Diversity Visionary Leadership Award

Congratulations to Falen Demsas, the 2022 winner of the Diversity Visionary Leadership Award!

Award Description:

The Diversity Visionary Leadership Award recognizes a medical student who has a distinguished track record through their outstanding commitment to making medicine more representative of and accessible to the diverse population it serves. This award honors an individual whose forward-looking actions and ideas help transform the health of our country.

Their ongoing commitment to improving the health of the underserved reflects the vision and values of the Geisel School of Medicine, which for over 200 years has played a vital role in educating medical students, strengthening the very fabric of medicine. This award is presented annually at the Geisel School of Medicine awards ceremony.

There are many ways of promoting and advancing diversity. The following is a list of examples of possible criteria for assessing the efforts of nominees:

  • Promoting mutual respect and understanding for the diversity within our institution and community.
  • Working proactively to reduce obstacles that prevent greater numbers of women and underrepresented ethnic groups from entering the field of medicine in the U.S.
  • Teaching culturally competent care in a clinical and/or institutional setting.
  • Acting as a role model to colleagues and leading by example in promoting diversity.
  • Developing collaborative relationships with clinics that provide care for underserved U.S. populations.
  • Recruiting and encouraging diverse pre-med students to pursue a career in medicine.
  • Providing leadership for eliminating disparities in health care and/or promoting culturally competent care.
  • Championing diversity-related policy, activities, and issues in health care.
  • Making a lasting impact on the profession of medicine's diversity and/or patient care.
  • Writing materials that relate to culturally competent care and/or health care disparities.

Eligibility:

  • A graduating medical student from the Geisel School of Medicine.
  • Candidate agrees to release their image and an approved biography of their diversity activities for publicity purposes.

Nominations:

The nominating committee is comprised of folks who know the character and the diversity-related work of our medical students will select a graduating student whose commitment and efforts in promoting diversity are exemplary.

Past Winners:

2022 - Falen Demsas

2021 – Chad Lewis

2020 – TlalliAztlan Moya-Smith

2019 – Aaron Briggs

2018 – Caledonia K. Buckheit

2017 – Liam Guerin

2016 – Jesus Iniguez

2015 – Mildred Lopez-Pineiros

2014 – Stephanie Rolin

2013 – Chiquita Palha De Sousa

2012 – Mougnyan Cox