Drs. Sami Mostafa and Vishnu Iyer Receive Gold Humanism and Excellence in Teaching Award

Congratulations to Drs. Sami Mostafa and Vishnu Iyer for being selected as recipients of the Gold Humanism Honor Society's (GHHS) Humanism and Excellence in Teaching Award. The mission of the GHHS is to recognize individuals who are exemplars of humanistic patient care and who serve as role models, mentors, and leaders in medicine. 

The award is granted annually to six resident physicians. Dr. Mostafa completed his urology residency at the University of Minnesota in 2025 and now serves as an attending urologist with California Urology. His outstanding work during his final year of residency earned him this award. Dr. Iyer is a fourth year urology resident at the University of Minnesota. They were selected from over 500 nominations.

“I enthusiastically nominate Dr. Mostafa for a teaching award in recognition of his exceptional commitment to medical education and his unwavering humanism in clinical practice,” a medical student wrote as a comment to his nomination. “He treated me like a valued member of the team from day one, never hesitating to teach even during high-volume or fast-paced situations.” Another wrote, “What impressed me most was his ability to tailor teaching to my level, integrating practical clinical pearls with broader frameworks for thinking through urologic care. He struck the rare balance between being clinically efficient and genuinely invested in my learning and professional growth.” 

Dr. Iyer was praised for his patience, enthusiasm, and ability to support learners who are new to the operating room. A comment from a medical student in support of his nomination included, “he took time out of his day to sit down with me, the only medical student on rotation, and teach me about common urologic surgeries. This meant he got out later than he otherwise would have, but he was okay with that.” The comment continues, “his enthusiasm reminded me why I wanted to do medicine in the first place.” 

The awardees will be formally honored during a March event.