The purpose of the inspirational educator award is to recognize faculty who inspire their learners and motivate them to work hard and achieve more than they thought possible on their own. This prestigious award acknowledges the time and dedication faculty take to be exceptional teachers. Honorees are consistently noted for their teaching effectiveness, commitment to learning and passion for biomedical education. Long after their experience with faculty members of this caliber, learners still recall the impact that they had on their own education, and passion for medicine and/or research. These awards allow IU School of Medicine to honor and celebrate the valuable efforts of educators who motivate and inspire others.
Nominate a candidate
Nominations are due July 10th. Winners will be announced at the Fall All School Meeting.
Current Winners

Valerie D. O'Loughlin, PhD
Director of Undergraduate Medical Education at IUSM-Bloomington

Rick F. Nelson, MD, PhD
Associate Professor of Otolaryngology-Head & Neck Surgery
Award Recognition
Up to two recipients will be selected per year. One award will be for faculty who have been teaching for 10 years or longer and the other for those who have been teaching for less than 10 years. Each award recipient will be honored with a monetary award in the amount of $1,500 and highlighted on the IU School of Medicine Faculty Affair and Professional Development website.
Criteria
The awards are designed to honor educators in the IU School of Medicine community who exemplify truly extraordinary teaching. Candidates are assessed on the growth and development of learners as well as the ways in which they role model positive attributes of biomedical professionals.
The inspirational educator award will be given to faculty members who consistently:
- Provide learners opportunity for personal growth.
- Provide learners opportunity for professional growth.
- Provide learners opportunity for growth in the discipline/specialty.
- Inspire leaners to work hard and be highly engaged in their education.
- Role model professionalism.
- Role model humanism in medicine.
- Serve as an inspiration for other educators.
Eligibility for Nomination
Any full, part-time, and volunteer faculty member who has taught in the IU School of Medicine for at least three years is eligible. Past years winners of the award are not eligible. Self-nominations are not permitted. Any faculty member, administrator, or learner (student, resident, fellow, or postdoc) can submit a nomination. In most cases, a learner would nominate a faculty member. However, fellow faculty members who admire the teaching of their colleagues may drive the nomination process and solicit letters from the candidate’s learners. An award may be conferred only once to a faculty member and nominations will remain active for a three-year period. Candidates are encouraged to update their nomination materials yearly and are not required to do so.
Nomination Packet and Procedure
There will be an open call for nominations in newsletters, electronic list serves, and via the FAPD website. Nominations should be submitted via the button below.
The nomination packet must include:
- No more than a two page typed nomination letter for the candidate must be submitted and should provide a testimonial of how the nominee has inspired and shaped the careers of his/her learners. Review the criteria above as a guide.
- Two to three letters of support: at least one from a former or current learner and one from the candidate’s chair or center/division director. The letters should provide examples of how the candidate has excelled at teaching and the impact his/her teaching has had on the career development and success of learners. Further, the chair or center/division director should include a summary of the candidates teaching evaluations.
- A copy of the candidate’s CV.
Selection Committee
Nominations will be reviewed and selected by the IU School of Medicine Teaching Awards Committee members.
Timeline
Nominations are due July 10 via the online nomination form.
Award winners will be announced at the Fall All School Meeting.
Past Winners
2022 Winner (over 10 years) | Frederick J. Rescorla, MD, Professor Emeritus of Surgery |
2022 Winner (under 10 years) | Kyra D. Reed, MD, Assistant Professor of Clinical Emergency Medicine |
2021 Winner (over 10 years) |
Matthew Holley, PhD, Assistant Professor of Clinical Family Medicine |
2021 Winner (under 10 years) |
Nicole P. Scott, MD, Assistant Professor of Clinical Obstetrics & Gynecology |
2020 Winner (over 10 years) |
Joanne M. Wojcieszek, MD, Associate Professor of Clinical Neurology |
2020 Winner (under 10 years) |
Luke C. Schafer, MD, Assistant Professor of Clinical Emergency Medicine |
2019 Winner (over 10 years) |
Nasser H. Hanna, MD, Tom and Julie Wood Family Foundation Professor of Lung Cancer Clinical Research and Professor of Medicine. |
2019 Winner (under 10 years) |
Leslie A. Hoffman, MD, Assistant Professor of Anatomy, Cell Biology & Physiology |
2018 Winner (over 10 years) | Michael G. House, MD, Associate Professor of Surgery |
2018 Winner (under 10 years) | William Graham Carlos, MD, Associate Professor of Clinical Medicine |
2017 Winner | Mark F. Seifert, PhD, Professor of Anatomy & Cell Biology |
2016 Winner |
Stephen Dlouhy, PhD, Associate Research Professor, Department of Medical & Molecular Genetics |
2015 Winner |
Kevin Rodgers, MD, Emergency Medicine |
2014 Winner |
Richard B. Gunderman, MD, PhD, IUPUI Chancellor’s Professor, John A. Campbell Professor of Radiology, Professor of Radiology & Imaging Sciences, Professor of Pediatrics, Professor of Medical Education, Professor of Philosophy, School of Liberal Arts, Professor of Medical Humanities & Health Studies, School of Liberal Arts |