Faculty Awards

This award is given to a faculty member, staff member or trainee who excels in promoting and enhancing diversity and inclusiveness as detailed in the department’s mission statement on diversity and inclusion.

This award is given to a faculty member who excels as a mentor of faculty and/or trainees in all aspects of faculty or trainee responsibilities, including patient care, teaching, research, leadership and advocacy.

This award was established by the Duke Children’s National Advisory Board in 2004 and is awarded annually to a member of the Duke University community who has made significant contributions in clinical, basic, translational or educational research that advances child health.

This award recognizes active clinicians in the department who have demonstrated and modeled a commitment to patient well-being and exceptional efforts to improve delivery of care. Awardees are role models who demonstrate excellence in mentorship, clinical reasoning, superior pediatric knowledge, diagnostic skills, and excellence in “bedside” teaching. Awardees also exemplify professional behavior, demonstrate compassion, have excellent communication skills, and are active mentors.

The Pediatric Scholars Society recognizes individuals who have made significant contributions to the Department of Pediatrics, School of Medicine, Duke University Health System, and/or Private Diagnostic Clinic. An individual inducted into the Society will be an active member throughout their departmental career. Society members will be invited by the chair to a biannual celebratory dinner to recognize the new members and the Society’s accomplishments.

Membership in the Pediatric Scholars Society can be attained by receiving one or more of the following awards:

• Master Clinician/Teacher Award
• Duke Medical Alumni Association Awards
• Duke School of Medicine Faculty Awards
• Golden Apple Award

This award honors alumni who have made significant contributions to medical education, research and practice through professional achievements and/or dedicated service. Criteria for selection include contributions to the medical profession demonstrated through quality of publications, significant discoveries, or practice improvements that have been widely adopted, community and national leadership in the profession, and by careers that have garnered national and international recognition in ways that bring honor to the medical profession and Duke University School of Medicine.

Eligibility: Awarded annually to School of Medicine and/or house staff alumni.
Nominations accepted from alumni and faculty.

This award honors those faculty members who have brought distinction to themselves, credit to the school and university, and benefit to their communities through their vocation. Awards recognize excellence in teaching medical students in the basic sciences or clinical medicine and/or longstanding achievements, contributions, and leadership in research or academic programs of Duke University School of Medicine.

Eligibility: Awarded annually to current School of Medicine faculty.
Nominations accepted from alumni, faculty, and students.

This award honors those faculty members who have brought distinction to themselves, credit to the school and university, and benefit to their communities through their vocation. Awards recognize excellence in teaching medical students in the basic sciences or clinical medicine and/or longstanding achievements, contributions, and leadership in research or academic programs of Duke University School of Medicine.

Eligibility: Awarded annually to current School of Medicine faculty.
Nominations accepted from alumni, faculty, and students.

This award recognizes achievement of an exceptional nature in any field, vocational or voluntary, covering an entire career. The award recognizes School of Medicine and/or house staff alumni, or School of Medicine faculty for extraordinary leadership and accomplishment in the field of medicine at the national level. It is the highest honor the Alumni Association bestows

Eligibility: Awarded on occasion to School of Medicine and/or house staff alumni, or School of Medicine faculty.
Nominations accepted from alumni and faculty.

This award recognizes lifelong service to society or to humankind and honors those who have provided extraordinary service to their community, demonstrating leadership through global or local service. The award honors alumni and faculty who have fulfilled the obligations of their education through creative citizenship and exemplary service leadership in ways that benefit society and bring credit to the institution.

Eligibility: Awarded on occasion to School of Medicine and/or house staff alumni, or School of Medicine faculty.
Nominations accepted from alumni and faculty.

This award recognizes outstanding volunteer work and/or fundraising efforts on behalf of the School of Medicine and/or University, as well as efforts made to ensure the welfare of the institution. The award may also recognize individual who consistently demonstrate selfless service to the university and school.

Eligibility: Awarded on occasion to School of Medicine and/or house staff alumni, School of Medicine faculty, or friends of the School of Medicine.
Nominations accepted from alumni and faculty.

This award recognizes outstanding individuals, who while not graduates of the School of Medicine, have made significant contributions to its educational mission. Honorees demonstrate support of medical education and residency/fellowship training; the desire to leave their own legacy at Duke University and the School of Medicine; and serve as models of physician responsibility to patients, students, colleagues and community members.

Eligibility: Nominations accepted from alumni and faculty.

Nomination Requirements

• Completed nomination form.
• Candidate’s current curriculum vitae and/or bio-sketch (if applicable).
• Minimum of three letters of support.

Selection

• All nominees are considered by the Awards Committee, comprised of School of Medicine alumni and faculty.
• Nominations received by September 1 are considered for the following year’s award and remain active for a minimum of three years.
• Note: It is atypical for an awardee to be selected during their first year of nomination.
• Awards are presented during Medical Alumni Weekend, held annually in the fall.

Questions? Contact Jennifer Turner at jennifer.l.turner@duke.edu or 919-385-3163.

Nomination Form

The Excellence in Professionalism Award was established to recognize the importance of promoting ethical and professional behavior within our community. This award is presented annually to a faculty member who exemplifies professionalism and personifies Duke’s guiding principles of respect, trustworthiness, diversity, teamwork, and learning. All Medical Center faculty, staff and trainees are invited to nominate regular rank faculty in the School of Medicine and letters should include specific examples of how the faculty member exemplifies the qualities of professionalism.

Download the nomination information
List of previous winners

The Ruth and A. Morris Williams Faculty Research Prize was established to advance research opportunities for younger faculty members and to help publicize the caliber of medical research underway at Duke. The Williams Prize recognizes groundbreaking research in basic or clinical science in alternate years. The 2021 Williams Prize will recognize outstanding contributions in basic science research and will provide a $25,000 award to the recipient, of which $5,000 is granted as a personal prize with the remainder supporting the recipient’s research. Applicants must be School of Medicine faculty who are 45 years of age or younger as of April 30, 2021.

Download the application information
List of previous winners

The Leonard Palumbo Jr., MD Faculty Achievement Award, established in 1999, recognizes a member of the School of Medicine faculty who displays dedication to compassionate patient care and excellence in the teaching and mentoring of young physicians. The award was created in memory of Dr. Palumbo through an endowment gift by his brother, Mr. E. Arthur Palumbo (Trinity College ’49). The award carries a stipend to further the academic development of the recipient. All Medical Center faculty and staff are invited to nominate regular rank faculty in the School of Medicine who exemplify the traits honored by this faculty award.

Download the nomination information
List of previous winners

The Leonard Tow Humanism in Medicine Award is designed to recognize compassion and sensitivity in the delivery of healthcare. This award is presented annually to a faculty member who demonstrates outstanding compassion in the delivery of care; respect for patients, their families, and healthcare colleagues; as well as demonstrated clinical excellence. The Arnold P. Gold Foundation sponsors this annual award for a faculty member from 99 of the nation's medical schools. All Medical Center faculty and staff are invited to nominate regular rank faculty in the School of Medicine who exemplify the traits honored by this faculty award.

Download the nomination information
List of previous winners

The Research Mentoring Awards recognize faculty members in the School of Medicine for excellence in research mentoring. Excellence can be demonstrated in many ways such as by the accomplishments of individual mentees, by programs implemented by the mentor, or by exceptional creativity in mentoring. To be eligible, the nominated faculty member must be regular rank. Winners will be recognized each year in the following categories:

• Early Career Mentoring Award in Basic Science/Translational Science (Assistant or Associate Professor)
• Early Career Mentoring Award in Clinical Research/Population Health (Assistant or Associate Professor)
• Career Mentoring Award in Basic Science/Translational Science (Full Professor)
• Career Mentoring Award in Clinical Research/Population Health (Full Professor)

Download the nomination information
List of previous winners

The Gordon G. Hammes Faculty Teaching Award will also be presented at the annual Spring Faculty Meeting in May. The Hammes award is intended to recognize continuing excellence in teaching and mentoring, and exemplary commitment to the education of graduate students within Basic Science Departments and Graduate Training Programs of the School of Medicine. The nominees and winners are selected by a graduate student committee. For more information contact Dede Crosmer.

List of previous winners