Internal Medicine honors researchers

Be mindful of opportunities, work very hard and have a really good team.

Those were three pieces of advice given by Susan Swindells, M.B.B.S., on June 24 when she received the Career Research Award at the Internal Medicine Research Awards grand rounds ceremony.

In a speech that covered her life and career, Dr. Swindells spoke about her childhood and early education, including her decision to pursue a career in medicine; the discovery of AIDS; early treatment and barriers, including fearful health care providers; the rise of AIDS activism; and current treatments and her current research.

Dr. Swindells said she was honored by the award.

“I don’t love to be in the spotlight quite so much, but it is nice to have the recognition of my peers,” she said. “I’m thrilled to have this award.”

Dr. Swindells made it a point to recognize her team from the podium.

“This award reflects well on the program and the team, and they’re all very excited about it,” she said, adding, “I could not do it without them. It’s a big team effort.”

In nominating Dr. Swindells for the award, Mark Rupp, M.D., chief of the division of infectious diseases, called her “a skilled and compassionate clinician, an inspirational teacher, a very capable administrator and a productive researcher.

“She deeply cares for those under her care in all her roles — as a clinician, researcher or educator — regardless of a person’s social condition or class.”

“The research grand rounds awards are important to the department,” said Debra Romberger, M.D., Henry J. Lehnhoff Professor and chair, UNMC Department of Internal Medicine. “It’s the one time in the year that we really pause and say, ‘Look at the research we’re doing.’

“It was really exciting to hear Dr. Swindells talk about her career as a story,” she said. “One of the reasons I like that so much is that we have a lot of students in the summer, and they’re here at grand rounds. There’s no better way for students to figure out that research could be part of their futures than to hear someone talk about the story of their adventures.”

The award winners Friday included:

Career Research Award:
Dr. Swindells

Clinical Research Award:
Diana Florescu, M.D.

Fellowship Research Award:
Kunut Kijsirichareanchai, M.D.

Resident Research Award:
Javen Wunschel, D.O.

Daughton Research Award:
Arthur Heires

Medical Student Research Award:
Daniel Penrice