterology & Hepatology
• Ryan Tedford, M.D., Professor, Cardiology
• B. Joseph Elmunzer, M.D., Distinguished University Professor, Gastroenterology & Hepatology
• Michael Gold, M.D., Ph.D., Professor, Cardiology
• Gerard Silvestri, M.D., MS, Distinguished University Professor, Pulmonary & Critical Care
• Charlie Strange, M.D., Professor, Pulmonary & Critical Care
• Sheldon Litwin, M.D., Professor, Cardiology
• Jingwen Zhang, M.S., Research Assistant Professor, General Internal Medicine
• Daniel Judge, M.D., Professor, Cardiology
• Benjamin Djulbegovic, M.D., Professor, Hematology & Oncology
• Richard Silver, M.D., Distinguished University Professor, Rheumatology & Immunology

Outstanding Research Staff Member Award: Recognizes a staff member who betters the department's research but is not a traditional researcher. Selected by Research Symposium Committee.
Winner: Alyssa Snell, Accounting/Fiscal Manager I, Pulmonary & Critical Care

Resident Awards

General Internal Medicine Outpatient Resident of the Year: Awarded to a Department of Medicine resident who consistently displays professional excellence, compassionate patient care and teamwork among colleagues in the outpatient setting. Selected by University Internal Medicine faculty.
Winner: Ryan Schexnaildre, M.D., PGY-3 Internal Medicine Resident

General Internal Medicine Inpatient Resident of the Year: Awarded to a Department of Medicine resident who consistently displays professional excellence, compassionate patient care and teamwork among colleagues in the inpatient setting. Selected by Academic Hospitalists.
Winner: Drew Stone, M.D., PGY-3 IM Resident

General Internal Medicine Outpatient Intern of the Year: Awarded to a Department of Medicine intern who consistently displays professional excellence, compassionate patient care, and teamwork among colleagues in the outpatient setting. Selected by University Internal Medicine faculty.
Winner: Hayley Fowler, M.D., PGY-1 Internal Medicine Resident

General Internal Medicine Inpatient Intern of the Year: Awarded to a Department of Medicine intern who consistently displays professional excellence, compassionate patient care and teamwork among colleagues in the inpatient setting. Selected by Academic Hospitalists.
Winners: Scott McCraney, M.D., PGY-1 IM Resident

Resident Research Award: This award is intended to recognize a resident who has demonstrated excellence in research. Selected by Research Symposium Committee. 
Winner: Ilgizar Hart, M.D., PGY-3 Internal Medicine Resident

Teaching and Education Award: Awarded to a DOM resident who demonstrates excellence in teaching and provides leadership and promotes or imparts medical education at MUSC. Nominees consist of residents who received top evaluations from medical students. Selected by Education Planning Committee.
Winner: Jay Gopal, M.D., PGY-3 IM Resident

Triple Threat Award: Awarded to a DOM resident who best integrates excellence in clinical work, education, and "scholarly activity" into their practice. Selected by Education Planning Committee.
Winners: Natalie Dorsey, M.D., PGY-3 IM Resident

Doctor’s Doctor Award: Awarded to a DOM resident who you would choose to take care of you or your family. Selected by residents. 
Winners: Britton McGlawn-McGrane, M.D., PGY-3 IM Resident

Professionalism Award: Awarded to a DOM resident who demonstrates a commitment to carrying out professional responsibilities while adhering to ethical principles and maintaining a sensitivity to the varied patient populations that they serve. Characteristics such as respect, altruism, integrity, honesty, compassion, and empathy should be evident in all interactions, including with peers, supervisors, students, patients, and their families. Nominated by residents and faculty.
Winner: Kush Patel, M.D., PGY-3 IM Resident

Intern of the Year: Awarded to a DOM intern in recognition of the individual’s professional excellence displayed in the provision of compassionate patient care and the promotion of teamwork among colleagues. Selected by residents.
Winner: Michael Vinzani, M.D., PGY-1 IM Resident

Resident of the Year: Awarded to a DOM resident in recognition of the individual’s professional excellence displayed in the provision of compassionate patient care and the promotion of teamwork among colleagues. Selected by residents.
Winner: Nicholas Smith, M.D., PGY-3 IM Resident

Faculty and Trainee Awards

Community Service Award: Awarded to a DOM resident, trainee, or faculty member who take action to create change in their communities. Nominated by Division Directors and Residency Leadership. 
Winners: Aundrea Loftley, M.D., Associate Professor, Endocrinology

Employee Awards 

APP of the Year Award: This award honors an outstanding Advanced Practice Provider (APP) who exemplify leadership, mentorship, and clinical excellence. Nominees should be individuals who: serve as role models and mentors to their peers, consistently demonstrate excellence in their daily clinical practice, embody the core values of MUSC and the Department of Medicine, and make a meaningful impact on both their patients and the health care team. Selected By Faculty. 
Winner: Betsy Hopkins, PA, Physician Assistant, Infectious Diseases

Peer Recognition for Advanced Practice Providers (APPs) Excellence Award: This peer-nominated award celebrates an APP who exemplifies clinical excellence, leadership, collaboration, and a strong commitment to patient care within the Department of Medicine. Nominees must be a licensed APP within the Department of Medicine who consistently go above and beyond in their role, demonstrating integrity, compassion, and a commitment to team-based care. Nominees should be recognized by their peers for making a meaningful impact over the past year. (New award in 2025)
Winner: Jessica Dial, DNP, FNP, APRN, Nurse Practitioner, Endocrinology

Employee of the Year Award - EXCELLENCE IN RESEARCH AWARD: This award recognizes a staff member who has displayed exceptional work and/or produced significant research for the Department of Medicine, College of Medicine and beyond. The research has resulted in meaningful work process improvements and/or work designs. Selected by the Employee of the Year Review Committee.
Winner: Nicolas Ancona, Research Specialist I, Rheumatology & Immunology

Employee of the Year Award - LEADERSHIP EXCELLENCE AWARD: This award recognizes a staff member for his/her/their exemplary leadership accomplishments and contributions to the Department of Medicine, College of Medicine, and MUSC. The recipient has led, served, inspired, and collaborated with broad-ranging impact beyond their regular responsibilities. Selected by the Employee of the Year Review Committee.
Winner: Justin Marsden, Program Manager I, General Internal Medicine