The results of this year’s Faculty-to-Faculty Awards have been announced. The award recipients, who were named in May, included Steven Pollens, MD, Dilip Patel, MBBS, Sravani Alluri, MD, MS, and Nichol Holodick, PhD.
The Faculty-to-Faculty Awards, which are handed out by the medical school’s Office of Faculty Affairs, recognize faculty who were nominated by their peers for significant professional achievements, as well as contributions and service to WMed and the wider community.
Dr. Pollens, an assistant professor in the medical school’s Department of Family and Community Medicine, received the Lifetime Achievement Award. The award recognizes a faculty member who is nearing retirement and who has made significant contributions to one or more areas of WMed.
In their letter nominating Dr. Pollens for the Lifetime Achievement Award, Kristi VanDerKolk, MD, and faculty from the Family Medicine residency program in Kalamazoo, lauded Dr. Pollens for a career dedicated to the service of patients, medical students, and residents.
“Dr. Pollens has dedicated his life and career to the service of patients, students and residents during his career as a Family Physician and has done so in a manner that exemplifies the mission and vision of WMed,” the Family Medicine-Kalamazoo team said. “Like WMed, Dr. Pollens is committed to excellence in medical education, provision of high quality patient- and family-centered care and a vision of health equity for all.”
Meanwhile, Dr. Patel, who serves as chair of the Department of Pediatric and Adolescent Medicine, received the Distinguished Service Award. The award recognizes a faculty member who has provided significant service to WMed, the community, and the medical community at the local, regional, national, and international levels.
Dr. Patel was nominated for the award by Roger Apple, PhD, associate professor in the Department of Pediatric and Adolescent Medicine, and William Fales, MD, professor in the Department of Emergency Medicine.
In their nomination letters, Drs. Apple and Fales cited Dr. Patel’s unwavering leadership, professionalism, and mentorship during 35 years of service at the medical school and MSU/KCMS, the predecessor to WMed.
“In addition to his service, Dr. Patel also maintains five board certifications as well as many other certifications and academic appointments, professional honors and memberships, and has participated in educational activities regionally, nationally, and internationally,” Dr. Apple said. “Dr. Patel visibly works to help his faculty grow professionally by always encouraging everyone to develop clinically, attend trainings and conferences as well as publish and do research.”
Added Dr. Fales: “Forgive the extreme metaphor but Dr. Patel is clearly a ‘giant’ within WMed and the broader house of medicine. Quadruply boarded, he is nationally and internationally recognized for his expertise in Sports Medicine, Adolescent Medicine, Neurodevelopmental Disabilities, and Developmental-Behavioral Pediatrics.”
Dr. Alluri, who is an assistant professor in the Department of Family and Community Medicine, and Dr. Holodick, associate professor in the Department of Investigative Medicine, received the Hal B. Jenson, MD Outstanding Faculty of the Year Award (Clinical) and the Hal B. Jenson, MD Outstanding Faculty Award (Non-Clinical), respectively. The awards recognize a faculty member whose work exemplifies the mission and values of WMed.
In their letters nominating Dr. Alluri for the award, Dr. VanDerKolk, Nic Helmstetter, MD, assistant professor in the departments of Medicine and Pediatric and Adolescent Medicine, and Kari Beth Watts, MD, assistant professor in the Department of Family and Community Medicine, said Dr. Alluri is a compassionate and outstanding physician who is a stalwart advocate for the unhoused in the Kalamazoo community through her work with the Street Medicine Kalamazoo (SMKzoo) team.
“Through this work, she is the personification of WMed’s mission, grounded in community diversity, health equity, and inclusion,” Dr. Helmstetter said. “The entire panel of SMKzoo patients identifies her as their (primary care provider) and the level of trust and rapport she’s built with this traumatized and marginalized population is awe-inspiring … She is the best of us and a WMed institutional treasure.”
Added Dr. Watts of Dr. Alluri: “The scope, thoughtfulness and impact of her clinical work is breathtaking. Quite simply, there is no one else like her at WMed. Her work epitomizes the intersectionality of medicine and community.”
In his letter nominating Dr. Holodick for her award, Thomas L. Rothstein, MD, PhD, chair of the Department of Investigative Medicine, said Dr. Holodick has played a pivotal role since 2016 in helping establish the medical school’s Center for Immunobiology and ensuring its continued success. Additionally, Dr. Rothstein said, Dr. Holodick’s work as a researcher is impressive, including the publication of 15 peer-reviewed papers since she arrived at WMed eight years ago and is the recipient of three grants from the National Institutes of Health.
“In sum, Dr. Holodick has established an enviable record of achievement here at WMed and beyond, enhancing the recognition and reputation of our institution nationally and internationally,” Dr. Rothstein said. “This is the result of her limitless work ethic and superior creativity.”