2022 UAFP Student & Resident Awards

Each year UAFP recognizes an outstanding graduating medical student from Rocky Vista College of Osteopathic Medicine – Southern Utah and the University of Utah School of Medicine who have matched into family medicine. At the University of Utah, the F. Marian Bishop Award was awarded to Jennifer Christiansen, who will be starting her residency with St. Mary’s Family Medicine Residency in Grand Junction, Colorado later this summer.

The Outstanding Senior Award at RVUSU was given to Matt Webb, who has matched at The Merced Family Medicine Residency Program. Both of these outstanding future family medicine physicians have shown evidence of active student leadership in family medicine activities and demonstrated evidence of superior scholastic achievement in their medical school studies, particularly in the field of family medicine.

UAFP established a Resident Leadership Award in 2021 to recognize the accomplishments of one of our third-year family medicine residents in Utah. Nominations are sent in by residency faculty, peers, and other residency staff. Those nominated needed to demonstrate promotion of family medicine, leadership skills, and serving as a role model to peers. Additional consideration was given for teaching skills, professionalism, research skills, and community service. The UAFP Member Engagement Committee voted on the final winner and chose Ben Neff, DO from the St. Mark’s Family Medicine Residency! Dr. Richard Allen, who nominated Dr. Neff states, “He has the unusual talent of not just learning the status-quo, but thinking about how the system can improve, how routine tasks can become easier, and how people who are stuck in a plateau position can learn, improve, and feel engaged. Ben has used these skills to help his fellow residents, even senior residents, to work toward higher goals, to move beyond the mark and try to make a better system, take better care of patients, and feel fulfilled as a physician in the meantime.”

We also want to recognize all of the outstanding family medicine residents who were nominated this year:

Dr. Dane Lyman (McKay-Dee Family Medicine Residency), nominated by Dr. Andrew Christensen
Dr. Lisa Weaver (University of Utah Family Medicine Residency), nominated by Dr. Jennifer Christiansen
Dr. Kaley Capitano (University of Utah Family Medicine Residency), nominated by Dr. Misha Fotoohi
Dr. Jessica Morales (University of Utah Family Medicine Residency), nominated by Dr. Katherine Fortenberry
Dr. Justin Coles (McKay-Dee Family Medicine Residency), nominated by Dr. Johnnie Cook

If these young doctors are any indication, the future of family medicine looks incredibly bright! Congratulations to all of you on your many accomplishments!