Celebrating Outstanding Teachers
The MD Program is proud to celebrate some of its great teachers for their work providing world-class learning experiences to the next generation of physicians.
Among those recognized at this year’s annual Education Achievement Celebration were the recipients of the W. T. Aikins Awards, the most prestigious awards for sustained commitment to and excellence in undergraduate teaching.
Named after William Thomas Aikins, the Faculty’s first Dean of Medicine after it was reorganized in 1887, the winners of these awards are chosen in a Faculty-wide process that requires support from faculty and students. The honour is also given serious consideration in the academic promotions process.
This year’s W. T. Aikins Award recipients are:
Jacqueline James
W.T Aikins Award - Course/Program Development and Coordination
Jacqueline James is an associate professor the Departmental Division Director in the Department of Medicine’s Division of Endocrinology. Previously, James held major curriculum and administrative roles since 2001, including Course Director, Chair of the Banting and Best Care and Education Committee and Wightman-Berris Academy Director. In 2011, she was named the inaugural Vice President, Education at Mount Sinai Hospital.
Click here to read more about Prof. James’ work
Ariel Shafro
W.T Aikins Award - Individual Teaching Performance (small group)
Ariel Shafro is a lecturer in the Department of Psychaitry. This award recognizes his work in the interviewing course at the Mississauga Academy of Medicine (MAM), where Shafro role-plays a number of different patients with a variety of clinical presentations based on common exam scenarios. He has been the Medical Education Lead for the Psychiatry program at Trillium Health Partners since 2015, where he is also a core supervisor for the psychiatry clerkship.
Graham Roche-Nagle
W.T Aikins Award - Individual Teaching Performance (small group)
Graham Roche-Nagle is an assocate professor in the Department of Surgery’s Division of Vascular Surgery. He has 80 articles in peer-reviewed journals and participated in over 100 scientific presentations.
Barbara Ballyk and Philip Berger
W.T Aikins Award - Individual Teaching Performance (large group)
Barbara Ballyk is an associate professor in the Department of Surgery’s Division of Anatomy. She has developed the anatomy and histology components of the new Foundations Curriculum. In the previous preclerkship curriculum, she was recognized with the W.T. Aikins Award for Course/Program Development and Coordination. She was also honoured with the award for Excellence in Undergraduate Teaching in Life Sciences in 2013.
Philip Berger is an associate professor in the Department of Family and community Medicine and the Faculty’s first Health Advocacy Lead. Propelled by his work with victims of torture, people with HIV and refugees, he helped establish human rights-related organizations and been involved in campaigns to fight poverty. In 2012, he co-founded Canadian Doctors for Refugee Care, which successfully fought federal cuts to refugee health care. He is also the Medical Director of the Inner City Health Program at St. Michael’s Hospital, where he has served as Chief of its Department of Family and Community Medicine.
The Medical Alumni Association (MAA) Awards were also presented during the event. These include the Dr. E. Mary Hollington Teaching Awards.
These awards are named for Dr. E. Mary Hollington, a member of the Class of 4T4 who made a £5000 gift to the MAA as a gesture of gratitude for the financial and academic support she received from the Faculty of Medicine during her time in Canada during World War II. Interest on this investment helped establish the awards, which recognize excellence in pre-clinical or basic science teaching and clinical teaching.
Mike Wiley
Dr. E. Mary Hollington Teaching Award Excellence in Preclinical or Basic Science Teaching
Click here to watch a short video about Prof. Mike Wiley’s reflections on his career
Steven Shumak
Dr. E. Mary Hollington Teaching Award Excellence in Clinical Teaching
Todd Koch
Dean A. L. Chute Award (The Silver Shovel)
This award was established by the Class of 5T4 and re-established by the MAA in 1973 in honour of Dean A. L. Chute. It recognizes an undergraduate teacher who demonstrates excellence in clinical teaching in the undergraduate medical program.
Martin Schreiber
Class of 8T9 Medical Alumni Award
This award recognizes outstanding contributions to the undergraduate experience.