Nominations and Award Criteria
Nominations for the UVA Medical Alumni Association’s 2025 Awards will be accepted May 1 – July 31 through our online nomination form. Anyone can submit a nomination for a candidate who meets the award criteria, and self-nominations are also accepted.
Award Criteria
- Walter Reed Distinguished Achievement Award
- Distinguished Achievement Award in Biomedical Sciences
- MD Early Achievement Award
- Early Achievement Award in Biomedical Sciences
- 1819 Alumni Society Award
- Humanitarian Award
Award Selection and Presentation
Nominations are reviewed and recipients are chosen by a volunteer committee with diverse areas of expertise. The UVA Medical Alumni Association will announce the award winners in September 2025, and award presentations will be made during 2026 Medical School Reunion Weekend in April.
Read answers to our most frequently asked questions about the nomination process
Award History
Awards from the UVA Medical Alumni Association have honored distinguished alumni, housestaff, and faculty associated with the University of Virginia School of Medicine.
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Walter Reed Distinguished Achievement Award
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Distinguished Achievement Award in Biomedical Sciences
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MD Early Achievement Award
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Early Achievement Award in Biomedical Sciences
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Humanitarian Award
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Outstanding Medical Alumnus Award
The Walter Reed Distinguished Achievement Award recognizes professional accomplishments, outstanding innovation, and exemplary leadership in the field of medicine.
Previous winners:
2024 | Matthew A. Howard, III, MD ’85 |
2023 | Michael Nelson, MD ‘89, PhD ‘93 |
2022 | James E. (Jef) Ferguson, MD, MBA |
2021 | Lee M. Ellis, MD ’83 |
2020 | Leonard S. Schleifer, MD ’77, PhD ’80 |
2019 | William A. Petri, Jr., PhD ’80, MD ’82 |
2018 | Richard G. Azizkhan, MD, Res ’83 and Joachim Tenuta, MD ’87 (co-recipients) |
2017 | Robert S. Brown, Sr., MD ’67 and Sherita Hill Golden, MD ’94 (co-recipients) |
2016 | Charles W. Cummings, MD ’61 and Peter. H. Wiernik, MD ’65 (co-recipients) |
2015 | Ralph G. Dacey, Jr., MD ’74 |
2014 | John W. Sperling, MD ’94 |
2013 | Charles W. Gross, MD ’61 |
2012 | Kenneth E. Greer, MD ’67, Res ’74 |
2011 | Martha A. Carpenter, MD ’59 |
2010 | Delos M. (Toby) Cosgrove, MD ’66 |
2009 | Ferid Murad, MD, PhD |
2008 | Daniel N. Mohler, MD ’53 |
2007 | Vivian W. Pinn, MD ’67 |
2006 | George A. Beller, MD ’66 |
2005 | E. Darracott Vaughan, Jr., MD ’65, Res ’71 |
2004 | Sharon L. Hostler, MD, Res ’67, Fel ’70 |
2003 | Benjamin C. Sturgill, MD ’60, Res ’64 |
2002 | Charles E. Horton, MD ’47 |
2001 | Peyton E. Weary, MD ’55, Res ’61 |
2000 | Charles M. Caravati, Jr., MD ’63, Res ’69 |
1999 | Munsey S. Wheby, MD ’55, Fel ’59 |
1998 | John A. Owen, Jr., MD ’48, Res ’51 |
1997 | William H. Muller, Jr., MD |
1996 | Robert M. Carey, MD, Res ’65 |
The Distinguished Achievement Award in Biomedical Sciences recognizes exceptional research and professional accomplishments, outstanding discovery and innovation, and exemplary leadership in the basic sciences by a PhD alumnus/a, or a former postdoctoral fellow of the University of Virginia School of Medicine. The award was established in 2020 by the UVA Medical Alumni Association and Medical School Foundation.
Previous winners:
2024 | William Wimley, PhD ’90 |
2023 | Catherine Christian-Hinman, PhD ’08 |
2022 | Stephen Waggoner, PhD ’07 |
2021 | Carrie Cowardin, PhD ’16 |
2020 | Charles H. Evans, Jr., MD ’66, PhD ’69, Res ’71 |
The MD Early Achievement Award recognizes alumni who have brought honor and distinction to the UVA School of Medicine by demonstrating outstanding leadership in—and making significant contributions to—the field of medicine early in their careers through teaching, research, clinical care, public or professional service, or civic duties. Established in 2018, the first award was presented in November 2018.
Previous winners:
2024 | Richard Ma, MD ’05, Res ’11 |
2023 | Kristen T. Leeman, MD ’06 |
2022 | Jennifer Kawwass, MD ’07 |
2021 | Kyle B. Enfield, MD, Res ’06, Fel ’10 |
2020 | James A. Platts-Mills, MD ’09, Fel ’15 |
2019 | Xinning (Tiger) Li, MD ’05 |
2018 | Scott Beach, MD ’06, Res ’10 (Medical) |
2018 | Joel Baumgart, PhD ’08 (Scientific) |
*Note: This award was previously known as the Early Achievement Award. There are now separate early achievement awards for MD and PhD alumni.
The Early Achievement Award in Biomedical Sciences recognizes alumni who have brought honor and distinction to the UVA School of Medicine by demonstrating outstanding leadership in—and making significant contributions to—the field of medicine early in their careers through research, discovery and innovation. This new award recognized its first winner in 2022.
Previous winners:
2024 | John Lukens, PhD ‘08 |
2023 | Kristian M. Hargadon, PhD ‘07 |
2022 | Nima Mosammaparast, MD ’06, PhD ’05 |
The Humanitarian Award honors alumni who have provided extraordinary service to society or humanity. The award recognizes individuals who have dedicated themselves to the compassionate care of the underserved and underprivileged. This new award recognized its first winner in 2022.
Previous winners:
2024 | Richard C. Brown, MD ’63 |
2023 | Joseph F, Smiddy, MD ’67 |
2022 | Richard MacKay, MD ’73 |
The Outstanding Medical Alumnus Award recognizes outstanding contributions to the noble profession of medicine and exceptional service and dedication to the University of Virginia Medical Alumni Association and Medical School Foundation. This recipient is selected each year by the staff of the UVA Medical Alumni Association and Medical School Foundation.
Previous winners:
2024 | Anastasia Williams, MD ’98 |
2023 | Nora Kern, MD ’08 |
2022 | Patrick J. McManus, MD ’85 |
2021 | Joel Bruce, MD ’87 |
2020 | Wendy Davis, MD ’81 |
2019 | Frederick L. Greene, MD ’70 |
2018 | Bonnie F. Offit, MD ’87 |
2017 | E. Thomas Newbill, MD ’79 |
2016 | Elizabeth A. Carr, MD ’88 |
2015 | Charles H. Henderson, III, MD ’65 |
2014 | Christopher D. Casscells, MD ’81 |
2013 | Dearing Johns, MD ’77 |
2012 | Mary F. Witt, MD ’78 |
2011 | Randolph J. Canterbury, II, MD, Res ’84 |
2010 | George A. Hurt, MD ’64 |
2009 | Charles W. Gross, MD ’61 |
2008 | Byrd S. Leavell, Jr., MD ’77 |
2007 | William P. Kanto, Jr., MD ’66 |
2006 | Sam D. Graham, Jr., MD ’75 |
2005 | Harvey Smallwood, MD ’49 |
2003 | B.R. Ashby, MD ’65 |
2001 | Bernard A. Heckman, MD ’62 |
2000 | Robert L.A. Keeley, MD ’44 |
1999 | White McK. Wallenborn, MD ’55 |
1998 | Kenneth E. Greer, MD ’67, Res ’74 |
1997 | J. Edwin Wood III, MD ’49 |
1996 | Sam D. Graham, Sr., MD ’46 |
1995 | Frederick H. Lovejoy, Jr., MD ’63 |
1994 | DuPont Guerry III, MD ’38 |
1993 | Charles W. Miller, MD ’69 |
1992 | Herbert A. Claiborne, Jr., MD ’47 |
1991 | Charles H. Upton, MD ’44 |
1990 | Armistead Page Booker, MD ’43 |
1989 | Weir M. Tucker, MD ’42 |
1988 | Mack I. Shanholtz, MD ’34 |
1987 | Carson L. Fifer, MD ’28 |
1986 | James Earle Wheeler, MD ’26 |
1985 | Edwin L. Kendig, MD ’36 |
1984 | Edgar N. Weaver, Sr., MD ’43 |
1983 | Glenn B. Updike, Jr., MD ’50 |
1982 | Calvin T. Burton, MD ’28 |
1981 | Daniel D. Talley III, MD ’44 |
1980 | Hill Carter, MD ’30 |
1979 | Carlton J. Casey, MD ’39 |
1978 | James C. Respess, MD ’50 |
1977 | Mac Roy Gasque, MD ’44 |
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