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DOM 2022 Argus Award Winners

The Department of Medicine is proud to announce our 12 Argus Award winners for their extraordinary investment in training medical students.

Created in 1996, the Argus Awards give medical students the chance to honor their mentors, professors, courses, and course directors for outstanding service to medical education. Faculty members are nominated by course evaluations, and students vote to select award winners in each category.

2022 Argus Award Winners

Chad Burski, MD

Chad Burski, MD

Associate Professor
Gastroenterology and Hepatology
Best Educator: Gastrointestinal

Harish Doppalapudi, MD

Harish Doppalapudi, MD

Professor
Cardiovascular Disease
Best MS1 Course: Cardiovascular
Best Educator: Cardiovascular

Shawn Galin, PhD

Shawn Galin, PhD

Professor
Pulmonary, Allergy, & Critical Care
Best MS2 Course: Endocrine Systems
Best Educator: Endocrine Systems
The Dale J. Benos Award for Educational Excellence

Caroline Harada, MD

Caroline Harada, MD

Associate Professor
Gerontology, Geriatrics, and Palliative Care
Best Educator: Patient, Doctor & Society 

Aditi Jani, MD

Aditi Jani, MD

Instructor of Medicine and Chief Medical Resident
Tinsley Harrison Internal Medicine Residency Program
Best Resident Educator, Birmingham Campus 

Eric Judd, MD

Eric Judd, MD

Associate Professor
Nephrology
Best Educator: Renal

Rachael Lee, MD

Rachael Lee, MD

Associate Professor
Infectious Diseases
Best Educator: Reproductive Systems

Kevin Leon, MD

Kevin Leon, MD

Professor 
Pulmonary, Allergy, and Critcal Care Medicine
Best Educator: Pulmonary
Best Educator, Preparation for Residency

Jori May, MD

Jori May, MD

Assistant Professor
Hematology and Oncology
Best Educator: Hematology and Oncology

Mukesh Patel, MD

Mukesh Patel, MD

Associate Professor
Infectious Diseases
Best Block Leader: Fundamentals of Medicine 

Jeremey Walker, MD

Jeremey Walker, MD

Assistant Professor
Infectious Diseases
Best Block Leader: Fundamentals of Medicine

Lisa Willett, MD

Lisa Willett, MD

Professor
General Internal Medicine
Best Clinical Educator, Birmingham Campus

  • Chad Burski, MD
  • Harish Doppalapudi, MD
  • Shawn Galin, PhD
  • Caroline Harada, MD
  • Aditi Jani, MD
  • Eric Judd, MD
  • Rachael Lee, MD
  • Kevin Leon, MD
  • Jori May, MD
  • Mukesh Patel, MD
  • Jeremey Walker, MD
  • Lisa Willett, MD

  • Chad Burski, MD

    Associate Professor
    Gastroenterology and Hepatology
    Best Educator: Gastrointestinal

  • Harish Doppalapudi, MD

    In the Cardiovascular module, first-year medical students are exposed to the entire spectrum of cardiovascular physiology and pathology over a 5-week period. In addition to traditional didactics, case discussions, small group sessions and hands-on sessions are utilized to enhance understanding and emphasize clinical correlation. Multiple review sessions structured throughout the module are a key feature of this course.

    "The unbridled inquisitiveness and passion for learning in the students makes this a refreshing and rewarding experience every year!"

  • Shawn Galin, PhD

    Professor
    Pulmonary, Allergy, & Critical Care
    Best MS2 Course: Endocrine Systems
    Best Educator: Endocrine Systems
    The Dale J. Benos Award for Educational Excellence

  • Caroline Harada, MD

    Associate Professor
    Gerontology, Geriatrics, and Palliative Care
    Best Educator: Patient, Doctor & Society 

  • Aditi Jani, MD

    Instructor of Medicine and Chief Medical Resident
    Tinsley Harrison Internal Medicine Residency Program
    Best Resident Educator, Birmingham Campus 

  • Eric Judd, MD

    Associate Professor
    Nephrology
    Best Educator: Renal

  • Rachael Lee, MD

    Associate Professor
    Infectious Diseases
    Best Educator: Reproductive Systems

  • Kevin Leon, MD

    Professor 
    Pulmonary, Allergy, and Critcal Care Medicine
    Best Educator: Pulmonary
    Best Educator, Preparation for Residency

  • Jori May, MD

    Assistant Professor
    Hematology and Oncology
    Best Educator: Hematology and Oncology

  • Mukesh Patel, MD

    Fundamentals Block 5 is a Microbiology course that is part of the broader Fundamentals course for first-year medical students. It covers various topics such as bacterial, viral, fungal, and parasitic pathogens, vaccines and public health, and pharmacology. Our goal is to link the basic scientific information to clinical diseases and provide scenarios that allows students to connect esoteric facts to patient care.  

    "Teaching medical students early in their education is a lot of fun. We have the opportunity to not only teach them things that are useful for their exams, but ultimately may impact patient care. What I hope is that my enthusiasm for teaching can shows students that while microbiology can certainly be challenging, it can also be fun and is directly applicable to the clinical years of their training."

  • Jeremey Walker, MD

    Assistant Professor
    Infectious Diseases
    Best Block Leader: Fundamentals of Medicine

  • Lisa Willett, MD

    Professor
    General Internal Medicine
    Best Clinical Educator, Birmingham Campus

  • Chad Burski, MD
  • Harish Doppalapudi, MD
  • Shawn Galin, PhD
  • Caroline Harada, MD
  • Aditi Jani, MD
  • Eric Judd, MD
  • Rachael Lee, MD
  • Kevin Leon, MD
  • Jori May, MD
  • Mukesh Patel, MD
  • Jeremey Walker, MD
  • Lisa Willett, MD