Frank Church, PhD, professor, Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, delivered this year’s Whitehead Lecture. The annual event, which serves as an unofficial convocation for the UNC School of Medicine, has been held since 1947.
By Jamie Williams, jamie.williams@unchealth.unc.edu
Frank Church shared insights from his decades as a researcher and medical educator, lessons he learned growing up as an “Air Force brat,” and truths he’s gained from his current battle with Parkinson’s Disease during his poignant speech to a crowd including current and past faculty and students.
During his remarks, Church encouraged the students to live by the Air Force’s three core values: integrity, service, and excellence. He told the first year students in the room to find their “Holy Grail.”
“If you find you’re not happy in what you’re doing, then just keep searching,” Church said, highlighting the various paths their journey through medicine may take them. “Let your heart tell you where your home is.”
Church explained how his path has changed since being diagnosed with Parkinson’s disease. As a researcher, his inclination has been to learn as much as he could about the history and causes of the disease. As a patient, he’s worked to be a resource for others, both through his blog, where he chronicles his journey, and as an active member of several Parkinson’s patient organizations.
“I refuse to surrender,” he told the crowd, as photos of Church playing golf, traveling, and smiling with members of his research lab flashed on the screen behind him.
In her introduction of Church, last year’s Whitehead lecturer, Alice Ma, MD, associate professor, hematology-oncology, read from the nomination letters submitted by students, recommending Church as this year’s lecturer.
“An integral and inspiring presence,” is how one described Church.
This year’s Whitehead Lecture surely made fans of a whole new class of medical students.
Following Church’s lecture, a number of faculty and student awards were presented. A full list of winners is below.
Faculty Awards:
The Hyman L. Battle Distinguished Excellence in Teaching Award in the Clinical Sciences:
Christopher Klipstein, MD, Professor, Department of Medicine, Director of Internal Medicine Clerkship
Best Clinical Clerkship:
Pediatrics:
Richard Hobbs, MD, Clerkship Director
Kevin Kelly, MD, Interim Department Chair
William Mills, MD, MPH, Associate Clerkship Director
Jenny Kaselak, UNC Clerkship Coordinator
Outstanding AHEC Faculty Award:
Suresh Nagappan, MD, MSPH, Site Director, Greensboro
The George T. Wolff Award:
Catherine Sotir, MD, Site Director, Wilmington
Kaiser Permanente Excellence in Teaching Awards:
Family Medicine:
Jessica Waters Davis, MD
Carolyn Vaught, MD
Internal Medicine:
Mussasir Ayaz, MD
David Steele, MD
Neurology:
Trey Bateman, MD
Obstetrics/Gynecology:
Carol Bretschneider, MD
Caroline Cassling, MD
Pediatrics:
Lauren Bradford, MD
Mike Parsons, MD
Sally Wood, MD, MPH
Pyschiatry:
Douglas Henningsen, MD
Winston Li, MD
Surgery:
Ashish Jain, MD, MPH
Bailey Sanders, MD
Megan Quintana, MD
Hadley Wilson, MD, MS
The Hyman L. Battle Distinguished Excellence in Teaching Award in the Foundation Phase:
Cheryl McNeil, MD, Associate Professor, Department of Neurology and Clinical Academic Resources
The Foundation Phase Outstanding Director Teaching Award:
Edward Kernick, DPM, Associate Professor, Department of Cell Biology and Physiology
The Foundation Phase Outstanding Faculty Teaching Award:
William F. Pendergraft III, MD, PhD, Assistant Professor, Nephrology and Hypertension
The Best Foundation Block Award:
Endocrine Block:
Deepa Kirk, MD, Block Director
Marianne Meeker, PhD, Block Director
The Foundation Phase Coil Award:
Anatomy Coil:
Edward Kernick, DPM, Coil Director
Student Awards:
The Brett J. Pearce and Lauren K. Brown Memorial Award:
Paul McIntosh
Heusner Pupil Award:
Rob Broadhurst
Benjamin Frush
Paul McIntosh
Manuel Fanarjian
Kelly Hemmings
Caroline Newman
Billy Oslund
The Frank Lee Dameron Award:
Franklin Niblock
Michael Robinson
The James A. Bryan II Award:
Khadijah Bhatti
The William deB. MacNider Award:
Audrey Lan
Melissa Rolfsen
Lucius Blanchard Carolina Family Loyalty Fund Scholarship:
Erik Davies
Keren Eyal
Cameron Holland
Wesley Roten
Alan W. Cross Social Medicine Paper Award, Department of Social Medicine:
Tendal Kwaramba
Honorable Mention: Gabriela Reed