May 19, 2011

Dozens of students were honored for their academic success, compassionate care and inspiring four years at the College of Medicine during the pre-graduation awards program for the Class of 2011.

In all, 42 students were recognized. Making the most trips to the front of the auditorium was Class President Ashley Lucke, who received five awards – including the Myra M. Hurt Leadership in Medicine Award, which she shared with classmate Justin Casey.

Here’s a small sampling of the praise heaped on students:
• Abby Hunter, who received the J. Ocie Harris Outstanding Student Award, was described as one of “the most impressive students in the history of the FSU College of Medicine.”
• Vanessa Escobar was praised by her campus dean, Paul McLeod, for having the strongest commitment to become a physician that he had ever seen.
• One nominator predicted that Justin Casey would run for political office and help improve the country’s health-care system.
• Clerkship directors predicted that Kim Plumitallo Maguire would become a “beloved” physician; they figured that Matthew Cox was one of the best students they had ever seen in medical education; they even praised Joshua Counihan’s parents for raising such a conscientious son.
• One observer worried that anyone who studied as hard as Justin Deen would hurt himself.

Class Vice President Danielle Henry thanked the faculty and staff: “You have become our second families.” The class’s gift to the College of Medicine is a decorative brick, dedicated to the efforts of the faculty and staff, to be placed in the courtyard.

New to this year’s awards program was the military pinning ceremony. In previous years the ceremony had been more private. This year, everyone got to watch parents come forward to stand with these graduates as they wore the symbols of their higher rank for the first time and restated their oath.

The 114 students of the Class of 2011 constitute the College of Medicine’s seventh graduating class. With their graduation, the medical school’s alumni now will number 450.

Below is a list of the awards and other honors that were announced at the program.

COLLEGE OF MEDICINE AWARDS
J. Ocie Harris Outstanding Student Award (“the best all-around promise of becoming a physician of the highest caliber”): Abby Hunter

Myra M. Hurt Leadership in Medicine Award (“exemplary leadership in one or more areas of medicine”): Justin Casey and Ashley Lucke

Mission Award (“distinguished himself/herself by activities that further the College of Medicine’s mission:): Rachel Bixler and Zita Magloire

Altruism in Medicine Award (“embodies the highest ideals of medicine as a service calling”): Komal D’Souza and Kathleen McGlynn

Access to Care Award (“strong interest in providing access to health care for underserved populations,” given in honor of We Care Network coordinator Robin McDougall): Mary Currie

Student Research Award: Natalie Ciomek

REGIONAL CAMPUS AWARDS
Regional Campus Dean’s Award (for “the most outstanding student at each College of Medicine regional campus”):
Joshua Counihan and Kim Plumitallo Maguire (Daytona Beach)
Stephanie Reed (Fort Pierce)
Matthew Cox (Orlando)
Vanessa Escobar (Pensacola)
Justin Deen (Sarasota)
Ashley Lucke (Tallahassee)

HONOR SOCIETY AND SPECIALTY AWARDS
Alpha Omega Alpha Honor Medical Society inductees (the only national honor medical society): Rachel Bixler, Ashley Chandler, Amanda Cooke, Andrew Cooke, Matthew Cox, Justin Deen, Marlisha Edwards, Mark Elliott, Ashley Kelley, Ashley Lucke, Juline Machado, Kim Maguire, Bradford March, Kara Monday, Stephen Nobles, Stephanie Reed, Shaila Siraj, Natasha Spencer, Brian Thomas, Jennifer Tota

Gold Humanism Honor Society inductees (“excellence in clinical care, leadership, compassion, and dedication to service”): Rachel Bixler, Andrew Cooke, Joshua Counihan, Mary Currie, Komal D’Souza, Rafael de la Puente, Justin Deen, Marlisha Edwards, Abby Hunter, Ashley Lucke, Layla Lundquist-Smith, Juline Machado, Zita Magloire, Kim Maguire, Tashara Martin, Kathleen McGlynn, Shaila Siraj

Merritt Ryals Clements, M.D., Award for Excellence in Obstetrics and Gynecology (“best demonstrated dedication to the health of women”): Elinor Rodriguez

Florida Obstetric and Gynecologic Society Award (“to outstanding medical school graduates entering an obstetrics and gynecology residency program”): Christopher “Luke” Dixon and Natasha Spencer

American Medical Women’s Association Glasgow-Rubin Achievement Citation (“female students who demonstrate leadership, service and advocacy and rank in the top 10 percent of the graduating class”): Ashley Chandler, Amanda Cooke, Ashley Kelley, Stephanie Reed, Amanda Rose, Caitlin Schultheis, Tricia Sias

American Medical Women’s Association Outstanding Female Graduate: Amanda Rose

Outstanding Graduate in Family Medicine Award: Marlisha Edwards

Florida Geriatrics Society Award for Outstanding Student in Geriatrics: Erin Golden

Excellence in Pediatrics Award: Ashley Lucke

Excellence in Emergency Medicine Award: Rafael de la Puente

Medical Student Professionalism and Service Award (presented by the American College of Emergency Physicians for “outstanding patient care and involvement in medical organizations and the community”): Gregory Peters

Internal Medicine Award: Andrew Cooke

Psychiatry Award: Jennifer Tota

MILITARY PINNING CEREMONY
Promotion in rank for students in the armed services:

Ensign Kelli Murphy was promoted to lieutenant in the U.S. Navy Medical Corps.

Also, 1st Lts. Jennifer Brown and Jazmin Overton were promoted to captain in the U.S. Army Medical Corps.

STUDENT SUMMARY
Rachel Bixler: Mission Award, Alpha Omega Alpha Honor Medical Society, Gold Humanism Honor Society

Jennifer Brown: Promoted to captain in the U.S. Army Medical Corps

Justin Casey: Myra M. Hurt Leadership in Medicine Award

Ashley Chandler: Alpha Omega Alpha Honor Medical Society, American Medical Women’s Association Glasgow-Rubin Achievement Citation

Natalie Ciomek: Student Research Award

Amanda Cooke: Alpha Omega Alpha Honor Medical Society, American Medical Women’s Association Glasgow-Rubin Achievement Citation

Andrew Cooke: Alpha Omega Alpha Honor Medical Society, Gold Humanism Honor Society, Internal Medicine Award

Joshua Counihan: Regional Campus Dean’s Award, Gold Humanism Honor Society

Matthew Cox: Regional Campus Dean’s Award, Alpha Omega Alpha Honor Medical Society

Mary Currie: Access to Care Award, Gold Humanism Honor Society

Komal D’Souza: Altruism in Medicine Award, Gold Humanism Honor Society

Rafael de la Puente: Gold Humanism Honor Society, Excellence in Emergency Medicine Award

Justin Deen: Regional Campus Dean’s Award, Alpha Omega Alpha Honor Medical Society, Gold Humanism Honor Society

Christopher “Luke” Dixon: Florida Obstetric and Gynecologic Society Award

Marlisha Edwards: Alpha Omega Alpha Honor Medical Society, Gold Humanism Honor Society, Outstanding Graduate in Family Medicine Award

Mark Elliott: Alpha Omega Alpha Honor Medical Society

Vanessa Escobar: Regional Campus Dean’s Award

Erin Golden: Florida Geriatrics Society Award for Outstanding Student in Geriatrics

Abby Hunter: J. Ocie Harris Outstanding Student Award, Gold Humanism Honor Society

Ashley Kelley: Alpha Omega Alpha Honor Medical Society, American Medical Women’s Association Glasgow-Rubin Achievement Citation

Ashley Lucke: Myra M. Hurt Leadership in Medicine Award, Regional Campus Dean’s Award, Alpha Omega Alpha Honor Medical Society, Gold Humanism Honor Society, Excellence in Pediatrics Award

Layla Lundquist-Smith: Gold Humanism Honor Society

Juline Machado: Alpha Omega Alpha Honor Medical Society, Gold Humanism Honor Society

Zita Magloire: Mission Award, Gold Humanism Honor Society

Kim Plumitallo Maguire: Regional Campus Dean’s Award, Alpha Omega Alpha Honor Medical Society, Gold Humanism Honor Society

Bradford March: Alpha Omega Alpha Honor Medical Society

Tashara Martin: Gold Humanism Honor Society

Kathleen McGlynn: Altruism in Medicine Award, Gold Humanism Honor Society

Kara Monday: Alpha Omega Alpha Honor Medical Society

Kelli Murphy: Promoted to lieutenant in the U.S. Navy Medical Corps

Stephen Nobles: Alpha Omega Alpha Honor Medical Society

Jazmin Overton: Promoted to captain in the U.S. Army Medical Corps

Gregory Peters: Medical Student Professionalism and Service Award (from American College of Emergency Physicians)

Stephanie Reed: Regional Campus Dean’s Award, Alpha Omega Alpha Honor Medical Society, American Medical Women’s Association Glasgow-Rubin Achievement Citation

Elinor Rodriguez: Merritt Ryals Clements, M.D., Award for Excellence in Obstetrics and Gynecology

Amanda Rose: American Medical Women’s Association Glasgow-Rubin Achievement Citation, AMWA Outstanding Female Graduate

Caitlin Schultheis: American Medical Women’s Association Glasgow-Rubin Achievement Citation

Tricia Sias: American Medical Women’s Association Glasgow-Rubin Achievement Citation

Shaila Siraj: Alpha Omega Alpha Honor Medical Society, Gold Humanism Honor Society

Natasha Spencer: Alpha Omega Alpha Honor Medical Society, Florida Obstetric and Gynecologic Society Award

Brian Thomas: Alpha Omega Alpha Honor Medical Society

Jennifer Tota: Alpha Omega Alpha Honor Medical Society, Psychiatry Award