Gold Humanism Honor Society Inducts 16 New Students

The College of Medicine chapter of the Gold Humanism Honor Society inducted 16 new members into its ranks Wednesday, April 24, and recognized eight others with awards for humanism in teaching and medicine. 

Medical students inducted into the honor society are: Jorden Arnett, Laura Counsell, Emily Gay, Leila Hojat, Nicholas Jabre, Monique Jindal, Drew Jones, Joseph Kohne, Christina Mackell, Meredith Maxey, Dhwani Mehta, Karan Motiani, Michelle Sibille, Andrea Sitlinger, Kelly Thomas and Brent Wagner.

The college also awarded six residents with Humanism & Excellence in Teaching Awards. Presenting the awards, senior associate dean for academic affairs and education Andrew Filak Jr., MD, said he was pleased to note that five of the six awardees were College of Medicine alumni. 

"The medical students chose them from the over 600 residents who are in our system. I'm absolutely humbled just to read about our outstanding students and residents we have here," he said. 

Resident awardees included: Christopher Freeman, MD, surgery; Brian Grawe, MD, orthopedic surgery; Joshua Kuethe, MD, surgery; Heather Lewis, MD, surgery; David McKinney, MD, obstetrics & gynecology; and Marshall Weesner, MD, internal medicine.

Finally, the college awarded professor of medicine Laura Wexler, MD, and fourth-year medical student Nicholas Jabre with the Leonard Tow Humanism in Medicine Award. The Tow award recognizes individuals who emphasize humanism in the delivery of care to patients and their families.

Accepting the award, Wexler spoke about her time caring for her husband, professor of pediatrics David Glass, MD, during the last year. Glass, who had served as both director of the Division of Rheumatology at Cincinnati Children’s Hospital Medical Center and associate director of the Cincinnati Children’s Research Foundation, died in November 2012.

"I've felt looked after by the students and by my colleagues," said Wexler. "I was struck by how supportive, overtly and quietly, your class was this year. Humanism is an interesting thing—-it works both ways. You give and you get in this profession."

Jabre, who will graduate with his class in May, said he would never forget his time at UC and would "keep humanism in my heart and in my mind, and try my best to carry that with me wherever I go."