Convocation Ceremony Fetes Class of 2019 MD Candidates

These award-winning MD candidates also were recognized during the school’s 173rd commencement ceremony.

• Laura Kay Ackerman
• Emily Benton
  
• Joel Braverman
• Brittany Marie Cesar
• Samantha Davidson
• Caroline Anne Gorka
• Timothy Hansen
• Joseph Iluore
  
• Austin J. Iovoli
  
• Amit Jhaveri
  
• Andrew Knapp
  
• Kailyn Vera Rigby
  
• Christine R. Robertson
  
• Mattie Rose Rosi-Schumacher
• Patrick Samuel Salemme
• Ellene Sandoval
• Shannon Marie Schmit
• Jillian Paige Smith
• Alicia Supernault
• Christopher Vincent Wilhelm

• Aarti Mahesh Agarwal
• Jeffrey Paul Aldinger
• Connor Arquette
  
• Joel Braverman
• Dylan G. Constantino
• Cassandra Jordan Drees
• Mary Kate Fruenheim
• Caroline Anne Gorka
  
• Amanda Gotsch
• Shelby Hall
• Joelle Nicole Hartke
• Ryan Hess
  
• Austin J. Iovoli
  
• Eric Jorgensen
• Matthew J. Kabalan
• Andrew Knapp
• Kevin Koss
• Ryan Joseph Miller
• Denise Marie Polaski
• Christine R. Robertson
• Michael Rodman
• Andrew Sauvageau
• Jillian Paige Smith
• Sarah Sonenberg
• Corey James Wolf
• Irene Shiao-Tian Yu
• Yiyun Zhou
• Felipe Jose Zinkewich

Lieberman Award
Interest in and aptitude for the study of anesthesiology
Bryna Torre
Jason Zayac

Behling Award
Outstanding scholarly achievement
Andrew Sauvageau

Department of Emergency Medicine Scholastic Award
Outstanding academic record in emergency medicine
Caroline Ann Gorka

Society for Academic Emergency Medicine
Excellence in emergency medicine
Andrew Knapp

American Academy of Family Physicians President’s Award
Outstanding academic record and a commitment to practice family medicine
Kailyn Vera Rigby
Patrick Samuel Salemme

Charles Bauda Award
Academic excellence during third year
Adam Kroe
Evalyn Quist

The Erie County Chapter of the New York State Academy of Family Physicians Family Medicine Interest Group Leadership Award
Demonstrates leadership in family medicine
Chelsea Lynn Recor

G. Norris Miner Memorial Award
Demonstration of outstanding clinical competence in family medicine
Ryan Joseph Miller
Christine R. Robertson

Mark A. Petrino Award
Demonstrated interest and aptitude for the general practice of medicine
Danielle Dickson

The Bukowski Award
Displays characteristics of high moral integrity, loyalty, thoughtfulness and thoroughness treatment of patients
Robin Garrick Wilson

Patrick Costello Award
Achieved highest grade on the written exam for internal medicine
Andrew Knapp

David K. Miller Prize in Medicine
Competence, humility and humanity in caring for the sick
Eric Jorgensen

Stephen J. Paolini Award
Dedication and compassion in patient care
Ryan Alexander O’Connor

Emilie Davis Rodenberg Memorial Award
Unusual interest in the study of diabetes
Nicholas Ruben Kurek

American Academy of Neurology Student Prize for Excellence
Sustained interest and excellence in neurology
Neil Lawrence Sielski

Bernard H. Smith Memorial Award in Clinical Neurology
Most outstanding performance in the neurology clerkship
Matthew Kabalan

Hans J. Lowenstein Award in Obstetrics
Most outstanding clinical work
Mary Kate Frauenheim
Colleen Gardner
Tamara Kurek

Clyde L. Randall Society Award in Gynecology-Obstetrics
Diligence, integrity, scholarship and leadership
Alison Edwards

Dr. Thomas J. Guttuso Award
Academic excellence in ophthalmology
Yiyun Zhou

Harry E. and Loretta A. Jordan Award
Proficiency in ophthalmology
Max Blumberg

E. J. Weisenheimer Award
Excellence in scholarship and patient care in ophthalmology
Andrew A. Pasquale

Dr. Benjamin E. and Lila Obletz Prize
Academic achievement and interest in orthopaedic surgery
Christopher Vincent Wilhelm

Chair’s Award
Demonstrated outstanding achievement in otolaryngology
Matthew Kabalan

Association of Pathology Chairs Award
Scholarship in pathology
Remon S. Bebawee
Lauren E. Burkhard-Mandel
Amy Ku
Tiffany Lin
Andrew Sauvageau

Morris and Sadie Stein Award
Excellence in neuroscience
Andrew Sauvageau

Children’s Hospital Prize
Excellence in understanding childhood diseases
Rachel Lynn Longendyke

Richard T. Sarkin, MD Award/Buffalo Pediatric Society Award
Outstanding clinical skills and commitment to primary care pediatrics
Jillian Paige Smith

Frederick B. Wilkes Pediatric Award
Dedication to patients and the field of pediatrics
Cassandra Jordan Drees

Gilbert M. Beck Memorial Prize in Psychiatry
Academic excellence in psychiatry
Denise Marie Polaski

S. Mouchly Small, MD Award
Ability to relate well to patients, faculty and staff
Russell John Pizzo

Farney R. Wurlitzer Prize
Outstanding work in psychiatry
Paige Elizabeth Thompson

Dr. George Alker Award
Excellence in radiology
Lauren E. Burkhard-Mandel
Michael Rodman

Buffalo Surgical Society Prize in Surgery
Academic excellence in the clinical years
Irene Shiao-Tian Yu

Department of Surgery Chair’s Award
Superior clinical performance and the highest score on the surgery exam
Joel Braverman

Dr. Heinrich Leonhardt Prize in Surgery
Academic excellence and potential interest in colorectal surgery
Connor Arquette

Bacelli Award
Most outstanding research by a medical student
Amit Jhaveri

Robin M. Bannerman Memorial Research Award
Most meritorious research in biomedical science initiated in the Summer Fellowship Program
Austin Iovoli
Mark Lawlor

Harry E. and Loretta A. Jordan Award
Noteworthy investigation in cancer and neoplastic disease
Vincent Wong

Roswell Park Graduate Division Award for Excellence in Dissertation Research
Exemplifies Roswell Park’s high standards for research productivity and scientific impact
Mark J. Bucsek

Research Honors Awards
A commitment to excellence in research during medical school
Aarti Mahesh Agarwal
Connor Arquette
Randy Siu-Hong Cheung
Youjin Chung
Jillian Angelina Dolan
Shelby Hall
Joelle Nicole Hartke
Austin J. Iovoli
Amit Jhaveri
Mark Christopher Lawlor
Julie Jung Hyun Lee
Andrew Sauvageau
Bryna Torre
Robin Wilson

Dr. Avery Ellis Memorial Award
For work advancing the curriculum or implementing a new and lasting school initiative
Max Blumberg
Aarti Mahesh Agarwal

Dr. James Goldinger Curriculum Leadership Award
Leadership, enthusiasm and a dedication to teaching
Andrew Knapp

Ester Ponce Grimaldi, MD Memorial Award
Demonstrated compassion for patients in primary care
Patrick Samuel Salemme

National Medical Association Award
Excellence in scholarship, leadership and commitment to community service
Joseph Iluore

John Paroski, MD Memorial Award
Compassion and excellence in patient care
Joel Braverman

Philip P. Sang Memorial Award
Ability to relate well to patients, faculty and staff
Ryan Joseph Miller

Evan Calkins, MD, and Virginia Calkins, MD, Primary Care Achievement Award
Exceptional performance in primary care and demonstrated compassion, integrity, judgment and leadership
Jasmyn Miller

Elizabeth Award
Unusual compassion and a noteworthy personal and professional sense of integrity and ethics
Eva Rachelle Zimmerman

Bernhardt and Sophie Gottlieb Award
Expertise in areas outside medicine
Matthew Parker
Ted Nicolosi
Russell John Pizzo

Colonel and Mrs. Robert C. M. Liu Award
Demonstrated commitment to the U.S. military through family or personal service
Kenneth Stransky

Medical Alumni Association Award
Outstanding community service and commitment
Laura Kay Ackerman

Medical Alumni Association Dean’s Award
Participation in extracurricular activities in the medical school while maintaining a high standard of academic excellence
Jillian Paige Smith

Merck Academic Excellence Award
Outstanding academics coupled with noteworthy humanism and leadership
Connor Arquette
Caroline Ann Gorka
Joelle Nicole Hartke

Leonard Tow Humanism in Medicine Award
Exemplary compassion and sensitivity in the delivery of care
Patrick Samuel Salemme

James Platt White Society Award
Intellectual vigor and moral courage
Aarti Mahesh Agarwal
Andrew Knapp

Edward L. Curvish
Biochemistry — year 1
Eric Jorgensen
Andrew Sauvageau
Jason Zayac

Ernest Witebsky Award
Proficiency in microbiology — year 2
Ryan Hess
Matthew Kabalan

Gibson Atwell Jones Award
Excellence in anatomy – year 1
Max Blumberg

John B. Sheffer Award
Highest performance in pathology laboratory — year 2
Andrew Sauvageau

Kornel Terplan Award
Most outstanding performance in pathology — year 2
Ryan Joseph Miller

Anthony Postoloff Scholarship Award
Student in good academic standing interested in pathology — year 3
Tara Rose Hogan

Douglass S. Riggs/Edward A. Carr Jr. Award
Most outstanding performance in pharmacology — year 2
Andrew Knapp
Denise Marie Polaski
Andrew Sauvageau

The Donald W. Rennie Physiology Award
Physiology
Matthew Kabalan

McGraw-Hill Book Awards
Most outstanding overall performance — year 1
Jason Zayac

Medical Student Research Forum Honors
First Honors
Aarti Mahesh Agarwal (2017)
Remon S. Bebawee (2016)
Austin J. Iovoli (2017)
Third Honors
Kailyn Vera Rigby (2017)

• Aarti Mahesh Agarwal
• Jeffrey Paul Aldinger
• Connor Arquette
  
• Max Blumberg
• Joel Braverman
  
• Sarah Budik
  
• Dylan G. Constantino
• Samantha Davidson
• Cassandra Jordan Drees
• Mary Kate Frauenheim
• Caroline Anne Gorka
  
• Amanda Gotsch
• Shelby Hall
  
• Kevin Hannon
• Joelle Nicole Hartke
• Ryan Hess
  
• Austin J. Iovoli
  
• Eric Jorgensen
• Matthew Kabalan
• Benjamin Kasper
• Caleb Kitcho
• Andrew Knapp
• Kevin Koss
  
• Tamara Kurek
• Mark Christopher Lawlor
• Alexander Macfarlane
• Patrick McGoff
  
• Ryan Joseph Miller
• Kira Murphy
  
• Ryan Alexander O'Connor
• Andrew A. Pasquale
  
• Denise Marie Polaski
• Christine R. Robertson
• Michael Rodman
  
• Andrew Sauvageau
  
• Neha Navneet Sharma
• Amanda Katherine Sherman
• Jillian Paige Smith
  
• Sarah Sonenberg
  
• Kenneth Stransky
  
• Shannon Tierney
  
• Alyssa Marie Volmrich
• Corey James Wolf
  
• Irene Shiao-Tian Yu
  
• Jason Zayac
  
• Yiyun Zhou
  
• Eva Rachelle Zimmerman
• Felipe Jose Zinkewich