The UT Southwestern School of Health Professions recognized nearly 60 outstanding educators, staff, and students for research excellence, academic achievement, social responsibility, professional excellence, and outstanding leadership during its 2018 award ceremonies. The faculty, students, and staff recognized with these awards have demonstrated success at the highest levels of their respective programs and have showcased the values of excellence, innovation, teamwork, and compassion needed to succeed and to lead in the evolving health care landscape, said Dr. Jon Williamson, Dean of UT Southwestern School of Health Professions and Distinguished Teaching Professor. 

“As a world-class medical center, UT Southwestern offers tremendous opportunity and education for those in the health professions thanks to our exceptional faculty – 88 percent of whom are practicing care providers – and to our outstanding staff who truly serve as the backbone of our enterprise,” Dr. Williamson said. “These distinguished individuals help prepare our next generation of health care givers in a variety of delivery settings to provide the high-quality, compassionate patient care UT Southwestern has built its reputation upon and to conduct the ongoing research and professional development needed for them to make important contributions to the future of health care. 

“In every program, we not only strive to provide students with the tools necessary to care for a rapidly evolving patient population, we also try to equip our students with the mentorship and leadership development training necessary to elevate and improve our health care delivery system.”  

In addition to the named awards, the school inducted 21 students into the Alpha Eta Honor Society, the National Scholastic Honor Society for the Allied Health Professions in association with the Association of Schools of Allied Health Professions (ASAHP). These new members represent the top 10 percent of graduates in allied health programs. 

More than 340 students are enrolled in UT Southwestern School of Health Professions, which offers six nationally accredited degree programs: a professional doctoral degree in Physical Therapy and master’s degrees in Clinical Nutrition, Physician Assistant Studies, Prosthetics-Orthotics, Rehabilitation Counseling, and Radiation Therapy. Most of these graduate programs are two years in length and effectively blend classroom instruction with patient care experience resulting in high licensure pass rates and job placement, including 100 percent employment of its most recent graduates within six months. The Master of Physician Assistant Studies Program at UT Southwestern School of Health Professions is currently ranked 15th in the nation by U.S. News & World Report. 

The School of Health Professions also provides several residencies: a Prosthetics-Orthotics residency that meet the standards of the National Commission of Orthotic and Prosthetic Education as well as residencies in Orthopedic Physical Therapy, Neurological Physical Therapy, and Sports Physical Therapy accredited by the American Physical Therapy Association and designed for licensed physical therapists who are motivated to achieve a higher level of training and expertise. 

UT Southwestern School of Health Professions is one of three degree-granting institutions at UT Southwestern Medical Center, which also includes UT Southwestern Medical School and UT Southwestern Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences. Together, the schools train nearly 3,600 medical, graduate, and health profession students, residents, and postdoctoral fellows each year. 

School of Health Professions 2018 Awards 

Outstanding Faculty Awards

• Carl (Tad) Campbell, RD, LD, Clinical Nutrition, Outstanding Faculty
• Kim Roaten, Ph.D., Clinical Rehabilitation Counseling, Outstanding Faculty
• Ed Mulligan, PT, D.P.T., OCS, SCS, ATC, Physical Therapy, Outstanding Faculty
• David Klocko, M.P.A.S., PA-C, Physician Assistant Studies, Outstanding Faculty
• Tiffany Graham, M.S.P.O., CPO, LPO, Prosthetics/Orthotics, Outstanding Faculty
• Gary Iwamoto, Ph.D., Health Care Sciences, Outstanding Faculty 

Outstanding Educator Awards

• Sara Asberry, Clinical Nutrition, Outstanding Educator
• Shannon Juengst, Ph.D., CRC, Clinical Rehabilitation Counseling, Outstanding Educator
• Heather Paup, PT, D.P.T., Physical Therapy, Outstanding Educator
• Rohit Sharma, M.D., Physician Assistant Studies, Outstanding Educator
• Jon Fergason, CPO, Prosthetics/Orthotics, Outstanding Educator
• Strahinja Stojadinovic, Ph.D., Radiation Therapy, Outstanding Educator

Rising Star Award

• Teresa Nguyen, Physical Therapy, For Exemplary Leadership

Student Awards

• Julie Chrisman, Physical Therapy, Kathlynn DeeAnn Sloan Scholarship for Academic Excellence and Social Responsibility
• Lauren Lehr, Physical Therapy, Kathlynn DeeAnn Sloan Scholarship for Academic Excellence and Social Responsibility
• Alyssa Haus, Prosthetics/Orthotics, Frank Gottschalk Award for Professional Excellence
• Kelly Millay, Prosthetics/Orthotics, Mel Stills Service Award
• Samuel Devereux, Prosthetics/Orthotics, A.J. Allen Academic Excellence Award
• Anna Marie Nguyen, Clinical Rehabilitation Counseling, Professional Promise Award
• Chung Lin Kew “Novelle,” Clinical Rehabilitation Counseling, Raul Caetano, M.D. Student Research Award
• Patricie “Patty” Burnett, Physician Assistant Studies, Raul Caetano, M.D. Student Research Award
• Natalie Polizopoulos-Wilson, Physician Assistant Studies, Gordon Green, M.D. Student Clinician Award
• Johnna Hartenstine, Clinical Nutrition, Gordon Green, M.D. Student Clinician Award
• Crystal Silva, Physician Assistant Studies, L. Ruth Guy, M.D. Student Leadership Award
• Patricia Clesca, Clinical Nutrition, L. Ruth Guy, M.D. Student Leadership Award
• Peter Trinh, Physician Assistant Studies, John Schermerhorn, M.D. Student Service Award
• Demi Guevara, Clinical Nutrition, John Schermerhorn, M.D. Student Service Award 

Staff Awards

• Pamela Scott, Prosthetics-Orthotics, Outstanding Professional Staff Award
• Ana Herrera, Office of the Dean, Outstanding Professional Staff Award
• Darlene Johnson, Physical Therapy, Outstanding Professional Staff Award

Faculty Research Awards

• Tiffany Kindratt, Ph.D., Physician Assistant Studies, Research Recognition Award
• Scott A. Smith, Ph.D., Health Care Sciences, Distinguished Research Award
• Masaki Mizuno, Ph.D., Health Care Sciences, Interdisciplinary Research Grant Award
• Hoda Yeganehjoo, Ph.D., Clinical Nutrition, Interdisciplinary Research Grant Award
• Jason Zafereo, Ph.D., Physical Therapy, Interdisciplinary Research Grant Award
• Mu Huang, Ph.D., Health Care Sciences, Interdisciplinary Research Grant Award

Alpha Eta Honor Society

• Brianna Butler, Clinical Nutrition
• Rebecca Chrasta, Clinical Nutrition
• Kathryn Welch, Clinical Nutrition
• Anna Marie Nguyen, Clinical Rehabilitation Counseling
• Patrice Burnett, Physician Assistant Studies
• Kenzie Cocke, Physician Assistant Studies
• Janet Hess, Physician Assistant Studies
• Haley Hill, Physician Assistant Studies
• Addison Marshall, Physician Assistant Studies
• Andrea Pavia-Jimenez, Physician Assistant Studies
• Anna Peterson, Physician Assistant Studies
• Samuel Devereaux, Prosthetics/Orthotics
• Kelly Suzanne Millay, Prosthetics/Orthotics
• Susana Moreno, Physical Therapy
• Kerry Hudnall, Physical Therapy
• Emily Montgomery, Physical Therapy
• Brittany Ann Uhlenbrock, Physical Therapy
• Cambria Carson, Physical Therapy
• McKenzie Davis, Physical Therapy
• Meagan McCluskey, Physical Therapy
• Amanda Lancaster, Physical Therapy