Teaching & Trainee Excellence Awards
Dwight C. McGoon Teaching Award
Awarded by the Thoracic Surgery Residents Association
The Dr. Dwight C. McGoon Award is an award given annually by the TSRA to an outstanding young faculty member in cardiothoracic surgery in recognition of his or her commitment to resident education and mentorship. Each year, cardiothoracic surgery residents in North America are eligible to nominate a faculty member within the first ten years of their attendingship who has demonstrated a remarkable interest in resident training — inside or outside of the operating room. From the nominated faculty, the winner will be selected and presented with the award at the STS Annual Meeting.
Dr. Natalie Lui is the second woman to receive the award in fourteen years, and Stanford is one of only two institutions to receive this award twice.
The Dr. Dwight C. McGoon Award is an award given annually by the TSRA to an outstanding young faculty member in cardiothoracic surgery in recognition of his or her commitment to resident education and mentorship. Each year, cardiothoracic surgery residents in North America are eligible to nominate a faculty member within the first ten years of their attendingship who has demonstrated a remarkable interest in resident training — inside or outside of the operating room. From the nominated faculty, the winner will be selected and presented with the award at the STS Annual Meeting.
Dr. Leah Backhus is the first woman to receive the award in fourteen years, the first African American recipient, and the first recipient from Stanford.
Phillip E. Oyer, MD, PhD, Award for Outstanding Achievement on the American Board of Thoracic Surgery In-Service Training Examination
Named in tribute to Dr. Phillip E. Oyer, MD, PhD—a pioneer and visionary in the realm of Thoracic Surgery—this award is a prestigious recognition of academic excellence within the field of Cardiothoracic Surgery. This award is presented annually to celebrate and honor the exceptional achievements of Junior and Senior Level Trainees, as well as the Overall Trainees, who achieve the highest scores on the In-Service Training Examination in their respective levels. This award serves as a testament to Dr. Oyer's dedication and contributions to the profession.
The award encompasses three distinct categories, each recognizing the academic prowess and dedication of trainees at different stages of their career:
- The Junior Level Trainee (Post-Graduate Years 1-3) Award acknowledges the remarkable accomplishments of early-career Cardiothoracic Surgery residents as a testament to their commitment to the demanding path they've embarked on.
- The Senior Level Trainee (Post-Graduate Years 4-7) Award pays tribute to the accomplishments of residents in the latter stages of their training and proven dedication and promise in the field.
- The Overall Trainee (Post-Graduate Years 1-7) Award recognizes the top-performing resident across all levels, showcasing not only exceptional knowledge but also the ability to maintain excellence throughout the course of their training.
| 2023 Perry Choi Terrence Pong Terrence Pong |
2022 Perry Choi Sumanth Kidambi AJ Pedroza |
2021 AJ Pedroza Melissa Medina Sumanth Kidambi |
| 2020 AJ Pedroza Sumanth Kidambi Peter Chiu |
2019 AJ Pedroza Peter Chiu Sumanth Kidambi |
2018 Elizabeth Colwell A.J. Pedroza Michael Paulsen |
| 2017 Sanford Zeiglier Perter Chiu |
2016 Sanford Zeiglier Perter Chiu |
2015 Michael Ma Peter Chiu |
| 2014 Michael Ma Sanford Zeigler Peter Chiu |
2013 Katherine Harrington Michael Ma |
2012 Katherine Harrington George Dimeling |
| 2011 Michael Monge Clayton Kaiser |
2010 Bo Yang Katherine Harrington |
Pat O. Daily, M.D. (January 1, 1937 – April 25th, 2008)
Memorial Award for Clinical Excellence in Cardiovascular Surgery
Dr. Pat O. Daily was born in Tulsa, Oklahoma, educated at the University of Oklahoma and the University of Chicago, Medical School, and was Dr. Norman Shumway’s Chief Resident in Cardiovascular Surgery in 1968-69. He stayed on the Stanford faculty from 1971 to 1973, when he became Director of Cardiac Surgery at UCSD. He was a gifted technical surgeon with great intellectual curiosity, who made many seminal contributions to the field: he and Norman Shumway performed the first CABG at Stanford (October 1968) and introduced percutaneous internal jugular venous catheterization, central aortic CPB cannulation, the Stanford type A and type B nomenclature system for aortic dissections, AC electrical fibrillation of the heart, the Daily cooling jacket, and successful surgical techniques and instruments for pulmonary thromboendarterectomy (PTEA). He will be remembered as a master, cardiovascular surgeon and teacher, who always had time to stimulate and develop young minds. Pat O. Daily lived life to the fullest, whether it be in the operating room, piloting his various airplanes, scuba diving, training his dogs, ham radio (W5UDF), or popularizing prevention of heart disease through nutrition. His legacy lives on in the careers of those students and residents he made better doctors and surgeons, as well as clearer thinkers.
Award Recipients:
2010 - Anthony D. Caffarelli, MD
2011 – Judi Lachenmyer, RN, MS, CNS
2012 – David Liang, MD, PhD
2014 – R. Scott Mitchell, MD
2015 – Charles C. Hill, MD
2018 – Michael R. Ma, MD