Faculty Awards, Honors & Publications
Faculty Awards, Honors & Publications
Carlos A. Pellegrini Diversity Visiting Student Internship Program — 2024 Awardees
(December 2023) The Department of Surgery Council for the Promotion of Diversity and Inclusion created the Carlos A. Pellegrini Visiting Internship Program, which offers minority medical students from around the country a Sub-Internship (Sub-I) within our department. The Visiting Internship Program is named for Dr. Pellegrini in recognition of his many contributions to the personal and professional development of minority medical students, residents, fellows, and faculty. The internship program is open to full-time fourth-year students who are in good standing at LCME accredited U.S. medical schools; demonstrate academic excellence, strong leadership skills, and extracurricular experience; and are members of a group or groups that are recognized as historically underrepresented in the health and science professions, including African American, American Indian, Alaska Native, Hispanic American and Asian/Pacific Islander. At present, we are able to fund three opportunities per year. This sub-internship provides a stipend of up to $3000 to help cover the airfare, lodging and living expenses in Seattle during the sub-internship, with rotations lasting four weeks in duration. The first recipients were awarded in October of 2014.
INTERN AWARDEES TO DATE
Queena Chen, Transplant Surgery, 8/19-9/13/24
Cole Valerio Roblee, Plastic Surgery, 7/22-8/16/24
Maria Cristina Gil Diaz, Burn Care, 9/16-10/11/24
Keilan Michael Johnson, Cardiothoracic Surgery, 10/14-11/8/24
Drs. Mariam Hantouli, Andrew Wright, David Flum, and Giana Davidson—Published in JAMA Network
(November 2023) Dr. Mariam Hantouli, Acting Instructor Surgical Outcomes Research Center (SORCE) Dr. Andrew Wright, Professor, General Surgery Center for Video Endoscopic Surgery Endowed Professor Division of General Surgery Dr. David Flum, Vice Chair of Research & Professor Division of General Surgery Dr. Giana Davidson, Professor & Section Chief of Emergency General Surgery Division of General Surgery, published “Operative vs Nonoperative Management of Acute Cholecystitis During the Different Trimesters of Pregnancy” JAMA Network (November 2023)
Drs. Benjamin Starnes, Niten Singh, and James Dittman—Published in Journal of Vascular Surgery Cases, Innovations and Techniques
(December 2023) Drs. Benjamin Starnes, Professor, Dr. Niten Singh, Professor & Division Chief of Vascular Surgery, James Dittman, Vascular Surgery R2, Division of Vascular Surgery, published “Five-Year Outcome of A Staged Giant Shamblin Type III Carotid Body Tumor Excision” Journal of Vascular Surgery Cases, Innovations and Techniques (December 2023)
Drs. Deepika Nehra, Samuel E. Rice-Townsend, Lauren L. Agoubi, and Ali Rowhani-Rahbar—Published in JAMA Network Open
(September 2023) Dr. Deepika Nehra, Associate Professor, Division of Trauma, Burn & Critical Care Surgery, Dr. Samuel E. Rice-Townsend, Associate Professor, Division of Pediatric Surgery, Dr. Lauren L. Agoubi, Research Resident, Division of General Surgery, Dr. Ali Rowhani-Rahbar, Professor, Department of Epidemiology, published "Association of Community Vulnerability and State Gun Laws With Firearm Deaths in Children and Adolescents Aged 10 to 19 Years" JAMA Network Open (May 2023)
Dr. Farhood Farjah Published in Archives of Pathology & Laboratory Medicine and The Annals of Thoracic Surgery
(September 2023) Dr. Farhood Farjah, Endowed Chair in Lung Cancer Research, Professor of Surgery, Associate Medical Director, Surgical Outcomes Research Center, Division of Cardiothoracic Surgery, published "Evaluation of a Multilevel Laboratory Stewardship Intervention Targeted to Cardiac and Thoracic Surgical Services at an Academic Medical Center" Archives of Pathology & Laboratory Medicine (August 2023) and "When There Are No Differences on Average and One Size Does Not Fit All" The Annals of Thoracic Surgery (April 2023).
Drs. Aaron Cheng and Meghan Flanagan - Fall 2023 UW Medicine Cares Award Winners
(January 2024) The UW Medicine Cares Awards were established in 2013 to formally recognize and celebrate the accomplishments of individuals and teams who consistently exemplify our UW Medicine Service Culture Guidelines. Nominees go above and beyond to support other members of the UW Medicine community.
Aaron Cheng, MD, Associate Professor, Division of Cardiothoracic Surgery
As Harborview’s primary thoracic surgeon, Dr. Aaron Cheng is consistently thoughtful and compassionate and is widely considered to be an outstanding colleague and consultant. He collaborates well with a variety of teams within the UW Medicine system to provide the best care for his patients, and he is committed to his patients, collaboration, teamwork, and the pursuit of excellence.
Meghan Flanagan, MD, MPH, Assistant Professor, Division of General Surgery
Dr. Flanagan goes above and beyond with her patients who have recently been diagnosed with breast cancer. She also goes above and beyond with the staff in her clinic. Dr. Flanagan is a mentor who takes care to make everyone feel valued as part of the team, inspiring her colleagues to greater achievements through her leadership of the Breast Surgery Clinic. She is a consummate academic physician who attains excellence in domains as broad as patient care, research, education, mentorship of residents and medical students. She leads with grace using a supportive, mature leadership style.
Dr. Raymond Yeung Received the Life Science Start-Up and Development Award
(September 2023) Dr. Raymond Yeung, Professor, Section Chief, HPB Surgery, Division of General Surgery, received the Life Science Start-Up and Development Award. This award supports researchers to translate promising research into the development of tools, devices, or therapeutics related to cancer. This grant seeks proposals for the research or development of innovative ideas that have the potential to address important needs related to cancer prevention, screening, detection, and treatment to advance cancer care, lessen the burden of cancer, and improve health outcomes.
Dr. Deepika Nehra Awarded the UW Population Health Initiative's Tier 1 Pilot Grant Program
(September 2023) Dr. Deepika Nehra, Assistant Professor, Division of Trauma, Burn & Critical Care Surgery, and research team, was awarded the UW Population Health Initiative's Tier 1 Pilot Grant Program that encourages new interdisciplinary collaborations among investigators for projects that address critical components of grand challenges the UW seeks to address in population health.
Dr. Grant O'Keefe Awarded the 2023 ITHS Translational Research Partnership Award for New Interdisciplinary Academic Collaborations
(May 2023) Dr. Grant O'Keefe, Professor, Division of Trauma, Burn, & Critical Care Surgery and surgery teammate Dr. Chihiro Morishima, Professor, UW Department of Laboratory Medicine and Pathology, were awarded the 2023 ITHS Translational Research Partnership Award for New Interdisciplinary Academic Collaborations for their project entitled “Early detection of post-traumatic sepsis.”
Dr. Tam Pham Selected March 2023 "Harborview Hero for Kids!" as part of the "Harborview Cares for Kids"
(May 2023) Dr. Tam Pham, Professor & Chief, Burn Center, Division of Trauma, Burn & Critical Care Surgery, The David and Nancy Auth-Washington Research Foundation Endowed Chair for Restorative Burn Surgery, was selected as the March 2023 "Harborview Hero for Kids!" as part of the "Harborview Cares for Kids" campaign. Dr. Pham received nominations from colleagues highlighting his dedication to go above and beyond to make Harborview Medical Center systems work well for children and their families.
Dr. Jonathan Sham 2023 Recipient of the Donald E. Bocek Endowed Research Development Award
(May 2023) Dr. Jonathan Sham, Assistant Professor, Division of General Surgery, was selected as the 2023 recipient of the Donald E. Bocek Endowed Research Development Award in Pancreatic Cancer. This award recognizes a junior level researcher making significant contributions to research related to pancreatic cancer.
Dr. Robert M. Sweet Received 2023 Society of Laparoscopic and Robotic Surgeons EXCEL Award
(May 2023) Dr. Robert M. Sweet, Professor & Chief, Division of Healthcare Simulation Science, was selected to receive the 2023 Society of Laparoscopic and Robotic Surgeons EXCEL Award. The society's highest honor is awarded to a surgeon, in any specialty, in recognition of outstanding contributions in the fields of laparoscopy, endoscopy, minimally invasive surgery and robotic surgery.
