WCM-Q Excellence in Teaching Awards celebrate outstanding educators

The Weill Cornell Medicine-Qatar (WCM-Q) Excellence in Teaching Awards 2021 have recognized the contributions of outstanding faculty members over the past year.

While last year’s ceremony was an online-only event owing to the pandemic, this year many faculty and staff were able to attend in person, with many more watching along online. 

The annual awards ceremony celebrates the work of all WCM-Q teaching faculty, while also recognizing outstanding contributions made by individual faculty members to the education of students at WCM-Q.

This year saw 26 awards presented in 13 categories for contributions to pre-medical and medical education, plus 15 winners in six categories of the 2021 Convocation Awards, which similarly recognize excellence in teaching and commitment to the academic performance and personal development of students. 

In the Pre-medical Education section, the Foundation Year Awards were presented to Dr. Majda Sebah and Dr. Rachid Bendriss, while the 1st Year Pre-medical Education Awards were won by Dr. Dalia Zakaria and Dr. Kuei-Chiu Chen. The 2nd Year Pre-medical Education Awards went to Dr. Dalia Zakaria and Dr. Sean Holyroyd, and the English Writing Award went to Dr. Rodney Sharkey. Ms. Padmakumari Sarada and Mr. Anthony Overy won the Teaching Specialist Awards, with honorable mentions for Ms. Sarah Roach and Mr. Matthew Carey.

In the Medical Education section, the Excellence in Teaching in the Foundational Sciences Curriculum Awards were presented to Dr. Mange Manyama, Dr. Salman Al-Jerdi and Dr. Mahrukh Rizvi.

The Excellence in Teaching in the Clinical Curriculum Award went to Dr. Salman Al-Jerdi and the Excellence in Leadership in the Foundational Sciences Curriculum Award went to Dr. Sean Holroyd, while Dr. Al-Jerdi also won the Excellence in Leadership in the Clinical Curriculum Award.

Also in the Medical Education section, the Excellence in Mentoring in the Area of Concentration Awards were won by Dr. Ziyad Mahfoud and Dr. Rayaz Malik, while the Excellence in Educational Innovation Awards were presented to Dr. Stella Major, Dr. Gerardo Guiter, Dr. Sean Holroyd, Dr. Ameed Raoof and Dr. Ali Sultan. This year’s awards for visiting faculty were won by Dr. Doris Herzlinger in the Foundational Sciences category and Dr. Joseph Safdieh in the Clinical Curriculum category.

Dr. Thurayya Arayssi, Vice Dean for Academic and Curricular Affairs, said: “I offer my warmest thanks to all of our wonderfully talented and dedicated faculty for their contributions throughout this difficult period. It gives me great pleasure to present these awards to recognize the outstanding work of the winners.”

In the Convocation Awards section, the Senior List awardees were Dr. Salman Al-Jerdi, Dr. Mohamed Elshazly, Dr. Moune Jabre, Dr. Mai Mahmoud, Dr. Avelin Malyango, Dr. Mange Manyama, Dr. Amine Rakab, and Dr. Ameed Raoof.

The Senior List Visiting Faculty award winners were Dr. Ernie Esquivel, Dr. Anthony Ogedegbe, and Dr. Mark Pecker. The Humanism in Medicine Award went to Dr. Salman Al-Jerdi, the Excellence in Foundational Sciences Teaching Award to Dr. Ameed Raoof, the Excellence in Clinical Teaching Award to Dr. Salman Al-Jerdi, and the House Staff Teaching Award to Dr. Angela Dandan.                   

Four of this year’s winners are WCM-Q alumni: Dr. Angela Dandan, Dr. Salman Al-Jerdi, Dr. Mahrukh Rizvi, and Dr. Mohamed Elshazly.

Dr. Marco Ameduri, Senior Associate Dean for Pre-medical Education and Education City Collaborative Curricular Affairs, said: “Our faculty work exceptionally hard to provide a truly excellent standard of education to our students and have continued to do so through the upheaval and difficulty of the pandemic. I am pleased to see their achievements recognized and to give special thanks to our winners for attaining the very highest standards possible.”

Dr. Javaid Sheikh, Dean of WCM-Q, said: “It is wonderful to work alongside such gifted and dedicated faculty. I offer my most sincere congratulations to the winners of the Excellence in Teaching Awards, and my heartfelt thanks to all of our faculty for their unceasing commitment to the college, to the discipline of teaching, and – most of all – to our students.”

Winners of the Excellence in Teaching Awards 2021 

Pre-medical Education Awards

Foundation Year: Dr. Majda Sebah, Dr. Rachid Bendriss,

1st Year Pre-Medical Education: Dr. Dalia Zakaria, Dr. Kuei-Chiu Chen

English Writing: Dr. Rodney Sharkey

2nd Year Pre-Medical Education: Dr. Dalia Zakaria, Dr. Sean Holroyd

Teaching Specialist: Ms. Padmakumari Sarada, Mr. Anthony Overy

Teaching Specialists Honorable Mention: Ms. Sarah Roach, Mr. Matthew Carey

Medical Education Awards

Excellence in Teaching in the Foundational Sciences Curriculum: Dr. Mange Manyama, Dr. Salman Al-Jerdi, Dr. Mahrukh Rizvi

Excellence in Teaching in the Clinical Curriculum: Dr. Salman Al-Jerdi

Excellence in Leadership in the Foundational Sciences Curriculum: Dr. Sean Holroyd

Excellence in Leadership in the Clinical Curriculum: Dr. Salman Al-Jerdi

Visiting Faculty Excellence in Teaching – Foundational Sciences Curriculum: Dr. Doris Herzlinger

Visiting Faculty Excellence in Teaching – Clinical Curriculum: Dr. Joseph Safdieh

Excellence in Mentoring in the Area of Concentration: Dr. Ziyad Mahfoud, Dr. Rayaz Malik

Excellence in Educational Innovation: Dr. Stella Major, Dr. Gerardo Guiter, Dr. Sean Holroyd, Dr. Ameed Raoof, Dr. Ali Sultan

Convocation Awards 2020

The Senior List (WCM-Q Faculty): Dr. Salman Al-Jerdi, Dr. Mohamed Elshazly, Dr. Moune Jabre, Dr. Mai Mahmoud, Dr. Avelin Malyango, Dr. Mange Manyama, Dr. Amine Rakab, Dr. Ameed Raoof

The Senior List (WCM-NY Visiting Faculty): Dr. Ernie Esquivel, Dr. Anthony Ogedegbe, Dr. Mark Pecker

Humanism in Medicine Award: Dr. Salman Al-Jerdi

Excellence in Foundational Sciences Teaching Award: Dr. Ameed Raoof

Excellence in Clinical Teaching Award: Dr. Salman Al-Jerdi

House Staff Teaching Award: Dr. Angela Dandan