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.
A Call for Nominations is held every year in late spring.
To nominate an individual for an award, you must be a member of AAHPM. You will be prompted to login to your account prior to submitting a nomination.
Lifetime Achievement Award
Recognizes outstanding contributions and significant publications that have helped shape the direction of the field of hospice and palliative medicine. View past winners by clicking Read More.
2019
Martha Twaddle, MD HMDC FACP FAAHPM received her medical degree from the Indiana University School of Medicine and completed a residency in internal medicine through Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine where she currently serves as an Associate Professor of Medicine.She served as AAHPM president in 2002 and was recognized with the inaugural AAHPM Josefina B. Magno Distinguished Hospice Physician Award and also named one of the 30 most influential visionaries in hospice and palliative medicine.
Winners
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.
2019
Christian T. Sinclair, MD FAAHPM serves as associate professor of medicine at in the Division of Palliative Medicine at the University of Kansas Medical Center. He became President of AAHPM in 2016, after serving on the board of directors and as co-chair for the first development campaign, “Shaping the Future”. In 2018, he was appointed the first Social Media Editor of the Journal of Pain and Symptom Management and also named a hospice and palliative medicine visionary.
Winners
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.
2019
Kevin Dieter, MD FAAHPM is the Clinical Associate Professor of Family Medicine at NEOMED and Medical Director of the Hospice of the Western Reserve. He has been a hospice medical director since 1990 and joined the Academy the following year. During his career, he has championed hospice and palliative care program growth and development in four health care systems, mentored and taught hundreds of students and colleagues of all health care disciplines, and has been a steadfast advocate for the core principles of the hospice philosophy of care as developed by Dame Cicely Saunders.
Winners
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
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.
2019
Judith Redwing Keyssar, RN is an author, teacher, national presenter, and frequent contributor to the public debate about palliative care. With more than 25 years’ experience in oncology, critical care, and palliative and end-of-life care, Keyssar is an extraordinary visionary. Her poetry presentation at the Annual Assembly has inspired others to discover their own voice and wisdom. She brings another dimension of humanity to her work by speaking about her own experience as a cancer patient.
Winners
2018: Frank Ostaseski
2017: Lucille Marchand, MD BSN FAAHPM
2016: Candy Chang
2015: Christina M. Puchalski, MD FACP
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.
2019
Chris Feudtner, MD PhD MPH is is Director of Research for the Pediatric Advanced Care Team at Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia. He is the co-leader of the Pediatric Palliative Care Research Network, which works to help nurture the field and the next generation of researchers. In addition to mentoring countless students, residents, fellows and junior faculty in research, he has also inspired many to pursue palliative care as a career. His work has and continues to transform the field of palliative medicine, giving voice to what we do and making all of us better by guiding our practice going forward.
Winners
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
Project on Death in America (PDIA) Palliative Medicine National Leadership Award
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.
2019
Thomas J. Smith, MD FAAHPM is well known as a top researcher and pioneering advocate in palliative care. His program at Virginia Commonwealth University was one of the first academic-based palliative care centers and among the first to prove that inpatient palliative care can save money. It was recognized by the American Hospital Association with the prestigious Circle of Life award in 2005. This award recognizes Smith’s commitment to mentoring future leaders and for serving as a role model for other health professionals.
Winners
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
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.
2019
John A. Mulder, MD HMDC FAAHPM has served in the hospice arena since 1984, initially as a volunteer board member, and then moving into a part-time medical director role before becoming full time in 2000. His palliative care activities have included establishing a hospital-based palliative service, launching a pediatric palliative care program and starting a community-based HPM fellowship program, where he continues to serve as its director.This award recognizes his efforts to advance the field, mentor future leaders and serve as a role model for other health professionals engaged in improving the care of the seriously ill.
Winners
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
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.
2019
US Representative Eliot Engel (D-NY); Palliative Care Research Cooperative (PCRC); and Patient-Centered Outcomes Research Institute (PCORI)
Winners
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
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). This award was presented for the first time at the 2014 annual assembly.
2019
Dio Kavalieratos, PhD is an Assistant Professor of Medicine at the University of Pittsburgh. He is a health services researcher whose first project in palliative care was as an undergraduate where he researched advance care planning in young adults. He has secured funding to support his program of research that tests innovative models of palliative care interventions in the area of serious cardiopulmonary illness. In addition to his own research, he is passionate about studying and developing best practices regarding palliative care implementation within real-world health systems.
2018: Abby Rosenberg, MD MS
2017: Arif Kamal, MD MBA MHS FACP FAAHPM
2016: Yael Schenker, MD
Paper Awards
These awards recognize the top 5% of papers, as determined by the Scientific Subcommittee during the abstract review and scoring process.
Winners
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.
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
2018: Jessica Lynch, MD