Pritzker School inducts 18 into Gold Humanism Honor Society

	Michael Mendoza, Clinical Assistant Professor of Family Medicine and keynote speaker at the Third Annual Gold Humanism Honor Society Induction Ceremony. (Photo: David Anthony)

The University's Pritzker School of Medicine recognized 18 fourth-year students on Tuesday, March 4 at the Third Annual Gold Humanism Honor Society Induction Ceremony.

The event featured keynote speaker Michael Mendoza (A.B.,'96, M.D.,'01), Clinical Assistant Professor of Family Medicine.

In the summer of 2007, rising fourth-year medical students were asked to identify "classmates you would want as the doctor for yourself or a loved one" and those "you would like to have working at your side in a medical emergency."

After the results were tallied last September, the fourth-years learned whom their peers had selected for the Gold Humanism Honor Society.

The society only inducts fourth-year students, making it difficult to spread the word about humanism in medicine once they graduate, said Mindy Schwartz, Associate Professor of Medicine and chapter adviser. But, she added, "We're developing a critical mass on campus," noting that as some alumni have become residents at Chicago, they are increasing campus awareness of the organization.

The Gold Humanism Honor Society has approximately 50 chapters at medical schools across the country. Chicago began its chapter in 2004.

	Mindy Schwartz, Associate Professor of Medicine and chapter adviser, pins Leonard Tow Humanism in Medicine Award recipient David Beckmann. (Photo: David Anthony)

The organization's founder, pediatric neurologist Arnold Gold, was concerned that medical students "were trained exceptionally well in science, but had lost some of that caring," Schwartz said.

"The pressures in medicine for productivity and reimbursement have distracted people from the fundamental mission of what medicine is all about, which is helping people," she said. "It's so important to identify individuals who celebrate the humanistic tradition, automatically and intuitively."

The event also will honor Kevin Roggin, Assistant Professor in Surgery, and David Beckmann, a graduating Pritzker student, with Leonard Tow Humanism in Medicine awards, and six residents chosen by medical students will receive Humanism and Excellence in Teaching awards.

Inductees will pin each other at the ceremony, which begins at 6 p.m. in Bond Chapel, with a reception following at the Quadrangle Club.

"The evening," Schwartz said, "will be about celebrating the almost spiritual journey in medicine that we are now sharing."

The Gold Humanism Honor Society inductees are: David Beckmann, Audrey Brewer, Amanda Britt, Jessica Buck, Lisabeth Carlisle, Kelly Eagen, David Fitter, Richard Gil, Andy Hong, Jonathan Hron, Comfort Ibe, Ricardo Indacochea, Martha Johnson, Mia Lozada, Jennifer McDonnell, Eleanor Smith, Allison Stark and Colin Walsh.

The Humanism and Excellence in Teaching Award recipients are: Joseph Cooper (M.D.,'06), Department of Psychiatry; John Hyngstrom (M.D.,'03), Department of Surgery; Jeffrey Lewis (M.D.,'07), Department of Medicine; Amit Mahajan, Department of Medicine; Nonyem Onujiogu (M.D.,'05), Department of Obstetrics & Gynecology; and Megan Tarr, Department of Obstetrics & Gynecology.