May 11, 2015
PRESS RELEASE
Indiana University School of Medicine - Lafayette
on the campus of Purdue University
715 Clinic Drive
West Lafayette, IN 47907
Media Contact
Jayne Rayman
[email protected]
765-496-1190
Indiana University School of Medicine-Lafayette
Students and Director Receive Prestigious Awards from
Graduation Weekend
Five former IU School of Medicine–Lafayette students and the new
leader of the regional campus were honored at the annual Senior
Banquet on Friday, May 8 at the 42nd annual awards banquet at the
Indiana Roof Ballroom in Indianapolis. The interim director of the
Indiana University School of Medicine–Lafayette, Regina A. Kreisle,
M.D., Ph.D., received a Basic Science Faculty Award for the eighth
time. Dr. Kreisle has been a Purdue University faculty member since
1989 and began as interim director at the IU School of MedicineLafayette January 1.
On Saturday, May 9, 22 of the 307 Doctor of Medicine degrees
presented at commencement were granted to students who received
Abigail Mills, MD is pictured here all or part of their medical school training in Greater Lafayette. The
after receiving her diploma. former Lafayette students recognized and the awards they received:
Photo courtesy of Tim Yates, IU Manickavelu Balasubramanian, M.D. who will do his residency
School of Medicine Visual Media. in cardiothoracic surgery at the University of Iowa, was the recipient
of the Indiana Chapter of the American College of Surgeons
Award. This award recognition is given to honor Professor J. Donald Hubbard, M.D., who was
a long-time teacher and mentor of medical students and recipient of the Golden Apple Award. It
is given to reward scholastic ability as measured by the Pathology Statewide Final Examination.
Dr. Balasubramanian also received the Dr. and Mrs. John N. Pittman Surgery Award. John
N. Pittman, M.D. (1933-2014) was a pioneer in open heart surgery and on the team that
performed the first open heart procedure in 1965 at Methodist Hospital. Dr. Pittman, a
distinguished alumnus and strong supporter of the IU School of Medicine, provided this legacy
to recognize annually five outstanding IU graduating medical students for their academic
accomplishments.
Elizabeth Paige Darnell, M.D. who will do her residency in Pediatrics at the University of
North Carolina, received the John E. Heubi Award in Ambulatory Pediatrics (Neurology). It
is given in memory of John E. Heubi, M.D., a distinguished teacher of pediatrics, to a member of
the graduating class who demonstrated the most outstanding performance on the ambulatory
pediatrics clerkship, as well as excellence in other medical studies, and who plans to become a
practitioner of general pediatrics.
Christopher J. Lehman, M. D. who will do his residency in medicine/pediatrics and Indiana
University, received the J. Donald Hubbard Award (Pathology). This award is given to honor
Professor J. Donald Hubbard, M.D., who was a long-time teacher and mentor of medical
students and recipient of the Golden Apple Award. It is given to reward scholastic ability as
measured by the Pathology Statewide Final Examination.
Abigail Elizabeth Mills, M. D. who will do her residency in radiology at Washington
University, received the Student Excellence in Radiology Award. The faculty of the
Department of Radiology and Imaging Sciences present this award to the graduating medical
student pursuing a career in radiology who has demonstrated the highest academic performance
in radiology course work and shows great promise in contribution to the field of radiology in the
future.
Richa Sharma, M.D. will do her residency in pediatrics at Indiana University. She is the
recipient of the Tina Kwan Award (Pediatrics), which honors Dr. Kwan who was a member
of the Indiana University School of Medicine Class of 1969. Dr. Kwan’s life had been shaped
by the forces of war, national and world events and through the strength of her family and
values. Dr. Kwan overcame many obstacles in her youth to eventually come to the United
States. She went on to care of many underserved Chinese-speaking patients during her career in
San Francisco. Her gratitude toward Indiana University for the opportunity to pursue her
medical career has led to this award, presented to a female student in the graduating class
pursuing a career in pediatrics.
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