The 17th Annual UTSouthwestern Academy of Teachers (SWAT) Reception and Awards ceremony honored faculty members from all four UTSW schools for teaching excellence in 2023 as well as welcomed newly elected SWAT members.
Janine Prange-Kiel, Ph.D.
The event is sponsored by SWAT, a group of exceptional UTSW educators who strive to provide an academic and organizational environment that fosters excellence in teaching at all levels, rewards superb teachers, stimulates innovation in education, and promotes scholarship in education.
“The Excellence in Education Celebration is always a highlight in the SWAT calendar. The awards allow us to give well-deserved recognition to the outstanding educators who are dedicated to the success of our learners here at UTSouthwestern,” said Janine Prange-Kiel, Ph.D., 2023 President of SWAT and Associate Professor of Surgery.
W. P. Andrew Lee, M.D.
W. P. Andrew Lee, M.D., Executive Vice President for Academic Affairs, Provost, and Dean of UTSouthwestern Medical School, provided opening remarks and presented the awards.
Every year SWAT solicits nominations for outstanding educators from each of UTSouthwestern’s schools. 2023 marks the first year that faculty members of the Peter O’Donnell Jr. School of Public Health were among the awardees. Recognizing the need to honor educators in Graduate Medical Education (GME), SWAT also added awards for outstanding GME faculty and GME Program Directors. These awards recognize teaching excellence at the highest level, attested by peers and trainees.
The faculty members honored for outstanding teaching and their awards are as follows:
UTSouthwestern Academy of Teachers Outstanding Educator Awards 2023
Carolyn Bradley-Guidry, Dr.PH., M.P.A.S., PA-C
School of Health Professions
“I am committed to educating culturally humble health professionals who are prepared to care for a diverse patient population. My philosophy of teaching is to create a safe environment that promotes inclusive, active learning.”
Dr. Bradley-Guidry is Associate Dean for Student Affairs and Engagement for the School of Health Professions and an Associate Professor of Physician Assistant Studies. She is also a Distinguished Teaching Professor and a National Institutes of Health Minority Health and Health Disparities Scholar. Dr. Bradley-Guidry’s clinical expertise is in hypertension, and her research interest is in health professions workforce diversity and health equity.
She earned a bachelor’s degree in nursing from Texas Christian University, a bachelor’s in physician assistant studies from UTSW, a Master of Physician Assistant Studies from the University of Nebraska, and a Doctor of Public Health from the University of North Texas Health Science Center School of Public Health.
Adriane dela Cruz, M.D., Ph.D.
UTSouthwestern Medical School – Basic Science
“It was particularly meaningful to receive this recognition from SWAT, as a SWAT/OME Fellowship award several years ago was critical to building the foundation of my career in education. My passion in education is developing active and engaging ways to teach, which is my favorite way to teach because it’s so much fun.”
Dr. dela Cruz is an Assistant Professor of Psychiatry. She is highly engaged in the education of medical students and residents in her roles as an Associate Program Director in the General Psychiatry Residency Program and as a co-Director of the Medical School Brain and Behavior course. Her educational interests include teaching psychiatric neuroscience and the skills for evidence-based practice of psychiatry. She has published several curricula on these topics that have received awards from the American Association of Directors of Psychiatric Residency Training and the Association of Directors of Medical Student Education in Psychiatry. Her clinical practice focuses on the treatment of patients with drug and alcohol addictions.
Dr. dela Cruz earned her medical and graduate degrees from UT Medical Branch in Galveston. Following her residency in psychiatry, she completed advanced training in addiction psychiatry – both at UTSouthwestern. She joined the faculty after completing her training in 2016.
Kristen Bishop, M.D.
UTSouthwestern Medical School – Clinical Educator
“Many students learn best by doing. I try to give my students the best real-life situations to practice their skills and transform their book knowledge into clinical practice.”
Dr. Bishop is Associate Professor of Radiology and Director of Clinical Radiology Medical Student Education. Her research involves CT and ultrasound imaging of the abdomen and pelvis as well as projects relating to educational initiatives.
She earned her medical degree from UTSouthwestern, where she also completed residency training in diagnostic radiology and a fellowship in magnetic resonance body imaging.
Kevin Klein, M.D., FASA
UTSouthwestern Medical School – Clinical Educator
“This is the high point of my 46-year career at UTSouthwestern. My mission and philosophy are to make medical students feel welcome and create an environment where all feel care is enhanced by medical student participation.”
Dr. Klein is Professor of Anesthesiology & Pain Management and Otolaryngology – Head & Neck Surgery. His research interests include ambulatory anesthesia, COX-2 inhibitors, difficult airway management, otolaryngology, and postoperative nausea and vomiting. He is the author of numerous articles, abstracts, and book chapters, and he has given invited lectures across Texas and the United States.
Dr. Klein earned his medical degree at UTSouthwestern, where he also completed residencies in internal medicine and anesthesiology. He received subspecialty training in cardiovascular anesthesia at the Texas Heart Institute and St. Luke’s Hospital in Houston. He joined the UTSouthwestern faculty in 1986 and in 2018 won its Institutional Service Award. A former President of the Dallas County Medical Society, Dr. Klein is currently Chairman of the UTSouthwestern Student Promotions Committee and the Councilor of the UTSW Chapter of the Alpha Omega Alpha Honor Medical Society.
Ngoc L. Van Horn, M.D.
Graduate Medical Education – Faculty
“When it comes to teaching the next generation of physicians, my philosophy is to ‘teach them from your mistakes’ and ‘make them better than you.’ Through simulations, I can recreate difficult cases and prepare residents and fellows for the worst. Giving them confidence with complex and critical diagnoses will only improve the care of our patients and make better clinicians.”
Receiving one of SWAT’s newest awards for educators in Graduate Medical Education is Ngoc L. Van Horn, M.D., from Drs. Prange-Kiel (left) and Lee.
Dr. Van Horn is Assistant Professor of Pediatrics, Faculty Lead for Simulation Medicine in the Department of Pediatrics, and Director of Education for the Division of Pediatric Emergency Medicine. Her research interests include medical education, resident education, simulation education, and curriculum development.
After graduating from Texas A&M School of Medicine, she completed a pediatric residency at Texas A&M College of Medicine/Scott and White McLane Children’s Hospital in Temple, Texas, followed by a pediatric emergency medicine fellowship at St. Louis University/Cardinal Glennon Children’s Hospital in Missouri. Double-boarded in general pediatrics and pediatric emergency medicine, she joined the UTSW faculty in 2017. In 2020-21 and 2022-23, she was awarded the Pediatric Residency Faculty Teaching Award and the Pediatric Emergency Medicine Excellence in Teaching Award.
James “Brad” Cutrell, M.D.
Graduate Medical Education – Program Director
“My approach as an educator has been guided by two principles: curiosity and humility. First, I always try to be curious about finding ways to get better as a teacher and physician, never just being satisfied with ‘how we have always done it.’ Second, I always try to remain humble that I can always learn from others how to improve, whether that be other master educators, my students, or even my patients.”
Dr. Cutrell is Associate Professor of Internal Medicine and Director of the Adult Infectious Diseases Fellowship Program. He specializes in the care of COVID-19 patients, outpatient parenteral antimicrobial therapy, cardiovascular and orthopedic infections, antimicrobial stewardship, and medical education. As a COVID-19 treatment and vaccines expert, he is advancing COVID-19 research, education, and patient care and is quoted frequently in national and regional media outlets.
Dr. Cutrell is the 2024 President of SWAT. He previously served as the President of the Texas Infectious Diseases Society and chairs several national infectious diseases committees.
After earning his medical degree, Dr. Cutrell completed internal medicine residency training followed by advanced training through a fellowship in infectious diseases – all at UTSouthwestern. Certified by the American Board of Internal Medicine in infectious diseases, Dr. Cutrell joined the UTSW faculty in 2013. In 2022, he was named a Rising Star in UTSouthwestern’s Leaders in Clinical Excellence Awards.
Rana Said, M.D.
Graduate Medical Education – Program Director
“I am most proud of the successes of my trainees and their accomplishments as clinicians, educators, and researchers. My teaching philosophy is about empowering my team to contribute their unique talents while supporting them through the – at times – arduous training process. I strive to create an environment where they feel valued, respected, and encouraged to reach their full potential.”
Dr. Said is Professor of Pediatrics and Neurology and has been Director of the Pediatric Neurology Residency Program since 2004. She has special interest in the fields of pediatric epilepsy, infantile spasms, electrical status epilepticus of sleep, cortical malformations, epilepsy surgery, and the ketogenic diet, as well as medical education and the recruitment of students into the field of child neurology.
After graduating from the University of Jordan, Faculty of Medicine, in Amman, Jordan, she completed general pediatric and pediatric neurology training at Tufts University, Floating Hospital for Children in Boston, followed by an epilepsy and clinical neurophysiology fellowship at Children’s Hospital Boston, Harvard University, and then an epilepsy research fellowship.
Dr. Said is passionate about curriculum innovation, developing new programs, and expanding UTSW fellowships in child neurology.
Maralice Conacci-Sorrell, Ph.D.
UTSouthwestern Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences
“As an educator, my mission is to inspire a passion for discovery in students and postdocs, encouraging them to embark on an intellectual journey where they pose questions that are both novel and important. I believe in fostering an environment where the fear of being wrong is replaced by the excitement of understanding how nature works. My goal is to help them grow their strengths and overcome difficulties.”
Dr. Conacci-Sorrell, Ph.D., is Associate Professor of Cell Biology and in the Children’s Medical Center Research Institute at UTSouthwestern. Her lab investigates the fundamental mechanisms governing nutrient uptake and biomass production in cancer cells, aiming to unveil druggable pathways that can be targeted through pharmacologic or dietary interventions. She is deeply committed to fostering a collaborative, rigorous, and dynamic research environment, emphasizing teamwork to address fundamental biological questions.
Dr. Conacci-Sorrell earned a bachelor’s degree in biology and a master’s degree in morphology from the University of São Paulo in Brazil and her Ph.D. in molecular and cell biology from the Weizmann Institute of Science in Israel, followed by postdoctoral studies at the Fred Hutchinson Cancer Center in Seattle, Washington.
Joseph Su, Ph.D., M.P.H.
Peter O’Donnell Jr. School of Public Health
“I strongly believe that educators should not only equip students with the best tools for their career development but also stimulate their curiosity and passion for addressing health disparity issues we face in the community we live in. To accomplish this, I have always held myself to foster innovative problem-solving and critical thinking; demonstrate subject matter through up-to-date examples; apply knowledge with a purpose and passion; and be readily available to mentees for individualized counseling. My objective for teaching is to focus on the quality of education and address the impact.”
Dr. Su is Professor of Epidemiology and Associate Dean for Academic Affairs in the Peter O’Donnell Jr. School of Public Health. He is also a co-Director of the Harold C. Simmons Comprehensive Cancer Center Office of Training and Education.
A cancer epidemiologist by training, Dr. Su specializes in assessments of nutritional and environmental exposure and their interaction with genes associated with cancer development and progression. He is also experienced in minority recruitment and follow-up, optical character recognition data processing and validation, and survey study design.
After earning undergraduate degrees from Chung Yuan Christian University in Taiwan and the University of Minnesota, he received his M.P.H. in public health nutrition at the University of Minnesota and a Ph.D. in nutritional epidemiology from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill.
UTSW Distinguished Educator Awards
The Distinguished Educator Award is bestowed by SWAT in recognition of faculty educators within the Academy of Teachers who have demonstrated a career of excellence in education. This award is the highest honor given by nomination and vote of members within the Academy. Distinguished Educators have an exemplary record of leadership, mentorship, research, and devotion to promoting undergraduate and graduate medical education at UTSouthwestern.
David Greenberg, M.D.
Distinguished Biomedical Science Educator
“It has always been important to me to try and link foundational medical knowledge with real-life clinical scenarios. I have always felt that connecting key concepts with a patient story helps cement the material for students, many of whom are being introduced to microbiology and immunology for the very first time. I hope to continue to try and excite students about all the possible career paths that one can take within the world of infectious diseases.”
David Greenberg, M.D., (center) receives the Distinguished Biomedical Science Educator Award from Drs. Prange-Kiel (left) and Lee. The award is the highest honor in that category bestowed by SWAT members.
Dr. Greenberg is Professor of Internal Medicine and Microbiology, a Distinguished Teaching Professor, and a member of the Division of Infectious Diseases and Geographic Medicine. He specializes in transplant infectious diseases, antibiotic-resistant infections, and immunocompromised patients. His research focuses on the development of novel antibacterial therapeutics for multidrug-resistant bacteria. Additionally, Dr. Greenberg is the head of microbial genomics for the Division and is developing new approaches for rapidly identifying resistant bacteria. He has received significant grant support for his research, and he holds several patents related to the technology involved.
After earning a bachelor’s degree in public health from Johns Hopkins University, he completed his medical degree and an internal medicine residency at Baylor College of Medicine in Houston. He received advanced training in infectious diseases through a fellowship at the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases.
In 2014, Dr. Greenberg was awarded a UT System Regents’ Outstanding Teaching Award, and in 2020 he was inducted into the Kenneth I. Shine, M.D., Academy of Health Science Education.
William Gary Reed, M.D.
Distinguished Clinical Educator
“It is such an honor to receive this award from my colleagues. I have been blessed to work at UTSouthwestern, where we are given the opportunity to teach students and residents by actively involving them in the patient care process as team members and not just as observers.”
Dr. Reed is Professor of Internal Medicine and a member of the Division of General Internal Medicine. He also serves as Associate Dean of Quality, Safety, and Outcomes Education. Since joining the UTSouthwestern faculty in 1980, he has held a variety of leadership positions, including Chief of General Internal Medicine from 1983 to 2006. Dr. Reed’s research and clinical interests include clinical quality improvement, patient safety, and medical education.
Following receipt of a bachelor’s degree in microbiology from UT Austin, he earned his medical degree at UTSW, where he also completed internal medicine residency training. In addition, he received a master’s degree in administrative and management sciences from UT Dallas.
2023 UTSouthwestern Academy of Teachers New Members
The UTSouthwestern Academy of Teachers welcomed seven outstanding educators to its latest class of inductees: Kristen Bishop, M.D., Rachel Bonnema, M.D., M.S., E. Sherwood Brown, M.D., Ph.D., M.B.A., Stephen Kimatian, M.D., Stuart Ravnik, Ph.D., Christiana Sahl Renner, M.D., M.S., and P. Michel Statler, D.M.Sc., PA-C.
SWAT members are nominated by Deans, Center Directors, Department Chairs, and current Academy members, with membership based on sustained excellence in at least two of the following areas: teaching, instructional development and curricular design, advising and mentoring, educational administration and leadership, and educational research. Members have at least seven years of teaching experience at UTSouthwestern and actively participate in ongoing SWAT-related activities.
“We are excited to welcome the newest SWAT members. All of them are talented teachers and mentors to our students, and we are looking forward to working with them on fostering excellence in teaching,” Dr. Prange-Kiel said.
Here are more details about the 2023 class:
Kristen Bishop, M.D.
“It is such an honor to be a part of SWAT. I have been inspired and mentored by amazing SWAT members, and I hope to pave the way for the next generation of teachers.”
Dr. Bishop is Associate Professor of Radiology and Director of Clinical Radiology Medical Student Education. Her research involves CT and ultrasound imaging of the abdomen and pelvis as well as projects relating to educational initiatives.
She earned her medical degree from UTSouthwestern, where she also completed residency training in diagnostic radiology and a fellowship in magnetic resonance body imaging.
Rachel Bonnema, M.D., M.S.
“The engagement and enthusiasm of learners when connecting with patients and utilizing clinical reasoning are what fuel me as a medical educator. I like to focus on creating a safe learning environment to provide opportunity for learners to push themselves to the learning edge where new knowledge can be incorporated and new skills developed.”
Dr. Bonnema is Professor of Internal Medicine and Associate Chief of the Division of General Internal Medicine. She also is a Fellow of the American College of Physicians and Chair of the Education Committee for the Society of General Internal Medicine. Her scholarly interests include women’s health, professional identity formation, and communication skills.
After earning her medical degree at the University of South Dakota Sanford School of Medicine, Dr. Bonnema completed an internal medicine residency and then a general internal medicine fellowship with a focus in women’s health at the University of Pittsburgh Medical Center. She also has a master’s degree in medical education from the University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine. She joined the UTSouthwestern faculty in 2018.
E. Sherwood Brown, M.D., Ph.D., M.B.A.
“When teaching, I think about how outstanding teachers motivated me while realizing that these approaches will not be effective for everyone. Therefore, when developing education programs, I experiment and conduct pilot studies. I will first try an approach and obtain feedback on it and, when possible, collect outcome data. I then use this information to improve the educational approach.”
Dr. Brown is Professor of Psychiatry, the Department’s Vice Chair for Clinical Research, and Director of the Psychoneuroendocrine Research Program. Supported by grants from the National Institutes of Health and private foundations, his research targets comorbidities of mood disorders, including medical illness and substance abuse. He is Editor-in-Chief of the Journal of Dual Diagnosis, serves on several journal editorial boards, and has published more than 200 research papers, books, chapters, reviews, and editorials.
Dr. Brown received B.A. and Ph.D. degrees in chemistry from Texas Christian University and his medical degree from the University of Texas Medical School at Houston. He completed a psychiatry residency at UTSW followed by a research fellowship. He also earned an M.B.A., with a health care organization leadership concentration, at UT Dallas.
Stephen Kimatian, M.D.
“My philosophy on education is best summarized in a quote from Dr. J. Michael Bishop: ‘It is the habits of mind and standards of performance that we should aspire to teach and not the illusion of enduring facts.’”
Dr. Kimatian is Professor of Anesthesiology & Pain Management and Vice Chair of Pediatric Anesthesiology at UTSW, Anesthesiologist-in-Chief at Children’s Health, and a Senior Flight Surgeon for the 301st Medical Squadron, JRB Fort Worth. His clinical interests include pediatric anesthesia, congenital cardiac anesthesia, aerospace medicine, and hyperbaric medicine. His research centers on measuring the effectiveness of Graduate Medical Education, X-ray crystallography and molecular modeling, and protein receptor site function.
After earning a B.A. in chemistry from Princeton University and his medical degree from SUNY Buffalo, Dr. Kimatian completed an internship at Malcolm Grow USAF Medical, residency in anesthesiology at the Penn State Hershey Medical Center, and a fellowship in pediatric anesthesia at Cincinnati Children’s Medical Center. Prior to joining UTSW in 2017, he served as Vice Chair for Education at the Penn State Department of Anesthesia and Chair of the Department of Pediatric Anesthesia at the Cleveland Clinic. He is a past President of the Society for Education in Anesthesiology (SEA) and co-Director of the SEA Teaching Workshop.
Stuart Ravnik, Ph.D.
“I like my students to learn by using examples of concepts that they can relate to or make use of prior knowledge to come to their own understanding of the material. When I can make the material relevant to them, at their particular career stage, that is when I am educating them.”
Dr. Ravnik is Assistant Professor of Cell Biology and Associate Dean in the UTSW Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences. Before coming to UTSW, his research focused on the control of different aspects of the meiotic cell cycle. His current interests are in graduate education, with an emphasis on promoting research integrity in training to graduate students, postdocs, and faculty. He is also an expert communicator and trains students and postdocs in scientific communication.
He earned a bachelor’s degree in biology and a Ph.D. in structural biology, both from the University of Washington.
Christiana Sahl Renner, M.D., M.S.
“I firmly believe that by aiming high, we can improve the education we provide and the care we deliver. I seek to empower students and trainees with a strong clinical foundation, junior faculty in their journey to become master educators, and patients as self-advocates for their health. Most importantly, I hope to empower all physicians to find joy and fulfillment in their daily work.”
Dr. Renner is an Associate Professor of Internal Medicine and serves as Associate Program Director for the Internal Medicine Residency. She is passionate about innovating in education, particularly in equipping faculty with tools to excel as educators and mentors. She is also committed to understanding the role of bias in medicine, whether race, language, gender, or social situation (patients and families) or in recruitment and promotion (faculty).
After earning bachelor’s degrees in English literature and chemistry from Texas A&M University, she taught ninth grade English at an inner-city school in Houston before pursuing a master’s degree in publishing at New York University. After a career at a publishing house, she returned to Texas to attend medical school at UTSW, followed by internal medicine residency training. She joined the faculty in 2011.
Michel Statler, D.M.Sc., PA-C
“Throughout my career as an educator, I live for the ‘lightbulb’ moments when you can see concepts click, whether delivering a lecture, facilitating a small group, or conducting impromptu review sessions in my office. I encourage students to answer the ‘why’ question, such that they don’t stop with the basic recall of information but are able to dig deeper into understanding and applying what they are learning.”
Dr. Statler is Adjunct Associate Professor of Physician Assistant Studies. Her research interests include assessment methodologies, curriculum development, and professional practice issues.
After earning a B.S. from the Surgeon Assistant Program at the University of Alabama in Birmingham, she worked as a surgical physician assistant for 14 years in cardiac surgery, ENT, and neurosurgery before becoming a physician assistant (PA) educator. While serving on the UTSW faculty, she earned a Master of Liberal Arts in psychology from Southern Methodist University.
Dr. Statler later served as the first PA educator on staff for the Physician Assistant Education Association (PAEA) before returning to the UTSW faculty in 2019. She served as President of the PAEA Board of Directors in 2021. She earned her doctoral degree in medical sciences with a focus on PA education from the University of Lynchburg in 2023.
SWAT/OME Fellows
Sponsored by SWAT in partnership with the Office of Medical Education (OME), the annual SWAT/OME Fellowship supports a year of faculty development in medical education, which may include activities such as attendance at an education conference and support development of new campus educational projects in the realm of undergraduate medical education. Educational proposals from the School of Health Professions, School of Public Health, and Graduate School are also considered.
2023 awardees and their projects include:
Reuben Arasaratnam, M.D., M.P.H., Associate Professor of Internal Medicine, “A Qualitative Analysis to Explore Faculty Development Needs of Physician-Educators at a Large Veterans Affairs Facility”
Ryan Dumas, M.D., Associate Professor of Surgery, “Development of a MATCH Masters Mentoring Curriculum Across Five Specialties”
Hina Mehta, M.D., Assistant Professor of Internal Medicine, “Integrating Customized Podcasts into Undergraduate Medical Education”
2023 SWAT Small Grant Awards
Paige Della-Penna, M.D., internal medicine resident, “Implementation of Point of Care Ultrasound Within the Internal Medicine Residency Program”
Alana Carrasco, M.D., surgery resident: “Match Masters: From Medical Study to Applicant, a Cross-Specialty Mentorship Program for Residency Applicants”
Namirah Jamshed, M.D., Associate Professor of Internal Medicine and Family and Community Medicine: “A Curriculum to Teach Medical Students Principles of Geriatrics During Their Ambulatory Care Rotation”
