Established in 1968, the Medical Alumni Association Distinguished Awards were created to recognize those who make important contributions to the establishment and growth of the four-year medical school and to the world of medicine. The awards are designed to honor alumni and friends whose distinguished careers and unselfish contributions to society have added luster and prestige to the University and its School of Medicine. A committee appointed by the Dean of the School of Medicine selects the recipients from nominations solicited from alumni and medical school faculty.
Nomination Form Award Descriptions
Honorary Alumnus
Blake S. Wilson, BSE’74, DSc, DEng, DMed (honoris causa), PhD’15
Director of the Duke Hearing Center
Adjunct Professor in the Department of Head and Neck Surgery & Communication Sciences, Duke University School of Medicine
Adjunct Professor in the Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering
Consulting Professor in the Department of Biomedical Engineering, Pratt School of Engineering at Duke University
Distinguished Alumna
Laura E. Schanberg, MD’84, HS’84-’91
Professor of Pediatrics, Duke University School of Medicine
Distinguished Alumnus
David H. Adams, BS'79, MD'83
Marie-Josée and Henry R. Kravis Professor and chair, Department of Cardiovascular Surgery, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai; cardiac surgeon-in-chief, Mount Sinai Health System
Distinguished Faculty
Michael B. Kastan, MD, PhD
William and Jane Shingleton Distinguished Professor of Pharmacology and Cancer Biology and Professor of Pediatrics, Duke University School of Medicine; Executive Director, Duke Cancer Institute
Distinguished Service
Diana B. McNeill, AB’78, MD’82, HS’87-’88
Professor of Medicine, Duke University School of Medicine
Emerging Leader
Kanecia O. Zimmerman, MD’07, HS’07-’15, MPH
Associate Professor of Pediatrics with Tenure, Duke University School of Medicine
Distinguished Alumna
Amy P. Abernethy, MD'94, HS'94-'01, PhD
President, Clinical Studies Platforms
Alphabet’s Verily
Distinguished Faculty
Neil R. MacIntyre, MD
Professor of Medicine
Distinguished Faculty
Priya S. Kishnani, MD, HS'91-'95
Chen Family Distinguished Professor of Pediatrics
Distinguished Alumnus
Philip W. Gold, AB’66, MD’70
Chief, Clinical Neuroendocrinology Branch, Intramural Research Program, National Institute of Mental Health
Distinguished Faculty
L. Ebony Boulware, MD'95, MPH
Nanaline Duke Distinguished Professor of Medicine, Duke University School of Medicine
Chief, Division of General Internal Medicine
Director, Duke Clinical and Translational Science Institute
Vice Dean for Translational Science
Associate Vice Chancellor for Translational Research, Duke University
Distinguished Service
Debara L. Tucci, MD, MBA’13
Adjunct professor, Department of Head and Neck Surgery & Communication Sciences, Duke University Medical Center
Director, National Institute on Deafness and Other Communication Disorders, National Institutes of Health
Humanitarian
Lisa M. Amaya-Jackson, MD, MPH
Professor of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Duke University School of Medicine
Co-Director, National Center for Child Traumatic Stress
Director Emeritus, Duke Evidence-Based Practice Implementation Center
Associate Director, Center for Child & Family Health
Co-Director, North Carolina Child Treatment Program
Emerging Leader
Lejla Vajzovic, MD, HS’11-’13
Associate Professor of Ophthalmology, Duke University School of Medicine