The results of this year’s Faculty-to-Faculty Awards have been announced. The award recipients, who were named in May, included Richard Lammers, MD, Cheryl Dickson, MD and Melissa Olken, MD. The Faculty-to-Faculty Awards, which are handed out by the medical school’s Office of Faculty Affairs, recognize faculty who were nominated by their peers for significant professional achievements, as well as contributions and service to WMed and the wider community.
Dr. Lammers, a professor in the medical school’s Department of Emergency Medicine and the former Assistant Dean of Simulation who helped develop WMed’s state-of-the-art Simulation Center at the W.E. Upjohn M.D. Campus, received the Lifetime Achievement Award. The award recognizes a faculty member who is nearing retirement and who has made significant contributions to one or more areas of WMed.
In his letter nominating Dr. Lammers for the Lifetime Achievement Award, David Overton, MD, Associate Dean for Graduate Medical Education and chair of the Department of Emergency Medicine Dr. Overton calls Dr. Lammers an outstanding educator who has made noteworthy and longstanding achievements to the Kalamazoo medical community. Dr. Overton listed several of Dr. Lammers’ achievements, including being named statewide Teacher of the Year by the Emergency Medicine Residents Association of Michigan, his service in mentoring writers of the American Board of Emergency Medicine and his numerous scholarly works.
“Most noteworthy, of course, has been Rick’s leadership in simulation,”Dr. Overton said. “For almost twenty years, he has developed simulation, both locally and nationally, to be the outstanding educational resource that WMed learners enjoy today. Our Simulation Center is state-of-the-art and was virtually entirely designed and run by Rick. Because of him, WMed is a recognized leader in the use of simulation in medical education.”
Meanwhile, Dr. Dickson, who is the medical school’s Chief Diversity Officer, Associate Dean for Health Equity and Community Affairs and a professor in the Department of Pediatric and Adolescent Medicine, received the Distinguished Service Award. The award recognizes a faculty member who has provided significant service to WMed, the community, and the medical community at the local, regional, national, and international levels.
Dr. Dickson was nominated for the award by Tom Rothstein, MD, PhD, chair of the medical school’s Department of Investigative Medicine and director Center for Immunobiology. In his nomination letter, Dr. Rothstein said cited Dr. Dickson’s involvement in engaging students and community members about health equity, participation in volunteer and service activities in the community, which includes being a board member of a dozen community organizations and scholarship and grant success.
“Dr. Dickson is clearly a faculty member who consistently goes above and beyond to enrich the local community, enhance the medical school experience, connect our medical school with the community, and promote the recognition and reputation of WMed,” Dr. Rothstein said. “She has broadened the understanding of race, DEI, and health disparities within and beyond the walls of our institution. In my humble opinion, 'distinguished' is not a strong enough word with which to recognize Dr. Dickson’s exceptional service activities at WMed and in the community, and I recommend her wholeheartedly, without reservation and in the strongest possible terms for this award.”
Dr. Olken, an assistant professor in the Department of Medicine, received the Faculty of the Year award. The award recognizes a faculty member whose work exemplifies the mission and values of WMed. In their letter nominating Dr. Olken for the award, Susan Bannon, MD, Ross Driscoll, MD, an assistant professor in the departments of Medicine and Medical Ethics, Humanities, and Law and Joanne Baker, DO, residency program director and a professor in the Department of Medicine, highlighted Dr. Olken’s contributions and accomplishments to their department and her broad reach of medical education at WMed. Dr. Olken serves students in numerous roles throughout their time at WMed, including as course directors in their first years and Medicine Core Clerkship Director for third-year students.
“She motivates students, residents and other faculty with her dedication to our mission of excellence and health equity through transformative medical education, high-quality patient and family centered care, innovative research in an environment of diversity, equity, inclusion and belonging,” Dr. Olken’s nominators wrote. “She has exceled at professionalism, patient care, mentoring and serving with compassion. She has served on numerous committees and panels during her time as faculty and has served locally and regionally in many capacities. As far as a fellow faculty members, we would describe her as exceptionally dedicated to her students and residents, providing amazing mentorship and leadership in medical education at both the student and resident level.”