June 24, 2019

Resident Teaching Award

Dan Pelletier (left), Marcus Nashelsky (middle), Neha Dhungana (right)

This year’s recipient of the Resident Teaching Award is Marcus Nashelsky, MD.  This award is given each year to a faculty member who displays exemplary teaching and mentoring skills while working with the residents.

When nominating him for the award, residents shared the following comments:

• Dr. Nashelsky holds himself and his trainees to a high standard of meticulous and thorough work, while providing the necessary guidance and support to help them achieve these goals. He is a fierce advocate for education and creates an open environment for any student, resident, or faculty member to observe and ask questions during the autopsy process. Finally, he is cognizant of the physical and emotional demands of the autopsy rotation, and often checks in with the trainees to ensure they are handling the experiences adequately.
• Dr. Nashelsky is one of the finest educators I have met in my entire life. He is dedicated to instilling a sense of precision and excellence into the work of all residents, and he serves as a steadfast example of professionalism and competence in all facets of his work.
• He is a stellar example of what a pathologist and medical examiner should be—his level of professionalism and dedication to his work are unmatched. His expectations for residents and students are high, but he inspires everyone he works with to try to meet and surpass those expectations. He has been an exemplary teacher all of the years I have worked with him, and I believe he definitely deserves this award.

George D. Penick Award

Matthew Krasowski (left), Neha Dhungana (middle), Dan Pelletier (right)

This year’s recipient of the George D. Penick Award are Dan Pelletier and Neha Dhungana.  This award is given annually to a Pathology Resident(s) who display excellence in and commitment to the education and teaching of medical students, peers and clinical colleagues.

When nominating them for the award, residents shared the following comments:

Dan Pelletier

• He continues to devote many hours to teaching co-residents, externs and medical students. He leads the interesting case conference and set-up and leads the 1st year Molavi conference.
• He is well deserving of this award in the ways he teaches and leads the resident led conferences. He takes time to explain his thought profess at the scope and encourages junior residents and externs to participate as well. He has compiled a slide set of standard surgical pathology specimens and is willing to meet outside of the normal resident led conference to make sure junior residents are learning the essentials. As well, he has created a large set of study flash cards that are update often and wants to ensure all his co-residents have the resources they need to succeed.

Neha Dhungana

• Neha stepped up and agreed to do a sixth autopsy rotation for our class, which was welcomed by the forensic pathology staff as she is a technical wizard and a great role model for junior residents rotating on the service. In a doing a sixth rotation, she was tasked with being a teaching resident on at least three rotations, and the junior residents she rotate4d with are lucky to have someone as skilled and efficient as her to look up to and learn from.
• •Neha has also been an integral part of launching the resident-led Molavi conference, and this year shared her expertise in gastrointestinal and gynecologic pathology by leading several conferences on those topics. She also sets an example for junior residents by attending every voluntary resident-led microscopic conference and regularly provides insight and teaching points during these conferences.

Megan C. Danton Award

Dan Pelletier (left), Aaron Fishburn (middle), Neha Dhungana (right)

This year’s recipient of the Megan C. Danton award is Aaron Fishburn, PA Gross Room. The Danton award is presented annually by Pathology Residents to a laboratory staff member for exemplifying excellence and dedication in teaching laboratory medicine.

When nominating him for the award, residents shared the following comments:

• Aaron is one of the kindest and most patient lab staff members in the department, and he is an outstanding instructor. I have personally witnessed him stay late on multiple occasions to help out around the gross room, and he is always one of the first PA’s to offer assistance to residents/externs in need. In addition to all of this, he always maintains a positive attitude, and his grossing is consistently excellent.
• Aaron is great to work with in the gross room. He is always willing and able to help out when grossing complicated specimens. He is also always going above and beyond with the number of specimens he takes to gross throughout the day.
• Aaron is awesome! He’s at team player and is always positive. He takes the time to teach and help out no matter how busy he is.