Excellence in Teaching with Humanism Awardees 2021

Femi Akinnagbe, MD, MSc
He/El
Family Medicine,Harbor-UCLA
PGY-1

“He invested time to set me up for success, walking me through what was expected… he modeled what the physician-patient relationship should be like… [and] he cares deeply about social justice and its effects within the hospital system… I am so grateful to have had a mentor like Dr. Akinnagbe during my rotation and his teachings will impact me for the rest of my career.”

Alexander Bridges, MD
He/Him
Thoracic Surgery, UCLA
PGY-8

“Dr. Bridges stands alone as the ultimate model of medical practice and instruction. He had me operating across from him on my very first day of rotations… he narrated each maneuver and its significance to me, speaking to me not simply as “the medical student”, but as a respected colleague. I continued learning from his example as a caring and astute clinician… [who] never failed to project positivity and enthusiasm onto those around him even on the toughest days.“

Michael Connerney, MD, MS
He/Him
Neurology, UCLA
PGY-2

“I have never met anyone with as much genuine compassion, kindness and humility as Mike. He treats every patient with the utmost respect and displays an incredibly gentle, reassuring, and supportive bedside manner… I learned so much not only through watching him interact with both his patients and co-residents, but also through his interactions with me… [I] felt like I was a truly valued member of the team.”

Amanda Dann, MD
She/Her
General Surgery, UCLA
PGY-7

“Dr. Dann has been nothing short of extraordinary when it comes to the field of surgery. ...What stands out to me is the humanism she conveys when interacting with patients on some of their worst days… She is the voice of reason and empathy as patients make difficult decisions… She is a leader in every sense of the word… Her insight and guidance makes everyone around her, including attendings, stronger physicians and more compassionate human beings.”

Katherine Fu, MD
She/Her
Neurology, UCLA
PGY-4

“Kat was not only an awesome senior, but also an amazing teacher. …She kept the team atmosphere very vibrant and fun. …She is my role model when it comes to patient care. We had a patient who was in our service for months awaiting placement, and she moved mountains for this patient to find housing. Also, I really appreciate how she keeps her patients informed and always tells them when she's going to teach. KAT IS AMAZING!”

Catie Gilwa, MD
She/Her
Obstetrics and Gynecology, UCLA
PGY-3

“Put simply, Catie epitomizes the ideal of a physician: she always went the extra mile to care for her patients through not only medical care but also emotional and social support. …She taught me through examples how to see past the traditional "this is not my problem" narrow perspective and care for each person as a person. On top of all the work it took to run the service, she also found time to teach, explain, and make medical students truly feel like a part of the team.”

Kyle Hannabass, MD
He/His
Head and Neck Surgery, UCLA
PGY-5

“Kyle is a phenomenal resident role model. …Every morning, he prepared teaching points/lessons appropriate for various levels of trainees… During cases and procedures, Kyle made sure to engage my fellow medical student and me throughout. He took time out of his day to show us scans of patients he was caring for, helping us to become more proficient at reading CTs, MRIs, and X-rays. I especially appreciate that he tailored his teaching to my specific interests.”

Gavin Ho, MD
He/Him
Internal Medicine, UCLA
PGY-2

“Gavin absolutely exemplifies what it means to teach with humanism! His caring nature was seen not only with his patients but with other residents and members of the team. As the student working on his team, I would hear patients ask where he was and knew they felt cared for under my supervision because I was working with him. Gavin also helped me excel as a student by offering feedback on my presentations and helping reach out to the fellow and attending on service… I would be honored to work with Gavin again and think he is a top tier resident!”

Eric Jung, MD
He/Him
Urology, Cedars-Sinai
PGY-5

“Eric completely encompasses the word "humanism." In the short period that I worked with him, he made sure that I and the rest of the medical students in the rotation had the best learning experience. He would make sure to set aside time to teach us academic and practical surgical skills; and he did it with patience and enthusiasm every time. He also made sure that we felt welcome and part of the team. Eric truly created an absolute safe space for learning and growing!”

Wesley Kerr, MD, PhD
He/Him
Neurology, UCLA
PGY-4

“On his own, Wesley is a truly brilliant person. …But what really makes him shine is how skilled he is at sharing his deep understanding of neurology with others. ... Wesley took every opportunity and moment of down time to teach lessons on the white board, find interesting new topics to investigate, and talk to me about what I wanted to learn. His friendly attitude and enthusiasm is a breath of fresh air. [He] set an outstanding example for those working with him.”

Jiwen Li, MD
She/Her
Medicine-Pediatrics, UCLA
PGY-4

“It is rare to find a physician who embodies exceptional clinical knowledge, skills, and practice while naturally demonstrating the qualities of humanism, but Dr. Jiwen Li is one those rare physicians. …She exemplified a true physician role model, by treating EVERYONE (patients, doctors, nurses, students, etc) with empathy, respect, and integrity. …Advice she gave me [was] to “always challenge yourself to see the person in front of you beyond what you think they need from you or what you need from them, but as someone trying their best to get through their personal struggles and challenges.” …I know that she genuinely cares about my personal well-being and is invested in my success. She is truly exceptional.”

Yang (Frank) Lu, MD
He/Him
General Surgery, UCLA
PGY-5

“Frank is an exceptional mentor… Despite his busy schedule, he always went out of his way to teach me and other medical students about the medicine of his work… Not only did he go out of his way to teach medical students, he did the same when caring for his patients. Thank you Frank for taking those extra steps for us - your compassion and work definitely did not go unnoticed! I hope to some day give back to our medical community just like you have been.”

Joe Luis Pantoja, MD
He/Him
Vascular Surgery, UCLA
PGY-4

“Dr. Joe Pantoja exemplifies humanistic care, always going above and beyond for patients from an underserved background. I've witnessed Dr. Pantoja… actively advocate for underserved patients in the floor, ensure they receive care in their fluent language, and guarantee patient will receive the necessary post-op care in/out of clinic. …He has empowered me to become a truly humanistic and exemplary physician, in ways I never new I could. He has believed in me and continues to teach me and empower me to reach my full potential.”

Desiree Sanchez, MD
She/Her
Urology, UCLA
PGY-4

“What has stood out to me the most about Dr. Sanchez is her humanism, deep sense of empathy, and a remarkable commitment to her patients that truly distinguishes her… [The] dedication to every single patient, truly understanding her patients and their unique circumstances is typical of how Dr. Sanchez approaches medicine. Dr. Sanchez’s genuine care and commitment to her patients have shined through every single patient interaction that I’ve shared with her. She is the exact model of the type of physician I aspire to become.”

Uptal Sandesara, MD, PhD
He/Him
Internal Medicine, UCLA
PGY-2

“While he himself is an exemplar of providing humanistic, patient centered care- he did everything is his power to impart his wisdom on to me. …I have never had a resident be so invested in my learning… I feel like I walked away with a working set of skills I would not have not otherwise been able to develop… I consider Utpal an incredible mentor, role model, and clinical educator. His passion for medical student education is quite evident and I find myself very fortunate to be on the receiving end.”

Rachel Sarnoff, MD
She/Her
Internal Medicine, UCLA
PGY-2

“Rachel Sarnoff… exemplifies the best of clinical medicine, both for patient care and learning. I saw her advocate many times for the care of patients, even if that meant long phone conversations with social work. I was most impressed with her leadership style in creating team dynamics in which everyone is included, respected, and where it was a kind environment to learn… Anyone time we gained a new team member… she would stop the entire team to have introductions. This small act was incredibly meaningful in making sure that everyone is included and valued, equally.”

Lauren Schooner, MD
She/Her
Psychiatry, Harbor-UCLA
PGY-1

“Lauren is everything you want in a resident supporting your learning and growth as a physician… She treats every member of the team and all of her patients with the utmost respect. She pushes you to take the lead but supports you from behind in interview patients, presenting to the attending, and creating plans… From academic questions to emotional support to career exploration, Lauren was a safe haven and I felt comforted knowing I could turn to her for anything.”

Fatima Traoré, MD
She/Her
Neurology, UCLA
PGY-3

“Fatima is the heart and soul of every team she works on! Not only is she incredibly brilliant but she also is fantastic at reading people, knowing when students need help, and then providing help in an encouraging and positive way… I knew that Fatima had my back and having that support made me feel more comfortable pushing myself in my rotation. Fatima is a rockstar and an incredible teacher. I have no doubt that years down the line, many of her students will remember her as someone who made a difference in their education.”

Madeline Treasure, MD
She/Her
Internal Medicine, UCLA
PGY-1

“Maddie was one of the most thoughtful and kind residents that I had the pleasure of working with… [She] went out of her way to make sure I was having the amount of autonomy I was comfortable with, while always being there as a support … She modeled exceptional patient care… [and] did a great job balancing her role as an attentive, compassionate provider while also continually being an excellent teacher and incredibly supportive of our learning as students.”

James Weinberger, MD, MBA
He/Him
Urology, UCLA
PGY-3

“Several memories stand out to me. James often checked in to see how I was doing, prioritizing my wellbeing as a medical student… James demonstrated calm and steadfast empathy - I was inspired by his kind words and measured pace. Most importantly, while discussing a surgical complication, his self-reflection and advice taught me about humanism and humility in medicine. I'm grateful to have learned so much from him.”