UCSF Fresno announces prestigious Kaiser teaching award at graduation

By Janet Warnert

Each year the School of Medicine at the University of California, San Francisco presents a total of four Kaiser Teaching Awards-three to faculty on main campus (one each to a member of the clinical department, basic science department, and volunteer clinical faculty), and one to a volunteer clinical faculty member in Fresno. 

These awards are extremely prestigious and important to faculty.  Winners are presented a certificate and a significant monetary reward at the School of Medicine’s commencement in San Francisco. 

The Fresno recipient is also recognized for his/her achievement at the UCSF Fresno commencement ceremony to be held on Thursday, June 5, at 6:30pm at the Copper River Country Club in Fresno, California.The Kaiser Award criterion is teaching, not service based, and includes demonstration of teaching skills, motivation of learners, and communication abilities. Faculty and medical residents select the recipient. Eligibility is restricted to those who are members of the Fresno volunteer clinical faculty. 

The Kaiser Award for 2003 will be presented to Bjorn Nilson, MD, director of pediatrics for UCSF Fresno. Nilson will receive the Kaiser Award for his tireless efforts to support medical resident education in the Valley for more than 20 years.

“Dr. Nilson is a leader in training the Valley’s future doctors,” said Joan Voris, MD, associate dean of UCSF Fresno. “Not only has he delivered state-of-the-art education by carving out innovative teaching methods, he continues to be a role model to faculty and residents alike.”

Past recipients of the Kaiser Award include: Roger Larson, MD and first-time Kaiser Award recipient (1981), Steven Parks (1993 and 2001), and Justin L. Williams, MD (2002).

UCSF Fresno Graduation Event Details
Time:  6:30pm award program
Date:  Thursday, June 5
Place:  Copper River Country Club
11500 North Friant Road
Fresno, California  
UCSF Fresno Background

UCSF Fresno Medical Education Program trains over 175 medical residents every year in seven specialty areas including: obstetrics/gynecology, psychiatry, family medicine, internal medicine, emergency medicine, pediatrics, and surgery. Each year, over 60 medical residents graduate from UCSF Fresno. UCSF Fresno has educated one in three Valley doctors in the seven specialty fields that they provide training for.

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