Richard Sarkin Medical Emeritus Faculty Chapter of the Gold Humanism Honor Society

Each year, the University at Buffalo welcomes new members into its Richard Sarkin Medical Emeritus Faculty Chapter of the Gold Humanism Honor Society (GHHS).

GHHS is a national honor society that recognizes individuals for excellence in clinical care, leadership, compassion and dedication to service. 

Worldwide, more than 35,000 medical students, physicians and other leaders have been inducted into the GHHS. Once a member is inducted into GHHS, they are a member for life.

The GHHS was created by the Arnold P. Gold Foundation, a not-for-profit organization that champions humanism in health care.

Our chapter is one of only a handful with a recognized graduate medical education section affiliate; in 2012, UB was one of just 10 institutions nationwide chosen by the Arnold P. Gold Foundation to create a pilot chapter of the GHHS for medical residents and fellows.

Medical students, residents, fellows and faculty are eligible to be inducted into our chapter.

Nominees should demonstrate excellence in humanistic clinical care and serve as role models of the human connection in health care. They must be committed to compassionate service and should show dedication to patients and their families.

Students, residents and fellows are peer nominated. Faculty nominations come from GHHS members.

To solicit nominations each year, the chapter sends an invitation to potential nominators.

We hold an annual induction ceremony to celebrate the new honorees.

The parent organization sponsors small grants that members can apply for to develop a creative project that infuses humanism into undergraduate and graduate training programs and/or hospitals.

Our chapter is named in memory of Richard T. Sarkin, MD, a former associate professor of clinical pediatrics. Sarkin, who became a faculty member in 1981, coordinated the school’s Teaching Effectiveness Program. He was an internationally renowned expert on improving faculty members’ and residents’ teaching skills and was passionate about improving methods for physicians to communicate with patients and families.