Professor Ronald Amedee, Head of Ochsner Clinical School said this is a milestone in our graduate's journey to becoming a competent and independent practitioner.
“This is not the end but just another step on a life-long journey. However, this is a day to take a break, reflect, and celebrate just how far they've come.
“To become a physician you need a strong supporting cast and that supporting cast likely involves parents, siblings, spouses, offspring, close friends, and faculty/staff - I want to recognize and thank you for all that you’ve done,” he said.
This year’s graduating class will join our growing alumni network who number near 900 physicians who are now changing and saving lives every day across the globe.
“Our partnership and medical program continue to provide a world-class educational culture where our students flourish and can become top medical professionals who meet challenges with confidence, think innovatively, focus on wellness, and above all, put their patients first,” Professor Amedee said.
During the ceremony, several UQ-Ochsner physicians, residents, and graduating students were recognized with awards.
The 2022 Teacher of the Year award – the highest individual award of excellence – was bestowed upon:
- Anna Suessman, MD – Pediatric Emergency Medicine
The following teachers were nominated:
- Shilpa Amara, MD – Psychiatry
- Lauren Bergeron, MD – OBGYN
- Freddie Joseph III, MD – Pediatric Neurology
- Aaron Kala, MD – Neonatology
- Bethany Mensink, MD – General Surgery
- Brennen Watson Poplus, MD – Psychiatry
- Eric West, MD – Psychiatry
Resident teaching awards were awarded to the following physicians:
- Brent Ruiz, MD – Internal Medicine
- Sarah Oliver, MD – OBGYN
- Ana Falcon, MD – Pediatrics
- Greg Backes, MD – Psychiatry
- Sarah Budney, MD – Surgery
Recipients of the 2022 Postdoctoral Research Fellowship Award included:
- Lauren Cohen – Urinary Sediment Biomarkers for Diagnosis of Acute Tubular Necrosis
- Rohan Krishnan – Immersive Virtual Reality Therapy - An Acute Therapeutic Option for Chronic Pain Patients
- Peter Liao – Investigating Outcomes of Acute Care Surgery Patients Left in Gastrointestinal Discontinuity
- Rohit Rajendran – Telehealth Literacy Screening Tool (TLST) Validation Study
- Michael Schneider – Hepatocellular Carcinoma Surveillance Biomarkers AFP-L3 and DCP in the Context of Current AFP Biomarker Utilization in Bridge to Transplant
- Charles Sisk – Adversity and lack of access to emergency contraception in the post- Roe/Dobbs era: Implications for maternal morbidity and mortality
- Abdul Zia – A shot in the dark: A multifaceted intervention to reduce inappropriate corticosteroid shot injections and prescribing in the primary care setting
The following students were recognized with individual awards:
- Abdul Zia – Internal Medicine-American College of Physicians Excellence Award
- Rana Mehdizadeh – Dr. E. Edward Martin, Jr. Family Medicine Award
- James O’Leary – John Lockwood Ochsner Sr. Surgical Award
- Harsheen Chawla – Student Excellence Award for OB/GYN
- Grace Kooi – Student Excellence Award for Pediatrics
- Isabel Yoon – Student Excellence Award for Psychiatry
We are accepting applications for our 2024 cohort. As a quota program in high demand, we encourage applicants to apply early to secure their place. Our first interview round is scheduled for March 2023.