Recognizing excellence in education

May, 2013

Faculty members at WCMC-Q have been presented with awards in recognition of their dedication to students.

Students voted for their favorite professors and teaching assistants in the Excellence in Education awards, which culminated in a presentation ceremony at the university on April 30.

The ceremony was presided over by Dr. Marcellina Mian, acting associate dean for medical education, and Dr. Marco Ameduri, associate dean for pre-medical education, who announced the 22 award winners in each of the 15 award categories.

Dr. Ameduri told the audience: “This is a ceremony at which all of us have the chance to get together and celebrate the true teaching excellence we have within our walls.

" don’t see the awards as just being a competition. Yes, it is based on the votes of students and there will be winners in each category, but this is really a moment for us all to rejoice in the quality of the teaching that we have here.

"Thank you all for being so deeply committed to the success of our students and to the teaching mission of our college."

Dr. Javaid Sheikh, dean of WCMC-Q, then presented the awards.

The foundation program award went to visiting assistant professor Dr. Renee Richer, while the winners in two categories for best teaching in the first-year pre-medical program were Dr. James Roach, visiting associate professor of chemistry, and Dr. Daniel Renzi, visiting assistant professor for mathematics.

Notable winners in the medical program section included Dr. Naim Haddad, associate professor of clinical neurology, for his Brain and Mind teaching sessions, and Dr. Thurayya Arayssi, associate dean for graduate medical education, for her Basis of Disease teaching module.

Paying tribute to the faculty at WCMC-Q, Dr. Marcellina Mian said: “All of our faculty are very committed to the success of our students. They make every effort to ensure that each of our students reach his or her maximum potential.

"Because we have a high faculty to student ratio, our students are often able to receive one-to-one teaching and individual programs to motivate them and push them forward."

Dr. Richer was delighted to win an award. "It is such an honor to be recognized by the students like this," she said.

"The greatest pleasure for all of us as educators is when we see students both enjoy and really grasp a subject. That is what makes teaching worthwhile."

Winners of the Excellence in Education Awards 2013

Pre-Medical Program Awards

Foundation Program: Dr. Renee Richer

1st Year Pre-Medical Program: Dr. Daniel Renzi

1st Year Pre-Medical Program: Dr. James Roach

English Writing Pre-Medical Program: Mr. Ian Miller

2nd Year Pre-Medical Program: Dr. Moncef Ladjimi

2nd Year Pre-Medical Program: Dr. Kevin Smith

Medical Program Awards

Molecules, Genes and Cells: Dr. Khaled Machaca

Human Structure and Function: Dr. Rachel Koshi

Host Defenses: Dr. Ali Sultan

Brain and Mind: Dr. Naim Haddad

Basis of Disease: Dr. Thurayya Arayssi

Basis of Disease: Dr. Gerardo Guiter

Medicine, Patients and Society I: Dr. Ziyad Mahfoud

Medicine, Patients and Society II: Dr. Naim Haddad

Clinical Clerkship: Dr. Badreldeen Ahmed

Clinical Clerkship: Dr. Hassen Al Amin

Clinical Clerkship: Dr. Thurayya Arayssi

Clinical Clerkship: Dr. Bakr Nour

1st Year Visiting Faculty: Dr. Estomih Mtui

2nd Year Visiting Faculty: Dr. Robert Kim

2nd Year Visiting Faculty: Dr. Estomih Mtui