Awards

Expand all

CASSIUS ELLIS RESIDENT TEACHING AWARD

This award honors the chief resident who best demonstrates a dedication to teaching and mentoring more junior colleagues. It is in memory of Dr. Cassius M.C. Ellis III, a longtime clinical professor in the Department of Surgery who was the director of surgical education at North Memorial Medical Center. Dr. Ellis, who died in 1997, was also the first assistant dean for minority students at the University of Minnesota Medical School.

1988 - Dr. Russell A. Shatford
1989 - Dr. Peter G. Stock
1990 - Drs. George H. Landis & Mark D. Sawyer
1991 - Dr. Daniel A. Saltzman
1992 - Dr. James B. Williams II
1993 - Dr. John P. Leone
1994 - Dr. Stephen J. Migliori
1995 - Dr. Karol A. Gutowski
1996 - Dr. Timothy D. Sielaff

Prior to 1997, the now Cassius award was named the Resident of the Year award.

1997 - Dr. Andrew J. Matthews
1998 - Drs. Timothy D. Sielaff & Daniel A. Saltzman
1999 - Dr. Daniel A. Saltzman & Dr. Isaac Felemovicius
2000 - Dr. Robert D. Acton
2001 - Dr. Benjamin Suhr
2002 - Dr. Charles A. Svendsen
2003 - Dr. Brian C. Grubbs
2004 - Dr. Jonathan D'Cunha
2005 - Dr. Bradley C. Linden
2006 - Dr. Paul S. Vietzen
2007 - Dr. Sean J. Barnett
2008 - Dr. Peter K. Lee
2009 - Dr. Stephen J. Huddleston
2010 - Dr. Sylvester M. Black
2011 - Dr. Shawn S. Groth
2012 - Dr. Kamrun Jenabzadeh
2013 - Andrea Abbott, MD
2014 - Robert Dorman, MD, PhD
2015 - Kristin Ritter, MD
2016 - Jennifer Witt, MD
2017 - Rohini Olson, MD
2018 - Nkem Aziken, MD and Sydne Muratore, MD
2019 - Brent Bauman, MD
2020 - Scott Kizy, MD
2021 - Ariella Altman, MD, MS
2022 - Matthew Robertson, MD

2023 - Alexandria Robbins, MD

COLEMAN CONNOLLY AWARD

This award honors a thoracic surgery resident for exemplary efforts in mentoring, teaching, and fostering a desire to learn. It is in memory of Dr. Coleman Connolly, a longtime clinical associate professor in the Department of Surgery who died in 1996 after many years in private practice. A 1942 graduate of the University of Minnesota Medical School, Dr. Connolly served on its board of admissions.

1999 - Dr. Cynthia S. Herrington
2000 - Dr. Rosemary F. Kelly
2001 - Dr. Joy Delasandra
2002 - Dr. Douglas R. Baldwin
2003 - Dr. S. Scott Huerd
2004 - Dr. Robert P. Gallegos
2005 - Dr. Paul S. Koh
2006 - Dr. Vita V. Sullivan
2007 - Dr. Jonathan D'Cunha
2008 - Dr. Jon L. Larson
2009 - Dr. Brian K. Rundall
2010 - Dr. Christopher Komanapalli
2011 - Dr. N. Jon Castro

DAVID GAVISER SURGICAL RESEARCH AWARD

This award honors a resident each spring for outstanding achievement in surgical research. It is in memory of Dr. David Gaviser, a longtime clinical professor in the Department of Surgery who was the director of surgical education at Mount Sinai Hospital. He died in 1982.

1984 Dr. Carl E. Arentzen 
1985 Dr. Michael W. Mulholland
1986 Dr. David L. Dunn 
1987 Drs. Gary A. Keller & Michael A. West
1988 Dr. Mark D. Pescovitz 
1989 Dr. Paul F. Gores
1990 Drs. Ginny L. Bumgardner & Peter G. Stock 
1991 Drs. Scott A. Gruber & Dixon B. Kaufman
1992 Dr. Christian T. Campos 
1993 Dr. Scott L. Nyberg
1994 Drs. Randall S. Burd & Steven M. Santilli 
1995 Dr. Joseph R. Leventhal
1996 Dr. Richard J. Battafarano 
1997 Dr. David C. Wahoff
1998 Dr. Timothy D. Sielaff 
1999 Drs. Karen J. Brasel & Timothy J. Kroshus
2000 Dr. Eric M. Johnson 
2001 Eugene S. Lee
2002 Dr. Brad A. Feltis 
2003 Dr. Jonathan D'Cunha
2004 Drs. John F. Grehan & Bradley C. Linden 
2005 Drs. Chuong D. Hoang & Natasha M. Rueth
2006 Dr. Tun Jie 
2007 Dr. Bryan A. Whitson
2008 Dr. Stephen J. Huddleston 
2009 Dr. James W. Ogilvie, Jr.
2010 Dr. Sylvester M. Black 
2011 Dr. Shawn S. Groth
2012 Drs. Mara Antonoff & Natasha Rueth
2015 Dr. Pamela Portschy
2016 Dr. Christopher Holley
2017 Dr. Christopher LaRocca
2018 Dr. Elliot Arsoniadis
2019 Dr. Cyrus Jahansouz
2020 Dr. Scott Kizy
2021 Dr. Keith Wirth
2022 Dr. Adam Sheka
2023 Dr. Alexandria Robbins

EARL YOUNG AWARD

This resident fellowship is awarded each spring in memory of Dr. Earl G. Young, a longtime clinical professor in the Department of Surgery who was the director of surgical education at Methodist Hospital until his death in 1989.

1991 - Dr. Alfonso L. Velasco
1992 - Dr. Christian T. Campos
1993 - Dr. Chong S. Lee
1994 - Dr. Eric D. Irwin
1995 - Dr. Stephen J. Migliori
1996 - Dr. Joseph R. Leventhal
1997 - Dr. Richard J. Battafarano
1998 - Dr. Timothy J. Kroshus
1999 - Dr. Douglas R. Baldwin
2000 - Dr. Christopher T. Salerno
2001 - Dr. Charles Svendsen
2002 - Dr. Brian C. Grubbs
2003 - Dr. Jonathan D'Cunha
2004 - Dr. Nalini L. Raju
2005 - Dr. Paul S. Vietzen
2007 - Dr. Daniel L. Gatlin
2008 - Dr. Kaysie L. Banton
2009 - Dr. Julie M. Gilkeson
2010 - Dr. Ryan M. Carlson
2011 - Dr. Wolfgang Gaertner
2012 - Dr. Vikas Dudeja
2014 - Drs. Christopher Chow and Kristin Ritter
2015 - Dr. Osama Alsaied
2016 - Dr. Rohini Olson
2017 - Dr. Nkem Aziken
2018 - Dr. Brent Bauman
2019 - Dr. Mariya Skube
2020 - Dr. Ariella Altman
2021 - Dr. Brandon Lyle
2022 - Dr. Julia Nugent
2023 - Dr. Ahmad Abutaka

GAVISER-HAYS AWARD FOR COMPASSION

This award honors the University of Minnesota medical student rotating through surgery who best exemplified, during the past academic year, a deep level of compassion toward patients and their families. It is named in memory of Dr. David Gaviser and Dr. William Hays, whose careers were devoted to empathetic surgical care and inspirational mentoring and teaching. Gaviser (1913-1982) was a longtime clinical professor in the Department of Surgery and the highly praised director of surgical education at Mount Sinai Hospital, Minneapolis. Hays (1964-2002) was an intensely respected fourth-year Department of Surgery resident when he died of cancer, just a few months after receiving the Humanism and Excellence in Teaching Award from the nationally renowned Arnold P. Gold Foundation.

2005 - Dr. Natasha M. Rueth
2006 - Dr. Katherine G. Esse
2007 - Kara L. Sellung (4th year medical student)
2008 - Carter C. Lebares (4th year medical student)
2010 - Nathan W-J Liu (4th year medical student)
2012 - Dr. Megan Rooney, PGY-1 General Surgery Resident
2015 - Dr. Matthew Fuglestad
2016 - Lindsay Zhang
2017 - Hannah Thompson
2018 - David R. Vavra
2019 - Jessica M. Diaz
2020 - Emma Worthington

HENRY BUCHWALD AWARD

This award honors a surgical resident entering the senior year of residency training who has demonstrated - both on the ward and in the research laboratory - the character, integrity, capability, and performance to become an academic surgeon of the highest caliber. It was established to commemorate the 65th birthday of Dr. Henry Buchwald, professor of surgery and biomedical engineering.

1999 - Dr. Douglas R. Baldwin
2000 - Dr. James V. Harmon
2001 - Dr. Eugene S. Lee
2002 - Dr. Theresa G. Zogakis
2003 - Dr. John F. Grehan
2004 - Dr. Donavon J. Hess
2005 - Dr. Chuong D. Hoang
2006 - Dr. Sean J. Barnett
2007 - Dr. David E. Skarda
2008 - Dr. Bryan A. Whitson
2009 - Dr. Sylvester M. Black
2010 - Dr. Shawn Groth
2011 - Dr. Natasha M. Rueth
2012 - Dr. Andrea Abbott
2013 - Dr. Javariah Asghar
2014 - Dr. Elizabeth Berdan
2015 - Dr. Pamela Portschy
2016 - Dr. Erin Burke
2017 - Dr. Elliot Arsoniadis
2018 - Dr. Cyrus Jahansouz
2019 - Dr. Kevin Goodwin
2020 - Dr. Kaustav Majumder
2021 - Dr. Ariella Altman
2022 - Dr. Steven Qi
2023 - Dr. Rishav Aggarwal

JUSTIN W. GOODHUE, MD, HUMANITARIAN SCHOLARSHIP

For Outstanding Dedication to Humanitarian Efforts

This award is named in memory of Dr. Justin W. Goodhue, an extremely gifted, yet incredibly humble true humanitarian. Justin was extremely passionate about helping others and stated this was the reason he went into medicine. Each year this scholarship supports a general surgery resident at the University of Minnesota who would like to follow in Justin's footsteps by participating in humanitarian-based surgical trips worldwide. This scholarship provides future generations of surgical residents the opportunity to honor and carry out Justin's vision.

2009 - Ryan C. Shelstad, M.D.
2010 - Mara B. Antonoff, M.D.
2011 - Javariah I. Ashgar, M.D.
2012 - Janet Lee, M.D.
2013 - Pamela Portschy, MD
2014 - Christopher Holley, MD and Rohini Khatri (Olson), MD
2015 - Elliot Arsoniadis, MD and Erin Burke, MD, Christopher LaRocca, MD and Sydne Muratore, MD
2016 - Jing Li Huang, MD and John Spratt, MD
2019 - Matthew Bobel, MD
2020 - Harika Nalluri, MD
2022 - Saranya Prathibha, MD, McKenzie White, MD, and Sonja Boatman, MD
2023 - Chesney Siems, MD, Saranya Prathibha, MD, and McKenzie White, MD

SURGICAL ALUMNUS OF THE YEAR

The Minnesota Surgical Residents Society usually schedules its Annual Meeting the Tuesday before the Continuing Medical Education Course in mid-June. Current residents give brief research talks throughout the afternoon. An evening dinner features a speech by a Department of Surgery graduate of particular distinction.

1978 - Dr. Owen H. Wangensteen
1979 - Dr. Lloyd D. MacLean
1980 - Dr. Norman E. Shumway
1981 - Dr. K. Alvin Merendino
1982 - Dr. Richard L. Varco
1983 - Dr. Gilbert S. Campbell
1984 - Dr. Ward O. Griffen, Jr.
1985 - Dr. Stanley R. Friesen
1986 - Dr. Clarence Dennis
1987 - Dr. F. John Lewis
1988 - Dr. C. Walton Lillehei
1989 - Dr. Aldo R. Castaeda
1990 - Dr. J. Bradley Aust
1991 - Dr. Mitchell W. Spellman
1992 - Dr. Vincent L. Gott
1993 - Dr. Morley Cohen
1994 - Dr. Donald J. Ferguson
1995 - Dr. Lyle A. French
1996 - Dr. Ronald M. Ferguson
1997 - Dr. Edward W. Humphrey
1998 - Dr. Wallace P. Ritchie, Jr.
1999 - Dr. Donald G. McQuarrie
2000 - Dr. Richard J. Howard
2001 - Dr. Nancy L. Ascher
2002 - Dr. Mansur Taufic
2003 - Dr. Edward E. Mason
2004 - Dr. Richard A. DeWall
2005 - Dr. Douglas W. Hanto
2006 - Dr. Stanley M. Goldberg
2007 - Dr. Michael W. Mulholland
2008 - Dr. Timothy R. Billiar
2009 - Dr. David E.R. Sutherland
2010 - Dr. Richard J. Migliori
2011 - Dr. John P. Delaney
2012 - Dr. Robert Goodale
2013 - Dr. Karen Brasel
2014 - Dr. Russell Nelson
2015 - Dr. Roderick Barke
2016 - Dr. Bruce Cunningham
2017 - Dr. Marshall Z. Schwartz
2018 - Dr. Timothy D. Sielaff
2019 - Dr. Robert Warren
2021 - Dr. William D. Payne
2022 - Dr. Robert D. Madoff

2023 - Dr. David Rothenberger

WANGENSTEEN VISITING PROFESSOR

The Department of Surgery periodically names a distinguished member of the world's surgical community as an Owen H. Wangensteen Visiting Professor in Surgery. This noteworthy guest comes to campus to deliver a Wangensteen Lecture on a topic of interest.

June 1985 - Dr. Norman E. Shumway
September 1986 - Dr. Francis D. Moore
September 1988 - Dr. Robert M. Zollinger
May 1990 - Dr. C. Rollins Hanlon
October 1991 - Dr. Joseph E. Murray
April 1994 - Dr. Harris B. Shumacker, Jr.
March 2007 - Dr. John L. Cameron
October 2007 - Dr. Jeffrey B. Matthews
November 2008 - Dr. Carlos A. Pellegrini
November 2009 - Dr. Keith D. Lillemoe
November 2010 - Dr. John L. Tarpley
November 2011 - Dr. Claude Deschamps
October 2012 - Dr. Mark Talamini
October 2013 - Dr. Fabrizio Michelassi
October 2014 - Dr. Samuel Finlayson
October 2015 - Dr. Robin McLeod

September 2020 -  Dr. Patricia J. Numann, MD

 

 

WANGENSTEEN AWARD FOR EXCELLENCE IN TEACHING

Each spring, the Department of Surgery residents select their "Faculty Teacher of the Year" from among the many surgeons they interact with on rotations at various Twin Cities hospitals. This award was established in memory of Dr. Owen H. Wangensteen (1898-1987), who chaired the Department of Surgery from 1930 to 1967.

1981 - Dr. Owen H. Wangensteen
1982 - Dr. Edward W. Humphrey
1983 - Dr. Elmer H. Kasperson
1984 - Dr. Frank B. Cerra
1985 - Dr. Cassius M.C. Ellis III
1986 - Dr. Yoshio Sako
1987 - Dr. Richard L. Simmons
1988 - Dr. Earl G. Young
1989 - Dr. John F. Perry, Jr.
1990 - Dr. William G. Gamble
1991 - Dr. Roderick A. Barke
1992 - Dr. Martin J. Rosenstein
1993 - Dr. John A. Weigelt
1994 - Dr. Jerome H. Abrams
1995 - Dr. William D. Payne
1996 - Dr. Arnold S. Leonard
1997 - Dr. Thomas A. Jones
1998 - Dr. Jerome H. Abrams
1999 - Dr. John A. Weigelt
2000 - Dr. Timothy Sielaff
2001 - Dr. Todd M. Tuttle
2002 - Dr. Henry Buchwald
2003 - Dr. Gregory J. Beilman
2004 - Dr. Gary J. Rosenthal
2005 - Dr. David H. Ahrenholz
2006 - Dr. David A. Rothenberger
2007 - Dr. G. Eric Belzer
2008 - Dr. Michael A. Maddaus
2009 - Dr. Gary J. Rosenthal
2010 - Dr. Robert D. Acton
2011 - Dr. Todd Morris
2012 - Dr. Todd Tuttle
2013 - Dr. Paul Druck
2014 - Dr. William Mohr
2015 - Dr. Thomas Blee
2016 - Dr. Joel Barbato
2017 - Dr. Mary Kwaan
2018 - Dr. Gregory Beilman
2019 - Dr. Eric Jensen
2020 - Dr. Daniel Saltzman
2021 - Dr. James Schlaefer
2022 - Dr. Archana Ramaswamy
2023 - Dr. Daniel Kendrick

VFW SURGICAL ONCOLOGY RESEARCHER AWARD

The VFW Surgical Oncology Researcher Award is presented to a Department of Surgery junior faculty member within three years of appointment or a surgical resident working with a surgical faculty mentor for support of a clinical, translational, or basic science oncology research project.

2001 - Dr. Chuong Hoang
2002 - Dr. Kelli M. Bullard
2003 - Dr. Nancy N. Baxter
2004 - Dr. Nancy N. Baxter
2006 - Dr. Peter S. Dahlberg
2007 - Dr. Jonathan D'Cunha
2008 - Dr. Waddah B. Al-Refaie
2013 - Dr. Christopher LaRocca
2014 - Dr. Erin Burke
2015 - Dr. Jing Li Huang
2018 - Dr. Ariella Altman