Tuesday, May 26, 2026

The Gold Foundation Humanism Honor Society held its Spring Celebration May 7. The annual event recognizes new students, trainees, and faculty members who are leaders for their compassion, empathy, and professionalism in patient care. The society is supported by the Arnold P. Gold Foundation.

Leonard Tow Humanism in Medicine Awards

The Leonard Tow Humanism in Medicine Award recognizes one student and one faculty member from each member institution across the country who are “exemplars of humanism in the care of patients and families.” Awardees become members of the national Gold Humanism Honor Society.

Faculty Awardee

Evelyn Ross-Shapiro, MD, MPH
Clinical Assistant Professor of Internal Medicine

Evelyn Ross-Shapiro is a clinical assistant professor and general internist. She earned her Doctor of Medicine from the Carver College of Medicine and her Master of Public Health from the University of Iowa College of Public Health and completed internal medicine residency training at UI Health Care. She works as a primary care provider at UI Health Care Iowa River Landing as well as a menopause consultant with the obstetrics and gynecology department at UI Health Care Iowa City, North Dodge. She is recognized by her patients for the quality of presence, which makes them feel seen, heard, and cared for as a whole person.

Student Awardee

Cameron Keomanivong

Cameron Keomanivong plans to specialize in family medicine. Throughout his medical school training, Keomanivong has been especially drawn to the complexities of the patient experience, including how culture, identity, and systemic factors affect health and health care access. This has inspired his passion for broad-spectrum family practice, with special interests in care for the underserved, behavioral health, and addiction medicine. He hopes to carry forward a practice of medicine that honors not just disease, but the person living with it. He is deeply grateful to his mentors, peers, family, partner, and patients, who have shaped his understanding of what it means to care.

Gold Humanism Honor Society inductees saying the oath.

 

Honor Society inductees  

The University of Iowa’s chapter of the Gold Humanism Honor Society recognizes the top 10% of students who embody values critical to exceptional medical practice. The selection process evaluates medical students' interpersonal skills through a peer nomination survey across four categories: caring, competence, community service, and potential as a personal physician.

Medical student inductees

  • Caitlyn Beals
  • Emma Blomberg
  • Paul Cover
  • Willow Cover
  • Amanda Dougherty
  • Logan Flom
  • Innes Hicsasmaz
  • Raghuram Inturi
  • Abeer Iqbal
  • Abby Jones
  • Fallon Jung
  • Joshua Kettelkamp
  • Spenser Larson
  • Alexandria Nigg
  • Jennifer Ong
  • Simran Sarin
  • Veena Venkatesh
  • Brian Young

Resident physician inductees

Resident physicians are nominated by the third-year class of medical students for honorary membership.

  • Hannah Jones, MD, Surgery
  • Erica Maduakolam, MD, Surgery
  • Paige Noble, MD, Ophthalmology
  • Reiker Ricks, MD, Ophthalmology
  • Carlie Sorensen, MD, Internal Medicine
  • Jonathan Trejo, MD, Ophthalmology

Faculty inductees

Faculty members are also nominated by the third-year class.

  • Lama Abdel Wahed, MD
    Clinical Assistant Professor of Neurology
    Associate Residency Program Director
    Associate Clerkship Director
  • Mark Greiner, MD
    Professor of Ophthalmology and Visual Sciences
    The Beulah and Florence Usher Chair in Cornea/External Disease and Refractive Surgery
    Fellowship and Service Director, Cornea, External Diseases and Refractive Surgery
  • Jeffrey Quinlan, MD, FAAFP
    Professor of Family and Community Medicine
    Chair & DEO, the Donald J. and Anna M. Ottilie Chair in Family and Community Medicine
  • Dionne Skeete, MD
    Clinical Professor of Surgery - Acute Care Surgery
    Director, Acute Care Surgery Division