Awards
In addition to supporting the critical work and passion of our members, AAHPM also recognizes the importance of celebrating our members’ achievements. AAHPM recognizes members with a number of awards, presented at the Annual Assembly.
Also be sure to view our Visionaries in HPM and Emerging Leaders, awarded every 5 years.
The Call for Nominations is now closed for 2021 awards. Congratulations to the 2021 award winners!
Lifetime Achievement Award
Recognizes outstanding contributions and significant publications that have helped shape the direction of the field of hospice and palliative care. All members of AAHPM are eligible for this award. View past winners by clicking Read More.
2021
Geoff Dunn, MD FACS was former Chair, Department of Surgery, Hamot Medical Center and Director of the Palliative Care Consultation Service, UPMC Hamot. For the past 25 years, he has dedicated his life and his practice to raising the awareness of surgeons to their responsibilities in helping patients with serious illness. Much of what has occurred in the field of surgical palliative care – including research, educational initiatives and board certification – has been built upon his work. Thanks to his tireless efforts, his willingness to learn from and work with leaders in the field, and his dedication to disseminating his knowledge, generations of surgeons have learned how to integrate palliative medicine into their practices, thus improving the lives of countless surgical patients.
Winners
2020: Ronald J. Crossno, MD HMDC FAAFP FAAHPM
2019: Martha Twaddle, MD HMDC FACP FAAHPM
2018: Timothy E. Quill, MD FACP FAAHPM
2017: C. Porter Storey Jr., MD FACP FAAHPM
2016: Susan Block, MD FAAHPM
2015: Michael H. Levy, MD PhD
2014: Ira R. Byock, MD FAAHPM
2013: Robert M. Arnold, MD FAAHPM
2012: Russell K. Portenoy, MD
2011: Charles von Gunten, MD PhD FACP FAAHPM
2010: Eduardo Bruera, MD FAAHPM
2009: Diane E. Meier, MD FACP FAAHPM
2008: Robert Twycross, DM FRCP
2007: Rosemary Gibson, MSc
2006: Neil MacDonald, MD
2005: Derek Doyle, MD
2004: Florence Wald, MS RN MN
2003: Kathleen M. Foley, MD
2002: Dame Cicely Saunders, OM DBE FRCP
2001: Balfour M. Mount, MD
Gerald H. Holman Distinguished Service Award
Recognizes outstanding and dedicated service to the American Academy of Hospice and Palliative Medicine. The award will be presented to an individual (or group) that has advanced the mission of the AAHPM in a significant and lasting way. All members of AAHPM are eligible for this award.
2021
We honor the 10 members of the AAHPM Entrustable Professional Activities and Curricular Milestones Workgroup: Michael Barnett, Gary Buckholz, Jillian Gustin, Jennifer Hwang, Lindy Landzaat, Stacie Levine, Laura Morrison, Tomasz Okon, Steven Radwany, and Holly Yang volunteered hundreds of hours to develop the inaugural set of EPAs and milestones. These serve as a guide for palliative care fellowship training programs and bring more uniformity to how the next generation of hospice and palliative medicine clinicians are trained.
Winners
2020: Russel K. Portenoy, MD
2019: Christian T. Sinclair, MD FAAHPM
2018: Phillip E. Rodgers, MD FAAHPM
2017: David M McGrew, MD HMDC FAAHPM
2016: David Casarett, MD MA FAAHPM
2015: Steven (Skip) Radwany, MD FAAHPM
2014: Chad Kollas, MD FAAHPM FACP FCLM
2013: Daniel Fischberg, MD PhD FAAHPM
2012: Amy P. Abernethy, MD FACP FAAHPM
2011: Charles Sasser, MD FACP FAAHPM
2010: Jean S. Kutner, MD MSPH FAAHPM
2009: James F. Cleary, MD FAChPM
2008: Dale Lupu, PhD
2007: Paul Rousseau, MD FAAHPM
2006: Porter Storey, MD FACP FAAHPM
2005: David Weissman, MD
2004: Charles F. von Gunten, MD PhD FACP FAAHPM
2003: Susan Block, MD FAAHPM
2002: Ira R. Byock, MD FAAHPM
2001: Gerald H. Holman, MD FRCP FAAP and Michael H. Levy, MD PhD
Josefina B. Magno Distinguished Hospice Physician Award
Recognizes a hospice medical director or hospice physician who provides the highest quality services and innovative programs and who demonstrates exemplary dedication to the practice of palliative medicine in a hospice setting.
2021
Ruth Thomson, DO MBA HMDC FACOI FAAHPM serves as National Hospice Medical Director at Elara Caring, where she provides oversight and thought leadership to the medical directors and hospice physicians on staff. As a leader in hospice education, she has edited numerous print and electronic publications. She practices hospice and palliative medicine with grace, humility, and genuine kindness.
Winners
2020: Todd R. Coté, MD HMDC FAAFP FAAHPM
2019: Kevin Dieter, MD FAAHPM
2018: Joel S. Policzer, MD FACP FAAHPM
2017: Joan Harrold, MD MPH HMDC FACP FAAHPM
2016: Jeffrey Spiess, MD FAAHPM
2015: Edward W. Martin, MD MPH FACO
2014: Ronald J. Crossno, MD FAAFP FAAHPM
2013: Janet H. Bull, MD FAAHPM
2012: Gail Austin Cooney, MD FAAHPM
2011: Chuck Wellman, MD FAAHPM
2010: Barry M. Kinzbrunner, MD FAAHPM
2009: David M. McGrew, MD FAAHPM
2008: Laurel H. Herbst, MD
2007: Perry Fine, MD
2006: Cheryl Arenella, MD MPH
2005: Martha Twaddle, MD FAAHPM
Richard Payne Outstanding Achievement in Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Award
This award will be presented annually to an individual who demonstrates strong, lasting, personal and professional commitement to improving care for diverse, vulnerable and underrepresented patient populations. All members of AAHPM are eligible for this award. This award was to be presented at the 2020 Annual Assembly for the first time.
2021
Ronit Elk, PhD is professor at the University of Alabama at Birmingham in the division of gerontology, geriatrics and palliative care. She served as co-chair of the Academy’s Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Committee, chair of the LGBTQ SIG, and is currently Global Associate Editor for the Journal of Pain and Symptom Management. Her current work encompasses aspects of cultural sensitivity and injustice in the Southern African American community and is groundbreaking in its initial results and scope.
Winners
2020: Kimberly S. Johnson, MD MSHS
Humanities Award
Recognizes person(s) whose work has advanced the relationship between humanities and palliative care, and who have employed the discipline of the humanities to improve end-of-life care through community or professional education. Candidates for the award include poets, artists, musicians, medical educators and others involved in medical humanities in the broadest terms.
2021
Roshi Joan Halifax is a Buddhist teacher, Zen priest, anthropologist, and pioneer in the field of end-of-life care. She founded the Upaya Zen Center, a Buddhist study and social action center in Santa Fe where she continues to practice, teach, perform social and environmental work, and train health care professionals. Her work has helped drive palliative care forward within our health care systems. She has been a true advocate in the conversations and transformative work to improve the care of the seriously ill and dying.
Winners
2020: Ronald M. Epstein, MD
2019: Judith Redwing Keyssar, RN
2018: Frank Ostaseski
2017: Lucille Marchand, MD BSN FAAHPM
2016: Candy Chang
2015: Christina M. Puchalski, MD FACP FAAHPM
2014: Barbara Sourkes, PhD
2013: Balfour M Mount, MD
2012: David Dosa, MD MPH
2011: Atul Gawande, MD MPHMA
2010: Rachel Naomi Remen, MD
2009: Authors of the Last Lecture; Randy Pausch, PhD and Jeffrey Zaslow
2008: Deidre Scherer
2007: Joan Didion
2006: Bill Moyers
2005: Jack Coulehan, MD MPH
2004: Robert Pope
2001: David Barnard, PhD and Sandra I. Bertman, PhD
Award for Excellence in Scientific Research in Palliative Care
Recognizes meaningful, exemplary research contributions to the field of hospice and palliative care. The recipient is expected to present his/her research within the broad context of the field of hospice and palliative care. All members of AAHPM are eligible for this award.
2021
Melissa Aldridge serves as Vice Chair for Research at the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai and is a nationally known health services researcher. She established an early track record of research abstracts, publications and research grant support focused on patterns of hospice use, transitions in care at the end of life, and the financial incentives driving care of those with serious illness.
Winners
2020: Rebecca Sudore, MD FAAHPM
2019: Chris Feudtner, MD PhD MPH
2018: Holly Prigerson, PhD
2017: Jennifer S. Temel, MD
2016: Amy Abernethy, MD PhD FAAHPM
2015: David Currow, BMed MPH FRACP FAChPM and Karen Steinhauser, PhD
2014: Joanne Wolfe, MD MPH FAAHPM
2013: R. Sean Morrison, MD FAAHPM
2012: J. Randall Curtis, MD MPH
2011: Harvey Chochinov, MD PhD FRCPC
2010: Sebastiano Mercadante, MD
2009: Vincent Mor, PhD
2008: Irene Higginson, BMedSci BMBS FFPHM PhD
2007: Betty Ferrell, PhD RN FAAN
2006: James Tulsky, MD FAAHPM
2005: Joan Teno MD MS
2004: Eduardo Bruera, MD FAAHPM
Award for Excellence in Education and Training - NEW!
This award recognizes, encourages and rewards an AAHPM member who has enhanced the practice and profession of hospice and palliative care through education. The educator has made significant, outstanding contributions to education in hospice and palliative care. Education may be in the form of teaching, directing, mentoring, writing, and/or presenting to multiple levels of audiences including physician, interprofessional, resident, fellow, student.
All members of AAHPM are eligible for this award. Special emphasis will be placed on educators who, through their example and methods have expanded patient connection and communication skills; stimulated the personal and professional growth of others.
2021
Bob Arnold, MD FACP FAAHPM is Chief in the Section of Palliative Care and Medical Ethics at the University of Pittsburgh. He is a visionary leader and master communicator. His pioneering work in co-developing the VitalTalk program has transformed the communication skills training for the field of hospice and palliative care and beyond. His influence on our field is remarkable. One of his nominators stated that she would be hard pressed to find anyone in our field today who has not learned something from Dr. Arnold, whether through his journal articles, presentations, research projects, or direct mentorship.
Early Career Investigator Award
Recognizes a member of AAHPM who is developing as a research leader, showing promise of making contributions to the development of a scientific foundation for practice and research, conducting or facilitating research by others that advances the field of hospice and palliative medicine, has a beginning record of scientific publications, and contributes to the AAHPM community at large. The nominees for this award will not yet have achieved independence as an investigator (ie having R01 level funding, or its equivalent). All members of AAHPM are eligible for this award.
2021
Laura Gelfman, MD MPH FAAHPM is an associate professor at the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai. Dr. Gelfman’s research bridges the intersection between palliative medicine and heart failure by focusing on the needs of older adults with heart failure and their caregivers. She has written many high-quality research articles in leading journals and contributed book chapters in multiple textbooks about palliative medicine, communication and heart failure.
2020: Thomas LeBlanc, MD MA HMS FAAHPM
2019: Dio Kavalieratos, PhD
2018: Abby Rosenberg, MD MS
2017: Arif Kamal, MD MBA MHS FACP FAAHPM
2016: Yael Schenker, MD
Presidential Citation(s)
These award(s) acknowledge individuals who have made significant contributions to the field of hospice and palliative medicine but do not qualify for consideration in other award categories. Recommendations would be made by the President, Board members or leadership, and approved by the Board of Directors or Executive Committee. This recognition would not have to be given each year – only when suitable and exceptional candidates are identified and selected. It would also be limited to a maximum of three recipients (individuals or organizations) in a given year.
2021
Mr. Andy Baxter, founder of the Cuniff-Dixon Foundation, is a recipient for his efforts to champion palliative care. Through his work and the work of the Foundation, countless physicians have been inspired to continue to deliver a higher level of care and attentiveness to their patients and their families at the end of life. The work of the Foundation and Mr. Baxter have had an incredible impact on the field of hospice and palliative medicine and the patients and families we serve.
Center to Advance Palliative Care is a recipient for its work over the past two decades to lead the growth in high-quality palliative care programs and the standardization of best practices. Most notably, in 2020 CAPC rose to the challenge early-on to provide specific resources, tool kits, and clinical training to address the challenges of caring for COVID-19 patients. The Academy appreciates CAPC’s ongoing efforts to provide tools and training to improve care for people living with serious illness and their family caregivers.
Dr. Patrice Harris is a past president of the American Medical Association. During her tenure as president of the AMA, Dr. Harris achieved many milestones. Among them were her efforts to eliminate barriers to treatment and to fight the stigma faced by those with substance use-disorders and her outspoken advocacy highlighting the disparate racial impact of police violence against people of color and their communities. The Academy has been active in diversity, equity and inclusion efforts for several years and holds these principles in our core values as well.
Winners
2020: Y.C. Ho/Helen and Michael Chiang Foundation, Blyth Taylor Lord, and Sally Weir CAE
2019: US Representative Eliot Engel (D-NY); Palliative Care Research Cooperative (PCRC); and Patient-Centered Outcomes Research Institute (PCORI)
2018: Patrick H. Conway, MD MSc; Jeri L. Miller, PhD; and Gordon and Betty Moore Foundation
2017: J. Donald Schumacher, Psyd, Cambia Health Foundation, and Sue Ramthun.
2016: Ellen Goodman of the Conversation Project, The Fan Fox & Leslie R. Samuels Foundation, The California Healthcare Foundation
2015: Rebecca Kirch, JD, Mary Callaway, MME and Hearst Foundations
2014: Jean Acevedo, LHRM CPC CHC CENTC, Amy J. Berman, MS RN, American Society of Clinical Oncology
2013: Christine K. Cassel, MD, National Palliative Care Research Center (NPCRC), Senator Ronald L. Wyden
2012: Judy Lentz, RN MSN NHA, Myra J. Christopher, The Pain & Policy Studies Group
2011: Senator Sharon Carstairs, Canada, Lynn Hill-Spragens,The American Cancer Society
2010: Congressman Earl Blumenauer, Gail Sheehy, Steve Smith, CAE
2009: Tom Batiuk, Alexis Bakos, Dorothy Moga
Paper Awards
These awards recognize the top 5% of papers, as determined by the Scientific and Quality Improvement Subcommittee during the abstract review and scoring process.
Winners
2020: Aanchal Satija, BDS MSc; Grant Smith, MD; Mamta Bhatnagar, MD MS; Julie Childers, MD PhD; Prasanna Ananth, MD MPH
2019: Alana Thomas, MD; Rebecca Sudore, MD FAAHPM; David Wang, MD
2018: Eunice Omoyeni, MBBS PGD DIPPALMED (UTC) MPHIL and Melissa Wachterman, MD MPH
2017: Rebecca Sudore, MD and Stacy M. Fischer, MD
2016: Amy Kelley, MD MS MSHS and Susan Miller, PhD MPH
Scientific and Quality Improvement Poster Awards
These awards recognize the best poster in each research topic category and best quality improvement project poster.
2020 Winners
Clinical Research: Christopher Woodrell, MD
Educational Research: Stacie Levine, MD FAAHPM
Health Research: Jared Lowe, MD
Instrument Development/Psychometric Validation: Anthony Casacchia, MD
Population Research: Jared Lowe, MD
Quality Improvement Project: Rachel Rodenbach, MD and Jacqueline Sheehan, MD
2019 Winners
Clinical Research: Erica Kaye, MD
Educational Research: Kathleen Broglio, DNP ACHPN ANP NP CHPN FPCN
Health Research: Laura Schoenherr, MD
Population Research: Erica Kaye, MD
Quality Improvement Project: Anne Kinderman, MD
2018 Winners
Clinical Research: Melissa Teply, MD FACP
Educational Research: Suresh Reddy, MD
Health Services Research: Kayla Sheehan, BA MS
Instrument Development/Psychometric Validation: Ashima Lal, MD
Population Research: Anne Kinderman, MD and Chad Kollas, MD FACP FCLM FAAHPM
Quality Improvement Project: Jennifer Reidy, MD FAAHPM
Case Poster Awards
These awards recognize the best poster submitted by a professional and a professional in training.
Winners
2020: Sarah Ehrman, MD
2019: Hana Yu, DO
2018: Jessica Lynch, MD
Project on Death in America (PDIA) Palliative Medicine National Leadership Award
These awards were sunsetted in 2020. Recognizes a physician leader who has advanced the field of palliative care by the education of the next generation of palliative care leaders. The award program promotes the visibility and prestige of physicians in both academic and clinical settings who are committed to mentoring future leaders and serving as role models for other health professionals engaged in improving the care of the dying.
2020
F. Amos Bailey, MD FACP FAAHPM is a Professor, Department of Medicine, Division of General Internal Medicine, Palliative Care at the University of Colorado and Director, Masters of Science in Palliative Care at the University of Colorado Hospice. One of his programs, MSPC is the Advancing Innovation of Residency Education (AIRE). Aire was recently approved by the ACGME through the ABIM and ABFM as alternate pathways for fellows who are diplomates of those organizations, to become eligible for initial certification in Hospice and Palliative Medicine. Dr. Bailey graduated from the University of South Florida College of Medicine and was a resident in internal medicine at Medical Center Hospital of VT.
Winners
2019: Thomas J. Smith, MD FAAHPM
2018: Eduardo Bruera, MD FAAHPM
2017: Michael W. Rabow, MD FAAHPM
2016: Stephen McPhee, MD
2015: Nancy Hutton, MD FAAP FAAHPM
2014: Co-creators of GeriPal; Eric Widera, MD & Alexander K. Smith MD MPH MS
2013: Christine S. Ritchie, MD MSPH FAAHPM
2012: Anthony L. Back, MD
2011: Robert Arnold, MD FAAHPM
2010: R. Sean Morrison, MD FAAHPM
2009: Declan Walsh, MSc FACP FRCP (Edin)
2008: Russell K. Portenoy, MD
2007: Diane Meier, MD FACP FAAHPM
2006: Susan Block, MD FAAHPM and J Andrew Billings, MD
Project on Death in America (PDIA) Palliative Medicine Community Leadership Award
These awards were sunsetted in 2020. Recognizes a physician leader who has advanced the field of palliative care in their communities through distinctive mentorship and leadership. This award recognizes physicians in both academic and clinical settings who are committed to mentoring future leaders and serving as role models for other health professionals engaged in improving the care of the dying.
2020
Sarah Friebert, MD FAAP FAAHPM is Professor, Department of Pediatrics, Northeast Ohio Medical University and Director, Haslinger Pediatric Palliative Care Division. She received her MD at Case Western Reserve University School of Medicine and did her residency at The Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia. As a leader in pediatric palliative medicine for decades she has sought to learn as much as she can from mentors, colleagues, trailblazers and of course families as much as she has taught them..
Winners
2019: John A Mulder, MD HMDC FAAHPM
2018: Alexander R. Nesbitt, MD
2017: Carol A. Luhrs, MD FAAHPM
2016: Kenneth Pituch, MD
2015: David B. Oliver, PhD and Debra Parker Oliver, PhD MSW
2014: Bruce L. Miller, MD
2013: Scott T. Shreve, DO
2012: Bernard J. Hammes, PhD
2011: Ira Byock, MD FAAHPM
2010: Timothy E. Quill, MD FACP FAAHPM
2009: Pallimed creator and contributers: Thomas E. Quinn, APRN MSN AOCN CHPN; Christian T. Sinclair, MD, FAAHPM, and Drew Rosielle, MD FAAHPM
2008: Terence L. Gutgsell, MD
2007: Ann Allegre, MD FACP FAAHPM