2018-2019 Teaching Awards

2018-2019– Psychiatry Teaching Awards

The Psychiatry Teaching awards are presented annually before the Department of Psychiatry’s Grand Rounds. Their purpose is to honor excellence in teaching, supervision, mentoring or related instructional activities in a number of categories. Nominees for each award are selected for their ingenuity, clinical skill, availability, supportiveness, inspiration, dedication, humanism, patience, respect for diversity, and improvement in the teaching process.

 

Outstanding Faculty Housestaff Teaching Adult/Geri Division

Eligible candidates are full-time faculty in the department who lecture, supervise, or tutor psychiatry residents, psychiatry fellows, or psychology trainees in the Adult or Geriatric Psychiatry Divisions at any of the DGSOM sites, and who have not received the award in the past three years.

Jonathan Heldt

Jonathan Heldt, M.D.

With passion and confidence, “Dr. Heldt has been an innovative and effective clinician educator who in over a breathtakingly short period of time has drastically improved the education of our residents.” A medical student writes, “Dr. Heldt doesn't teach to be a teacher but rather teaches so that the learner can learn. This is what makes him one of the best teachers that I have ever had.”

A director notes, “From the moment he joined UCLA as an intern, the administration was impressed with his leadership skills, ability to understand and solve complex problems, and ability to balance a highly productive professional life with an active personal one.”

For his ability to teach and mentor of all levels and taking a personal interest in everything around him, Dr. Jonathan Heldt is being awarded the 2018-2019 Outstanding Faculty Housestaff teaching Award in the Adult/Geri Division.

 

Outstanding Faculty Housestaff Teaching Child & Adolescent/Population Behavioral Health

Eligible candidates are full-time faculty in the department who lecture, supervise, or tutor psychiatry residents, psychiatry fellows, or psychology trainees in the Child and Adolescent or DPBH Psychiatry Divisions at any of the DGSOM sites, and who have not received the award in the past three years.

Roya Ijadi-Maghsoodi

Roya Ijadi-Maghsoodi, M.D., M.S.

Dr. Roya Ijadi-Maghsoodi is this year’s recipient of the Outstanding Faculty Housestaff Teaching Award in the Child & Adolescent/DPBH Division. A colleague expresses, “Everyone gains and grows from their experiences with her. She goes the extra mile to enliven a research discussion, a call or a meeting with her message, “WE CAN DO THIS! THIS IS IMPORTANT””

Dr. Ijadi-Maghsoodi has had such a remarkable impact on the UCLA Housestaff that a group of residents recently nominated her for a national teaching award through the Gold Humanism Honor Society (Pearl Birnbaum Hurwitz Humanism in Healthcare Award) this year.

Dr. Iljie-Maghsoodi’s quality of teaching and lasting efforts deserves this year’s outstanding Faculty Housestaff Teaching Award in the Child & Adolescent/DPBH Division.

 

Outstanding Medical Student Teaching

Eligible candidates are full-time faculty or staff in the department who lecture, supervise, or tutor medical students in courses, selectives, the required clerkship, or elective at any of the DGSOM sites, and who have not received the award in the past three years.

Iljie Fitzgerald, M.D., M.S.

Iljie Fitzgerald, M.D., M.S.

Dr. Iljie Fitzgerald is receiving this year’s Outstanding Medical Student Teaching Award.

Her dedication is truly exemplified in these words. “Iljie has set her life around medical students; she spends her waking hours on their learning and well-being. She simply has a nearly-concerning amount of concern for her students. She loses sleep over them (which I discovered when I got a 2 am text from her asking how she could help one of them). She has a running list of medical students she is mentoring, assisting, guiding, and nudging. She sees the best in all of them”

Another writes, “I participated in the healer's art selective that she ran, and it completely changed how I approached medicine and made me such a more humanistic provider. I still carry those lessons with me every single day.”

It is without doubt that Dr. Iljie Fitzgerald is the most deserving of the 2018-2019 Outstanding Medical Student Teaching Award.

 

Outstanding Research Mentor

Eligible candidates are full-time faculty or staff in the department who are directly supervising research projects of residents and fellows and of psychology trainees and/or who are providing mentoring to such trainees or to junior faculty (below the rank of associate professor) on research, promotion, or career advancement who have not received this award in the past three years.

Andrew F. Leuchter, M.D.

Andrew F. Leuchter, M.D.

Dr. Andrew Leuchter is truly an inspiration. He believes in paying it forward and it shows through these kind words, “I will spend the rest of my career aspiring to be the kind of mentor Dr. Leuchter is for me. I say “is” (not “was”) in the present tense because even with my advancing career, Dr. Leuchter has never ceased to mentor me. To this day, if I ever need professional advice or guidance, he is the first person I call. And remarkably, he always takes that call or text, no matter where he is on the planet and with no delay”

A postdoc writes, “Dr. Leuchter achieves the perfect balance between providing guidance to a young investigator and yet encouraging scientific freedom and own thinking; it is impressive how he integrates his vast clinical knowledge with long standing research expertise and is able to elegantly share those…”

It is due to Dr. Andrew Leuchter’s expertise, mentorship, and amazing dedication to fostering the careers of the researchers he takes under his wing, that he deserves the 2018-2019 Outstanding Research Mentor Award.

 

Outstanding Volunteer Clinical Faculty Teaching

Eligible candidates are volunteer faculty in the clinical instructor or clinical professor series whose primary work or responsibilities are outside the university (such as private practice, other clinics or hospitals, or public agencies), who have not received this award in the past three years, and provide clinical supervision or teach in courses offered to medical students, undergraduate or graduate students, residents and fellows, or psychology trainees or participate in other clinical teaching activities in the Semel Institute or Resnick Neuropsychiatric Hospital (or its affiliated hospitals and clinics).

Paul R. Puri, M.D.

Paul R. Puri, M.D.

Dr. Paul Puri is most deserving of this year’s Outstanding Volunteer Clinical Faculty Award. A resident writes, “He skillfully helped us to process and navigate interpersonal dynamics, issues of transference and countertransference, and personal struggles over the course of the supervision”

Another writes, “My co-residents and I have often told program leadership that we would love to have him teach more of (indeed, take over!) our psychotherapy didactic curriculum. My patients and I have grown and benefited enormously from his teaching, and I give him my highest recommendation for this award.” and “Dr. Puri has singlehandedly transformed my understanding of and approach to psychotherapy.”

There is no doubt that Dr. Paul Puri is most deserving of the 2018-2019 Volunteer Clinical Faculty training award.

 

Outstanding Resident Teaching

Eligible candidates are psychiatry residents, or child, forensic, geriatric, or other fellows, or psychology trainees who have primary teaching or supervisory responsibilities on their service or clinic for medical students, beginning residents, psychology trainees, or other trainees.

Sonya Shadravan, M.D.

Sonya Shadravan, M.D.

As a resident, Dr. Sonya Shadravan has, “On a departmental level, truly changed the nature of our discourse on matters related to diversity, equity, and inclusion.” This is complemented with words from a co-resident, “Sonya’s contributions to organizing structural change merit special recognition for excellence in teaching. Sonya has served as a pivotal force in shifting the culture of our department, and the equity-minded programmatic changes that have resulted would not have been possible save the learning process she guided.”

A faculty writes, “I truly believe that Sonya has brought a high degree of quality to an area of education that is often lacking in our department. Since coming to UCLA four years ago, she has changed the nature of the discourse around issues of equity, diversity, and inclusion in our department through her tireless and tenacious efforts.”

For her commitment to making a difference, Dr. Sonya Shadravan is truly deserving of the 2018-2019 Outstanding Teaching Resident Award.

 

Lifetime Achievement in Education

Kenneth Wells, MD., M.P.H.

Kenneth Wells, MD., M.P.H.

Dr. Ken Well’s has truly made an imprint in our department. One writes, “Dr Wells has been instrumental in research and career mentorship for psychiatry residents in every current class—his capacity seems to have expanded with the increasing interest in community psychiatry within the program! Nearly every resident in our program with an interest in health services, social justice, or community care has been involved in a research project with Ken.” Added from another resident, “He teaches the importance of community-based participatory research, something that has been fundamental to his work and that has been incredible to learn about and see in action. There are no words to describe how lucky we are to have Dr. Wells as a mentor to many of us here at UCLA.”

Touching words from another resident writes, “Even in acknowledgement of Dr. Wells’ many remarkable qualities and contributions, I still feel shy to admit that I regularly step back from my work and feel overwhelmed with gratitude and fulfillment that I have been lucky enough to be here at UCLA and to be working with Dr. Wells.”

It truly shows how evident Dr. Ken Wells has made his mark on those around him and that he is most deserving of the Lifetime Achievement in Education.