Medical Students Receive Endowed Scholarships
Each academic year, an average of 240 medical students in their second and third year of medical school rotate through the required internal medicine clerkship. The following scholarship recipients are graduating seniors who have chosen a career in internal medicine and excelled in the clerkship and other internal medicine electives.
Angela Wang
Herbert S. Salomon, M.D., Class of 1967, Memorial Scholarship Award
“Angela is compassionate, intelligent, diligent, passionately inquisitive, and intellectually engaged,” says Kehinde Odedosu, M.D., an Associate Professor in the Division of Hospital Medicine, Internal Medicine Clerkship Co-Director, and Assistant Dean for Student Affairs. “She has demonstrated initiative outside the clinical realm through her extensive leadership and volunteer experiences, in addition to her pursuit of a point-of-care ultrasound certification. Her commitment to community service is exemplified by her role as clinic manager for the United Gospel Mission healthcare clinics, where she supervised the weekly recruitment of volunteers for free health clinics.
She also holds a master’s degree in public health and was selected as an Archer Health policy fellow, where she analyzed the impact of COVID-19 on consumer spending for the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau. To increase vaccination rates, she also wrote a health policy paper expanding the scope of HPV vaccination for pharmacists.
“All her accomplishments made her an obvious candidate for membership in the Alpha Omega Alpha (AOA) Honor Society,” says Dr. Odedosu. “She exemplifies the ideal medical student.
About the award:
The Herbert S. Salomon, M.D., Class of 1967, Memorial Scholarship Award recognizes a UT Southwestern medical student who demonstrates excellence in internal medicine. It is named after Dr. Herbert Salomon, who earned his medical degree from UT Southwestern in 1967 and completed a partial residency in cardiology at Parkland Hospital. He died of a rare form of cancer on February 14, 1971, at the age of 30.
Joseph Campaign and Alexa Wilden
Hemphill-Gojer Award in Internal Medicine
Joseph “Joey” Campaign has a passion for complex medical cases, particularly those that demand high-level thinking and critical problem solving.
“He has outstanding clinical skills, impressive communication skills and dedication to teaching, and he’s passionate about research,” says Rachel Bonnema, M.D., a Professor in the William T. and Gay F. Solomon Division of General Internal Medicine. “He will be a standout in any residency and is poised to make a significant impact in his eventual career as an academic internal medicine physician.”
Academically, he has consistently excelled, displaying a deep understanding of both clinical skills and theoretical knowledge. His enthusiasm for teaching is evident through his active involvement in mentoring peers and junior students and his ability to communicate complex medical concepts is a clear asset. Yet his commitment to working with patients is evident, something he describes as the most rewarding aspect of medicine.
From the beginning, Alexa Wilden had a clear vision of the compassionate and learned physician she wanted to become, and she has consistently performed at the highest level, both academically and professionally. Her academic performance and commitment to providing humanistic care were recognized through her induction into the Alpha Omega Alpha Honor Society and the Gold Humanism Honor Society, where she has served as one of the co-Presidents.
“Alexa has a passion for education and has been heavily involved in tutoring and mentoring throughout medical school,” says Nicole “Nikki” Oakman, M.D., an Assistant Professor in the Division of Hospital Medicine and Director of the Sub-Internship Course. “She has also been dedicated to working with underserved communities, as evidenced by her work in free clinics.”
She has taken on leadership roles in various research projects, including a project investigating mortality outcomes in cancer patients who received the monoclonal antibody against SARS-CoV-2. She has presented her work at local and national forums.
“Alexa’s prodigious talents and expert communication skills make her a gift to our profession,” Dr. Oakman says.
About the award:
The Hemphill-Gojer Award in Internal Medicine, presented to one or more top medical students in Internal Medicine, was established by Ross H. and Anne Seymour Hemphill in honor of their son and daughter-in-law, Dr. and Mrs. Seymore Hemphill; their daughter and son-in-law, Dr. and Mrs. Bernard Gojer; and Anne Hemphill’s parents, E. Clyde and Florine Allen Seymour. Dr. Hemphill and Dr. Gojer are both UTSW Medical School alumni.
Avery Hager, Christopher Joshi, Michael Li, Maishara Muquith, and Nicholas Sevey
Richard Mays Smith Award
Avery Hagar’s commitment to addressing healthcare inequities was made clear from the outset of her training. As a first- and second-year student, she helped lead a patient navigator program for people who were unhoused. She also served as a volunteer coordinator for the Monday clinic, a student-led free clinic that serves adult patients who are uninsured. Then, in her third year, she was inducted into the Alpha Omega Alpha Honor society – a testament to her knowledge and compassionate care.
“Avery’s commitment to addressing social determinants of health was awarded with the Albert Schweitzer Fellowship, whose mission is to nurture the next generation of professionals who will serve and advocate on behalf of the underserved,” says Ahmad Anshasi, M.D., an Assistant Professor in the Division of General Internal Medicine. “Supported by her expert clinical skills, passion for service and masterful ability to connect with patients, her trajectory in academic medicine is limitless.”
Though Christopher Joshi was always drawn to science and math, it was his experiences as a resident assistant during college that first drew him to a humanistic career. He initially explored public health, ultimately obtaining a master’s degree in public health and devoting three years to working with the Institute for Healthcare Improvement (IHI). While he enjoyed the opportunity to influence healthcare on a system-wide level, he longed for an opportunity to impact patients on an individual level.
“During medical school, he was drawn to the problem-solving and cerebral aspects of patient care, ultimately finding a home in internal medicine,” says Dr. Oakman. “He is a natural academic—always curious and seeking authenticity.”
He has also led many research endeavors, including projects examining racial bias. His academic excellence was recognized with induction into the Alpha Omega Alpha Honor Society.
“Christopher’s thirst for knowledge and actions to improve the systems around us are contagious and elevate the performance of everyone around him,” Dr. Oakman says.
“Michael Li is driven by curiosity,” says Jessica Campbell, M.D., an Assistant Professor in the Division of General Internal Medicine. “He has been praised by multiple faculty for his mature approach to patient care, excellent clinical acumen and humanistic care. He understands the importance of research and its ability to drive clinical care.”
One project he worked on during medical school is a research project on the utility of urinalysis data in predicting kidney injury in patients with COVID-19. In addition to outstanding clinical performance and many research interests, he has also showed leadership skills by serving as Director of the DFW Hep B Free Hepatitis Clinic and President of the Seldin Society for Internal Medicine.
“Overall, Michael is a natural internist, dedicated to his craft, demonstrating exemplary professionalism and superb clinical skills,” Dr. Campbell says. “He is the type of person you would want caring for you or a loved one and is an ideal ambassador for UT Southwestern.”
Maishara Muquith’s enthusiasm about community health is demonstrated by her aspiration to become a physician leader who directs large-scale community initiatives using evidence-based medicine to improve healthcare access and reduce health disparities.
“She has flourished in developing and implementing multiple community health programs, such as a student-run clinic at UTSW that she co-founded,” says Dr. Odedosu. “The clinic provides services for women’s health, diabetes self-management, and vaccinations.”
To improve program outcomes, she designed and implemented multiple quality improvement initiatives and collaborated with other students to disseminate their findings on a national level. She also co-founded and secured grant funding for the program, Project Momentum.
“The program offers previously incarcerated youths (PIYs) internships, employment training, and case management to aid in their reintegration into society,” Dr. Abraham explains. “She possesses a notable array of expertise, including an innovative mindset, resolute determination, and adept critical thinking.
She has published more than nine peer-reviewed articles with several more currently under review and was invited to present her work at national conferences, including several podium presentations, all while maintaining her clinical training.
Prior to matriculating in medical school, Nicholas “Nick” Sevey earned a master’s in teaching and worked for Teach for America, as well as a low-income high school in Dallas. In medical school his advanced communication skills, honed through years of educating young minds, proved invaluable in connecting with patients and their families.
“Nick is exceptionally bright with excellent clinical instincts but what endears him to his patients and teams alike is his reliable and proactive approach to solving problems,” says Stephanie Brinker, M.D., an Associate Professor in the Division of General Internal Medicine and Co-Director of the Internal Medicine Clerkship. “Nick is a gifted medical student graduating with maturity, sophisticated clinical acumen, communication skills and refined professionalism. “
He has used his background in education to become a leader in our community and on campus, serving as Vice President of Education for Project Momentum, in which he developed a curriculum for health education for previously incarcerated youth in Dallas, and mentoring high school students to pursue careers in the health professions through The Health Professions Recruitment & Exposure Program.
About the award:
The Richard Mays Smith Award is given annually to one or more graduating medical students who excel academically during clinical rotation and exhibit an interest in and compassion for patients.