All UNC School of Medicine and AHEC faculty are eligible for the following Teaching Awards.

Foundation Phase Teaching Excellence Awards – Two awards directed towards those who make significant contributions to courses in the Foundation Phase. The nomination letter should provide information on the teaching contributions and student evaluations. Other support letters could be solicited by the nominator from other course faculty and/or students. Only individuals who have not received this award within the past 5 years are eligible.

Application/Individualization Phase Clinical Preceptor Excellence in Teaching Award (for faculty at UNC Hospitals) – Two awards for faculty within the Application/Individualization Phase. Awards in this category would go to faculty who are strong clinical preceptors, but who do not have administrative responsibilities that place them on the Clinical Curriculum Committee. Only individuals who have not received this award within the past 5 years are eligible.

Application/Individualization Phase Clinical Preceptor Excellence in Teaching Award (for regional campus faculty) – Up to four awards for faculty preceptors in Application/Individualization Phase. At least one of the nomination or support letters for Application/Individualization Phase award(s) should come from course faculty and should provide information on the teaching contributions and student evaluations, if available, of the nominee. Only individuals who have not received this award within the past 5 years are eligible.

Educational Research Mentor Award – This award recognizes excellence in training or mentoring medical students, residents, or fellows in the fundamentals of medical education research and research ethics. Letters of support could also come from faculty with demonstrated success as independently funded researchers and/or both present and former students of the educational research mentor. Only individuals who have not received this award within the past 5 years are eligible.

Educational Mentor/Advisor Award – Two awards that recognize dedication and effectiveness of UME or GME faculty who are not officially part of the medical student or GME program leadership (i.e.-not course directors of medical student courses, program directors or assistant/associate program directors) in mentoring students or residents or fellows in career endeavors. Letters of support could also come from other present and former medical student or GME advisees of the faculty member. Only individuals who have not received this award within the past 5 years are eligible.

Department of Health Sciences Distinguished Teaching Award –This award is directed towards faculty who make significant contributions in teaching or mentoring to the advancement of learners within the range of programs and settings in the Department of Health Sciences. Nominations require one letter of nomination that provides information regarding the nominee’s contributions to teaching or mentoring in the Department of Health Sciences and one letter of support from the nominee’s Division Director or Center Director. Other support letters may be solicited by the nominator from other faculty and/or learners. Self-nominations are encouraged. Only individuals who have not received this award within the past 5 years are eligible.

Innovation in Teaching Award – This award recognizes innovation in medical student, GME/resident/fellow teaching and could include course directors, program directors, or teachers with administrative responsibilities. The nomination letter should include a description of the innovative teaching methods developed and medical student, GME/resident/fellow evaluations, if available, of the impact of those innovative teaching methods. Only individuals who have not received this award within the past 5 years are eligible.

Faculty Teaching Resident/Fellow Award – This award is directed towards faculty members who make significant contributions to GME education for residents/fellows. The nomination letter should provide information on the teaching contributions and resident/fellow evaluations. Other support letters could be solicited by the nominator from residents/fellows and/or other GME faculty with ability to comment on nominees’ teaching ability. Only individuals who have not received this award within the past 5 years are eligible.

Resident Educator Award – This award is directed towards resident trainees who make significant and exceptional contributions to education for learners. The nomination letter should provide information on the teaching contributions and evaluations of educational activities by learners or supervisors. Other support letters could be solicited by the nominator from, students, residents and/or other GME faculty with ability to comment on nominees’ teaching ability. Only individuals who have not received this award within the past 5 years are eligible.

Scholarship Award – This award is designed to reward individuals who demonstrate a high level of academic scholarship in teaching, as evidenced by published work, presented work (nationally), or significant curriculum design or re-design. The nomination letter should include a description of the scholarship developed and, if available, the impact of the scholarship. Only individuals who have not received this award within the past 5 years are eligible.

*NEW* Biological and Biomedical Sciences Program Distinguished Teaching Award – This award is directed towards BBSP-affiliated faculty who make significant contributions in teaching or mentoring to the advancement of learners within the range of programs and settings in graduate education (e.g., supporting Office of Graduate Education programs, serving as mentors; teaching service courses such as First Year Group, Responsible Conduct of Research). Nominations require one letter of nomination that provides information regarding the nominee’s contributions to teaching or mentoring in a BBSP-affiliated Department and one letter of support from the nominee’s leadership (e.g., Departmental Chair or Director of Graduate Studies; Division Director or Center Director; Assistant or Associate Dean of Graduate Education). Other support letters may be solicited by the nominator from other faculty and/or learners. Self-nominations are encouraged. Only individuals who have not received this award within the past 5 years are eligible.

*NEW* Innovation in Biomedical Graduate Teaching Award – This award recognizes innovation in graduate education and could include course directors, program directors, or teachers with administrative responsibilities. The nomination letter should include a description of the innovative teaching methods developed and student evaluations, if available, of the impact of those innovative teaching methods. Only individuals who have not received this award within the past 5 years are eligible.

Junior Faculty Award – This award is designed to reward junior faculty, at the Instructor or Assistant Professor level, who demonstrate superiority and enthusiasm in their first few years of teaching. Nominations will be expected from course directors, supporting letters and documentation otherwise as above. Only individuals who have not received this award within the past 5 years are eligible.

Senior Faculty Award – This award is designed to reward senior faculty, at the Associate or Full Professor level, who have devoted time and effort to developing all levels of learners they work with.  Only individuals who have not received this award within the past 5 years are eligible.

High-Value Care Award –The Award for Excellence in Teaching High-Value Care will be awarded to one (1) resident physician and one (1) faculty member who have consistently demonstrated a commitment to both teaching and practicing high value principles in clinical practice. The recipients of this award will be nominated by medical students who have worked with and witnessed these residents and faculty demonstrating and teaching high value care concepts. The Choosing Wisely campaign defines high value care as care that is supported by evidence, not duplicative of other tests or procedures already received, free from harm, and truly necessary. This award aims to identity and celebrate providers of high value care at UNC Health who are passing their wisdom onto the next generation of providers. Only individuals who have not received this award within the past 5 years are eligible.

Lifetime Achievement Award in Medical Education – This award is for faculty that have demonstrated sustained excellence in teaching and mentoring medical students and/or residents and fellows over 20 years or more. Only individuals who have not received this award within the past 5 years are eligible.

Medical Alumni Distinguished Teaching Professorship – Intended to honor mid-career faculty with a track record of substantial leadership in teaching medical students as well as educational innovation.  The goal is to help the recipients serve as agents of change within the School of Medicine and ambassadors for the School of Medicine, underscoring our commitment to national leadership and innovation in medical education. An endowment funded through annual gifts to the Loyalty Fund sponsors the professorships.  The first Medical Alumni Distinguished Teaching Professorship was awarded in 1999. Faculty members serve four-year terms in these prestigious positions. Previous/current recipients can be seen here.

Craver Medical Student Teaching Award – With the support and generosity of UNC School of Medicine alum Dr. Joseph M. Craver, this teaching award is eligible to an MD faculty member in the Departments of Internal Medicine, Pediatrics or Surgery who is an outstanding teacher in one of these three core clerkship fields, and who inspires and changes the lives of medical students through their teaching. Selected faculty members must be directly involved in clerkship teaching and outstanding in that capacity. This is a cash award in the amount of $5,000, awarded annually for four years. During the faculty member’s term, the Office of Medical Alumni Affairs will ask for occasional participation in select activities which aim to highlight the exceptional teaching and scholarship taking place at the School of Medicine.

Dr. Joseph M. Craver received his bachelor’s degree from UNC Chapel Hill and is an alumni of UNC School of Medicine’s graduating class of 1967. Dr. Craver enjoyed a successful career in academic medicine as a faculty member in the Department of Surgery at the Emory School of Medicine for more than 30 years. He is well-known there as a fabulous teacher and mentor. When asked what his students would say about him he recently said, “They knew I loved them, that I really cared, that I cared about them as a person, and that I wanted them to be the best they could be”. The UNC School of Medicine is honored by Dr. Craver’s support of his alma mater.