Students Honored at UB Medical School Commencement

BUFFALO, N.Y. -- Fifty-five graduates of the University at Buffalo School of Medicine and Biomedical Sciences received awards at the school's recent commencement ceremony.

The University at Buffalo is a premier research-intensive public university, the largest and most comprehensive campus in the State University of New York. UB's more than 27,000 students pursue their academic interests through more than 300 undergraduate, graduate and professional degree programs. Founded in 1846, the University at Buffalo is a member of the Association of American Universities.

Among the recipients are 18 students who received multiple awards:

• David Andrew Liebner of Buffalo, the Henry E. and Loretta A. Jordan Award for Neoplastic Diseases, the Buffalo Surgical Society Prize, the Merck Manual Award recognizing most outstanding academic performance overall, and Latin Honors (summa cum laude).

• Emily Anne McCourt of Denver, Colo., the Patrick Costello Award recognizing the student who received the highest grade on the written exam for internal medicine, the Dr. Thomas J. Guttuso Award for academic excellence in ophthalmology and Latin Honors (magna cum laude).

• Amanda Rose Gorman of Rochester, the Clyde L. Randall Society Award in Gynecology-Obstetrics and Latin Honors (summa cum laude).

• Aarti Gupta of Buffalo, the James Platt White Society Award recognizing leadership qualities that personify those of Dr. White's -- foresight, intellectual vitor and moral courage, and Latin Honors (cum laude).

• Bethany M. Lipa of North Tonawanda, the Bernard H. Smith Memorial Award in Clinical Neurology and Latin Honors (cum laude).

• Carlene Allana Denis of Erie, Pa., the National Medical Association Award for demonstrated excellence in scholarship, leadership and commitment of community service and the Evan Calkins M.D. and Virginia Calkins M.D. Primary Care Achievement Award for exceptional performance in primary care and outstanding personal characteristics including compassion, integrity, judgment and leadership.

• Christopher W. Tjoa of Buffalo, the Elizabeth Medical Award recognizing an unusual compassion and noteworthy personal and professional sense of integrity and ethics; the S. Mouchly Small M.D. Award for an ability to relate well to patients, faculty, and staff; and the Dr. Heinrich Leonhardt Prize in Surgery recognizing academic excellence in surgery and an interest in proctocology.

• Dana Beth Schonberg of Buffalo, the Charles A. Bauda Award in Family Medicine and the Mark A. Petrino Award for demonstrated interest and aptitude for the general practice of medicine.

• Grace Liu of Buffalo, the E.J. Weisenheimer Award recognizing excellence in scholarship and patient care in ophthalmology and the Bernhardt & Sophie Gottlieb Award recognizing expertise in areas outside medicine.

• Gwen Marie Bernacki of Elma, the Bacelli Award for the most outstanding research by a medical student, a Research Honors Award for showing a commitment to excellence in research during medical school and Latin Honors (cum laude).

• Jestin N. Carlson of Buffalo, the Society for Academic Emergency Medicine Award, the Robin M. Bannerman Memorial Research Award for most meritorious research in biomedical science initiated in the Summer Fellowship Program and a Research Honors Award for demonstrating a commitment to excellence in research during medical school.

• Julianne Marie Santarosa of Buffalo, the Department of Surgery Chair's Award and a Research Honors Award for demonstrating a commitment to excellence in research during medical school.

• Marta Christine Canfield of Buffalo, the American Academy of Family Physicians President's Award for excellence in family practice, the Ester Ponce Grimaldi M.D. Memorial Award for demonstrating compassion for patients in primary care and the Humanism in Medicine Award.

• Michael F. Petroziello of Williamsville, a Merck Manual Award for most outstanding academic performance overall and Latin Honors (summa cum laude).

• Michael Clark Zang of Rochester, a Maimonides Medical Society Award for most outstanding academic performance coupled with wisdom and compassion; the Philip P. Sang Memorial Award recognizing the ability to relate well to patients, faculty, and staff; a Merck Manual Award for most outstanding academic performance overall and Latin Honors (summa cum laude).

• Rebecca Gail Taxier of Buffalo, the Medical Alumni Association Award recognizing community service and commitment, and the Frederick B. Wilkes Pediatric Award, which is given to the graduating student entering a career in pediatrics who has best exemplified Dr. Wilkes' skills and dedication to patients.

• Sachin Shyam Patil of Poughauaq, the John Paroski M.D. Memorial Award recognizing compassion and excellence in patient care and a Research Honors Award for demonstrating a commitment to excellence in research during medical school.

• Vy Thao Thi Tran of Kenmore, the Dr. George Alker Award recognizing excellence in radiology, the Morris & Sadie Stein Neuroanatomy Award for excellence in neuroanatomy and Latin Honors (summa cum laude).

Other award recipients are:

• Lauren Gruber Solan of Cincinnati, the Richard T. Sarkin M.D. Award/Buffalo Pediatric Society Award recognizes the medical student who best demonstrates Dr. Sarkin's passion for life, commitment to teaching and dedication to medical humanism.

• Adrienne Vargo of Amherst, an Association of Pathology Chair's Award.

• Amber Marie Warmsley of Buffalo, a Hans J. Lowenstein Award in Obstetrics.

• Amy B. Mepani of Buffalo, the Emilie Davis Rodenberg Memorial Award for academic excellence in the study of diabetes and its complications.

• Dana Courtney Olszewski of Depew, the Dr. Benjamin E. and Lila Obletz Prize for outstanding performance in orthopaedic surgery.

• David Adam Gass of Buffalo, the Dr. James Goldinger Curriculum Leadership Award recognizing leadership and the enthusiasm to teach during medical school, the potential for developing into a leader in the medical profession and a dedication to teaching future medical students.

• Bethany Christine Arber of Cheektowaga, the G. Norris Miner Memorial Award for demonstrating outstanding clinical competence in family medicine.

• Erica Marie Douglass of Buffalo, the Department of Emergency Medicine Scholastic Award.

• Gareth Mark Czamara Lema of Amherst, the Medical Alumni Association Dean's Award, sponsored by the Medical Alumni Association for participation in extracurricular activities in the medical school while maintaining a high standard of academic excellence.

• Jennifer Ann Argentieri of North Tonawanda, the Children's Hospital Prize for excellence in understanding disease in childhood.

• Jessica Marie Ford of Orchard Park, the David K. Miller Prize in Medicine for demonstrating Dr. Miller's approach to caring for the sick: competence, humility and humanity.

• Joel D. Mack of Buffalo, the Farney R. Wurlitzer Prize for academic excellence in psychiatry.

• Joonhee Park of Buffalo, the Hans J. Lowenstein Award in Obstetrics.

• Manoj Hari Iyer of Clifton Park, the John Paroski M.D. Memorial Award for demonstrating compassion and excellence in patient care.

• Matthew Gerard Peer of Amherst, the Lieberman Award for interest and aptitude in the study of anesthesiology.

• May Puiyan Chan of Amherst. the Association of Pathology Chair's Award.

• Katie J. Macaluso of Rochester, the Harry E. and Loretta A. Jordan Award for proficiency in ophthalmology.

• Michelle Ann-Marie Hepburn of New York City, the National Medical Association Award for demonstrating excellence in scholarship, leadership and commitment of community service.

• Paul R. Young of Williamsville, a Maimonides Medical Society Award for most outstanding academic performance coupled with wisdom and compassion.

• Peter Scott Martin of Buffalo, the Gilbert M. Beck Memorial Prize in Psychiatry.

• Samantha Ann Scanlon of Rochester, Minn., Stephen J. Paolini Award, given to the student who best exemplified the qualities of dedication and compassion as personified by Dr. Paolini.

• Thomas Wychowski of Buffalo, the American Academy of Neurology Student Prize for Excellence

Achieving Latin Honors were:

• Kristen Elizabeth Amann of Mechanicville, cum laude.

• Robert Charles Bucelli of Williamsville, summa cum laude.

• Ellen Clare Fitzgerald Farkas of Amherst, cum laude.

• Benjamin Clark Gillen of Binghamton, magna cum laude.

• Joseph Paul Housel of Amherst, magna cum laude.

• Gerald Rajish Jeyapalan of Orchard Park, cum laude.

• Lesley Campbell Loss of Williamsville, cum laude.

• Russell Matthew Lafrance of Buffalo, cum laude.

• Robin T. Li of Buffalo, cum laude.

• John Angelus Maloney of Denver, Colo., magna cum laude.

• Anoop Prabhu of Newbaurgh, cum laude.

• Peter Charles Revenaugh of Whitesboro, summa cum laude.

• Patrick Donovan Solan of Cincinnati, cum laude.

• Megan Suzanne Whittaker of Bloomfield, cum laude.

• Afshin Aaron Zadfar of Williamsville, cum laude.