Medical Student Receives Academic Integrity Award

By Dirk Hoffman

The awards are in recognition that academic integrity is the foundational value of all teaching, learning, and research efforts, notes Kelly Ahuna, PhD, director of UB’s Office of Academic Integrity (OAI), adding that UB seeks to recognize those individuals “who help to elevate this important value at our institution.”

At the conclusion of each spring semester, in conjunction with National Honesty Day on April 30, OAI recognizes individuals or groups who have gone above and beyond their duty to promote and enhance the culture of integrity at UB during the past academic year. Winners receive a crystal pillar award.

Wilcox was nominated for the award by Samantha Bordonaro, MD, assistant dean for student and academic affairs at the Jacobs School, who worked closely with Wilcox on the school’s Professional Conduct Committee (PCC).

“Claire has been an outstanding and extremely thoughtful member of the PCC.  She is a team player who has always gone above and beyond to uphold our Code of Professional Conduct,” Bordonaro says. “We have been lucky to work with Claire and will continue to recognize and appreciate her leadership.”

Bordonaro says Wilcox played an instrumental role in the development of a medical school specific academic integrity course.

“Claire took the time to complete the original course and identify cases that could be modified or created to reflect some of the unique circumstances that medical students may encounter,” she says.

Ahuna concurs, noting that when she met with representatives of the PCC to get feedback on the academic integrity course her office was developing, she noted she was willing to customize the course for medical students, but did not have the insider knowledge needed to write relevant scenarios.

“Without missing a beat, Claire offered to write some,” Ahuna says. “With no prompting or reminding, Claire sent along five beautiful scenarios.”

Wilcox, who will be undergoing pathology residency training at the University of Pittsburgh Medical Center in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, says she is honored to receive the award.

“I feel so touched to have been nominated by Dr. Bordonaro, with whom I worked closely on the Professional Conduct Committee,” she says. “I was also pleased to have the award presented by Dr. Kelly Ahuna; we met only briefly in the process of developing an academic integrity course for the medical school, but it was a pleasure to work with her and to be recognized by her department.”

Wilcox says she felt it important to serve as a representative on the PCC “because professional conduct, academic honesty, and ethical pursuit of knowledge are integral to the training of future physicians.”

She says all students deserve to learn in an environment that promotes these values, and that environment must be maintained by students as well. 

“Placing the responsibility of investigation in the hands of peers ensures that concerns brought to the committee are considered in a productive and open-minded manner, since we are all invested in our learning community,” Wilcox says. 

“I found a very collaborative learning community when I began my education here, and acting as a PCC representative allowed me to help maintain that community for future students.”