Two BWHers Honored with Thomson Awards

BWH in March recognized two outstanding clinicians with prestigious awards bestowed in honor of the late Dennis Thomson, vice president of Public Affairs from 1991 to 1998, whose legacy is one of compassion and leadership.

Christian Arbelaez, MD, MPH, of Emergency Medicine, was recognized with the 2007 Dennis Thomson Leadership Award; and surgical oncologist Roger Christian, MD, FACS, clinical director of the Comprehensive Breast Health Center, received the first Thomson Long-Term Achievement Award.

While the award to Christian is the first ever long-term award handed down by the Thomson committee, Arbelaez joins a prestigious list of leadership award recipients which includes: Janet Razulis; Nawal Nour, MD, MPH; Dot Goulart, MS, RN; Paula McNichols; Mary Lou Moore, MSN, RN, CCRN; Nancy Hickey, MS, RN; and Maria Damiano.

“Dr. Arbelaez has exhibited unique and powerful leadership skills and an outstanding commitment to professional development, both in himself and others,” said Ron Walls, MD, chair of the Department of Emergency Medicine.

Arbelaez is one of Emergency Medicine’s top teachers and recently was appointed assistant program director for the Brigham and Women’s Hospital and Massachusetts General Hospital Harvard Affiliated Emergency Medicine Residency Training Program. Arbelaez also mentors minority medical students through his post as associate director of the Office for Minority Career Development at BWH.

Christian, too, is well known for educating and training physicians as they begin their careers, and especially well regarded for instilling a commitment to compassion in his charges.

“Roger taught me to approach every patient with dignity and compassion,” said Nawal Nour, MD, MPH, director of the African Women’s Health Center and Obstetric Resident Practice, a former Thomson Leadership winner herself, who shadowed Christian during a General Surgery rotation as a third year medical student.

Christian, who began at BWH as a General Surgery resident at the Peter Bent Brigham Hospital in 1966, has demonstrated this kind of dedication for 40 years at BWH.

“In 40 years of dedicated service to the hospital, Roger has embodied the values of character, commitment, competency and care for others,” Surgeon-in-Chief Michael Zinner, MD, said.

In addition to the Leadership and Long-Term Achievement awards, six compassionate care scholarships were presented. With these funds, recipients will pursue projects including educating nurses on compassionate palliative care, enhancing the safety of patients with delirium and enhancing compassionate care through diversity.

“I’m proud to say that the pathway of care is better today than it has been at any time in our history, thanks in part to the clinicians we have honored and honor today with our prestigious Thomson awards and scholarships,” Gottlieb said.

2007 Thomson Compassionate Care Scholarship Recipients and Projects

Caprice C. Greenberg, MD, MPH

BWH Breast Center Preoperative Education Volunteer Program

Kathleen Gallivan, PhD

Chaplaincy Seminars

Lisa Preston, RN, and Eileen Mann, RN

Educating Nursing Staff on Compassionate/Palliative Practices

Joyce T. Browning, RN, and the Diversity Nursing Team

Enhancing Compassionate Care through Diversity at BWH

Mary Antonelli, MPH, RN, and Team

Enhancing the Safety of Patients Experiencing Delirium

Beth McManus, PhD, MPH, PT, and Members of the Fragile Feeding Group

Feeding: Recognizing the Unique Experience for Each Premature Infant