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Clinician of the Year Award

This award is given to a clinician who most embodies those aspects of a truly great patient service provider, including technical skill, humanism to patients and families, collaboration with colleagues, and advocacy.

2023202220212020201920182017 / 2016 / 2015 / 2014 / 2013 / 2012 / 2011

2023 Winner

Regan Giesinger (to be accepted by Patrick McNamara ), MD, Pediatrics

Regan Giesinger, MD, passed away from cancer in May of this year at the age of 42. In the five years she was working in the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU), she built a world leading neonatal hemodynamics program which has led to further improvements in survival of extremely preterm babies and a reduction in major morbidities. Giesinger was an exceptional young clinician scientist, who at a very early stage of her career, achieved an international reputation for her groundbreaking work in the application of targeted neonatal echocardiography to enhance clinical care through providing enhanced diagnostic and mechanistic insights. Giesinger’s dedication to patients and their families was second to none. She was selfless and always willing to help her colleagues and influenced a generation of trainees and young faculty. 

2022 Winner

Jeremy Greenlee, MD

Dr. Greenlee embodies everything it means to be an excellent clinician. On top of his role as a surgeon scientist with NIH funding, working to unlock the electrophysiologic secrets of the brain as it relates to his Parkinson disease patients, he also maintains an incredibly busy Deep Brain Stimulation practice. He is among the best in the world, achieving results that are truly life changing for his patients. His technical prowess has allowed his patients to live a better quality of life with minimal complications compared to his peers. His work within the Parkinson community has benefited Iowans and their families immensely.

2021 Winner

Jonathan Klein, MD, Pediatrics

Dr Klein has dedicated thirty years to the mission of the University of Iowa and has acted as the medical director of the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU) at the University of Iowa for 15 years. His passion for clinical excellence and optimization of the delivery of quality healthcare is unparalleled. He has dedicated his life to building an exceptional clinical program which prioritizes quality, clinical excellence and innovation. Under his leadership, our NICU is recognized as a world leader in the care of extremely premature infants with survival rates at the limits of viability (22 weeks gestation) that are tenfold higher than the national average.

2020 Winner

Michael O’Donnell, MD, Urology

Of his patient relationships, O’Donnell says, “I talk to my patients the way I talk to my Mom. I reduce things down to their basic, fundamental concepts, and then I listen very carefully.” 

2019 Winner

David Bedell, MD, Family Medicine

David Bedell is the embodiment of a true primary care physician, providing holistic, culturally intuitive care to families from all walks of life. Many of the patients Bedell sees at River Crossing, the UI Health Care location in Riverside, Iowa, are Spanish-speaking and seek him out due to his fluency in Spanish. He also regularly provides care at the Iowa City Free Medical Clinic, including prenatal care to immigrant, non-English speaking clients from Africa and Central America. In the Labor and Delivery Unit, he is always seeking to provide care that is evidence-based yet tailored to the individual patient and her family. Bedell is an outstanding role model for learners at all levels, a caring practitioner who successfully balances the art and the science of medicine.

2018 Winner

Nancy Williams, MD, Psychiatry

Nancy Williams provides outstanding care to one of the most underserved populations of patients—those with severe and persistent mental illness for whom traditional treatment approaches have been ineffective. As medical director of the Integrated Multidisciplinary Program of Assertive Community Treatment (IMPACT) program, she leads a highly skilled team that cares for a subset of individuals living in the community who have had frequent or prolonged hospitalizations, or experienced homelessness or incarceration by virtue of their mental illness. Without her care, many of her patients would be unable to live independently and would instead be resigned to long-term placement. She exemplifies all the best traits of a physician, showing deep care about each of her patients and taking sincere interest in all aspects of their well-being.

2017 Winner

Culver Boldt, MD, Ophthalmology

Culver Boldt is a tireless advocate for his patients, spending countless hours counseling patients and taking on the most complicated referrals. He is meticulous in the operating room, ensuring that he has done his very best for each and every patient. Moreover, he cares for his patients’ overall health, rather than focusing solely on their eyes. Boldt’s patients are often struggling with the uncertainty of ocular malignancy, and he is able to guide them through diagnostic and treatment options in the most caring and compassionate way. He treats patients as if he is treating a family member. While Boldt challenges himself to take the best care of every patient he encounters, he also demands the same of his trainees and is willing to take the time to guide and teach trainees to better help patients. He is a wealth of information but remains unpretentious and approachable.

2016 Winner

David Bender, MD, Obstetrics and Gynecology

2015 Winner

Abbey Hardy-Fairbanks, MD
Clinical Assistant Professor of Obstetrics and Gynecology

2014 Winner

James Howe, MD
Professor of Surgery

2013 Winner

Rebecca Davis, MD
Clinical Assistant Professor of Internal Medicine

Dr. Rebecca Davis works tirelessly with a wonderful clarity of thought and a directness that is greatly appreciated by her loyal patients. A fierce advocate for her patients, she persistently navigates the medical system for their benefit. She teaches efficiency and experienced wisdom to residents and medical students and still finds time to advance her own medical knowledge. Since joining UI Health Care in 2007, she has applied her considerable experience in private practice, gaining recognition not only from her patients but from colleagues who seek her out for personal care.

2012 Winner

John Fieselmann, MD
Clinical Professor of Internal Medicine

A highly respected clinician who served as director of the Joint Office for Clinical Outreach Services for the past 19 years, Dr. John Fieselmann has been instrumental in expanding clinical outreach and fostering professional relationships across Iowa. 

John Fieselmann

2011 Winner

Richard Smith, MD
Professor of Otolaryngology—Head and Neck Surgery

Dr. Richard Smith sees about 40 pediatric patients a day, with needs ranging from routine to the most complex. And regardless of the patient's circumstances, he always works to soothe the apprehension of the child and his or her family. Dr. Smith's vast experience and knowledge enable him to provide excellent care efficiently, all the while tending to the needs of the patient and family. 

Richard Smith