SSOM 2015 Teaching Awards Ceremony

On Monday, April 20th, the Stritch School of Medicine at Loyola University Medical Center held their annual awards ceremony presented by the medical students to exceptional SSOM teaching staff. The Department of Obstetrics & Gynecology was honored to have several of our faculty and staff nominated by the medical students. Dr. Cynthia Brincat, Dr. Freager Williams, Dr. Robert Levi-D'Ancona and Dr. Elizabeth Mueller were all nominated as the attending of the year by the medical students. Michelle Wyszomorski, DO, a PGY 3 resident was also nominated for resident teacher of the year.

It is with great pride we announce that Dr. Elizabeth Mueller recieved the 2015 Attending of the Year award from the SSOM M3 medical students.

From left to right: Ahmed Akl, Susanne Taege, Cynthia Brincat, Linda Brubaker, Elizabeth Mueller, Colleen Fitzgerald and Tanaka Dune

Following are some excerpts from the ceremony regarding Dr. Mueller:

"Urogynecology was one of the most popular rotations amongst third year medical students this year due to the excellent fellows and attendings that lead that service."

"I personally had the pleasure of working with Dr. Mueller, and as an aspiring future surgeon myself, I found her to embody all of the traits of a strong female surgeon I hope to one day achieve. Her work ethic, drive, and fierceness in the OR was matched equally by her compassion for her patients. I watched her expertly navigate through challenging surgeries and similarly challenging patient encounters in clinic with grace and humility."

"She is not only an outstanding role model but an inspiring educator as well."

"Dr. Mueller never missed an opportunity to teach and include students, both in and out of the OR. Other students who worked with her commented that Dr. Mueller was encouraging to all students who she worked with, regardless of their future plans and specialty choices."

"She managed to achieve that rare balance of a comfortable learning environment where students felt safe to ask questions and observe while still maintaining high clinical expectations "

The FPMRS division was also honored to have Amy Marciniak, RN recieve the "Nurse of the Year" award from the medical students. Amy is part of a team of dedicated and hardworking FPMRS outpatient staff who all contribute to the outstanding care that is provided to our patients. We are extremely proud that Amy was recognized by the M3 students for her exceptional work ethic and contribution to their education.

Following are excepts from the presentation to Amy:

"Amy is part of the great team of nurses that works in the urogynecology department.  This is a practice with a high volume of patients and Amy has the energy to match it." 

"Amy’s work with the patients alone would be deserving of an award—which is why her commitment to student teaching is so commendable."

"Amy makes the student feel like they are part of the team." 

"I was continually impressed by Amy’s uncanny ability to predict what we will need next and how she always manages to be in the right place at the right time" 

"Amy’s efforts are all the more extraordinary because she repeats them continuously.  As part of the urogynecology team, Amy gets a new group of rotating students every 2 weeks.  But in that short amount of time she was able to make a huge impact on my learning, and I’m amazed at what a large number of students she must impact every year. Amy, Thank you for your dedication to our education.  You are highly deserving of this recognition."

Christina Mathos Mentoring Award

We are very proud to announce that our FPMRS Fellowship Program Director, Elizabeth Mueller, MD, MSME was the recipient of the 2014 Christina Manthos Mentoring Award. The Society of Women in Urology (SWIU) established this award to recognize a man or woman who demonstrates extraordinary mentoring skills in supporting the career of a female urologist.

Dr Mueller received this award at the annual AUA Meeting on May 19th, 2014 in Orlando, Florida.

LUMC Ob/Gyn Residents Match into Fellowship Program

Two of our 2015 graduates, Tonya "Nikki" Thomas, MD and Kristin Jacobs, MD, both matched into FPMRS training programs that will be starting in July of 2015.

Nikki Thomas, Kristen Jacobs and Cynthia Brincat, MD, PhD at graduation 2014.

New FPMRS Fellow for 2016
To be announced in August of 2015

New Translational Research and Education Building in 2016:

Construction has begun on the Loyola University Chicago Center for Translational Research and Education, located on the Medical Center in Maywood. The new 227,000 square-foot building is scheduled to open in April of 2016 and will support nearly 500 scientists and staff working together to improve human health. The center will accommodate principal investigators, posdoctoral trainees, physicians, nurses, fellows, graduate students and students from the Stritch School of Medicine and Marcella Neihoff School of Nursing.

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