\u201cI am shocked but honored,\u201d says Henry, a professor in the Department of Medicine. \u201cI am very proud of the comments, which do an excellent job of describing what I have worked to achieve my entire career.\u201d<\/p>\n The Dan A. Henry, MD, Clinician Educator Faculty Award recognizes a faculty member who teaches in the pre-clerkship clinical courses \u201cwho students believe best exhibits the ability to evoke in students an interest and enthusiasm for clinical care,\u201d starting this year with Dr. Laurie Caines<\/a>, associate professor of medicine.<\/p>\n From the students\u2019 nomination:<\/p>\n \u201cDr. Caines makes sure we understand the material well and most importantly does so in an efficient manner. She never wastes time and makes sure everything in class has a direct clinical application. Her stories of parallels between things she saw in her own practice and how they manifest in the material we were learning always kept class engaging. Her patients should be grateful they get to experience the care of a human as compassionate and intelligent as her. Thank you!\u201d<\/p>\n Caines says she\u2019s honored to be the first recipient of the award named for Henry, who was a professor and advisor to her while she was a UConn medical student (Class of 2006).<\/p>\n \u201cI learned so much from him, ranging from things like pathophysiology to what to include in an oral presentation, but what I truly admired was his obvious love for medicine and the joy he experienced in getting a student to understand a difficult concept.\u201d Caines says. \u201cHe is notorious for challenging exams, but this is because he wants students to understand the basic pathophysiology in order to provide excellent clinical care. I think it is important to have these high expectations of students because UConn students can absolutely rise to the challenge and are better for it. He is a wonderful mentor, helping me match at my top residency choice and then guiding me again as a young faculty member when I returned to UConn. I have been learning from Dr. Henry for a solid 20 years and I can’t thank him enough for his teaching and guidance over the years. This award means so much to me.\u201d<\/p>\n The first Lynn Y. Kosowicz<\/a>, MD, Clinician Educator Committee Award, went to the Clinical Longitudinal Immersion in the Community (CLiC) committee.<\/p>\n \u201cI am humbled and honored to have my name associated with the new Clinician Educator Committee Award,\u201d says Kosowicz, professor and interim chair of the Department of Medicine. \u201cI am passionate about how important early clinical education is to the development of outstanding physicians, and am deeply grateful to the education leadership team for recognizing pre-clerkship clinical education with this new award.\u201d<\/p>\n Dr. Anton Alerte<\/a>, interim associate dean for primary care, directs the CLiC committee.<\/p>\n \u201cTo be appreciated by students as impactful is satisfying,\u201d Alerte says. \u201cTo be honored with an award is heartwarming, but to also receive an award named in honor of Lynn Kosowicz is jaw-droppingly amazing and humbling.\u201d<\/p>\n As part of the UConn School of Medicine\u2019s M Delta curriculum, CLiC pairs students with a physician in an outpatient practice, enabling student interaction with actual patients.<\/p>\n \u201cClinical Longitudinal and Immersion in the Community is the course which places students in doctors\u2019 offices to develop and hone their skills as future physicians,\u201d Alerte says. \u201cEverything they learn about being a doctor at the school is immediately translated into actual practice under the watchful eyes of our community preceptors. It is one of the major reasons students pick UConn for medical school. Although I accepted the award, it is our faculty who won it.\u201d<\/p>\n The third new award, the UConn School of Medicine Coaching Award, recognizes someone within the school\u2019s coaching program who helps students reach their goals, improve performance, contribute to their development, and build trust within their coaching group.<\/p>\n The Coaching Award recipient is David FitzGerald<\/a>, assistant professor of psychiatry.<\/p>\n \u201cI cannot imagine going through the M Delta curriculum without the unwavering positivity and support of Dr. FitzGerald,\u201d says one of the students who submitted a nomination. \u201cIf I had a question or concern, he immediately jumped into action to put me in contact with the right person, and \u2014 if he didn’t know who I should go to \u2014 went out of his way to find the resources I needed. After the stress of a long block, I sincerely looked forward to our meetings because it was \u2018home base\u2019 and a place that I felt incredibly supported. Especially in the face of a virtual first year, it felt like I had someone in my corner even if I were to stumble or struggle.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cI thoroughly enjoy being an academic coach for our medical students,\u201d FitzGerald says. \u201cThe opportunity to work with our future physicians as they integrate all facets of their learning into their larger clinical and social demands is a privilege and pleasure. I am thankful that the School of Medicine has created this program and appreciate the opportunity to contribute to the development of our future physicians.\u201d<\/p>\n The students also presented the traditional Charles N. Loeser Award and the Committee Award for Meritorious Educational Leadership (CAMEL).<\/p>\n The Loeser Award recognizes \u201cthe ability to evoke in students an enthusiasm for learning and a desire to emulate his\/her own attributes of scholarly curiosity, and give wholeheartedly of themselves to advance the welfare and education of students.<\/p>\n![\"Dr.](\"https:\/\/today.uconn.edu\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/04\/caines-laurie-201811120-encarnacion-8331_1-1000x1250-1-240x300.jpg\")
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