Vicki Hamm will be honored with the J.G. Elliott Award at UNMC’s winter commencement Friday, Dec. 20, for her decades of service to her fellow Nebraskans, notably in the areas of health care, educational opportunity and community health.
For nearly 50 years, Hamm served as the expert on graduate medical education at UNMC. She was a resource and friend to generations of house officers who made UNMC their home for residency and fellowship training.
These physicians went on to touch the lives of their fellow Nebraskans and others, enriching the state and the world beyond.
Hamm was described as “the lifeblood of graduate medical education” at UNMC. She mentored, guided and steered the careers of countless house officers. She was the go-to person for more than 560 of them at UNMC at a time, managing all internal reviews for the training programs as well as budget, orientation, International Medical Graduates sponsorship, National Resident Matching Program and Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education institutional and program reviews.
The late Robert Wigton, MD, once said that when he became assistant dean for graduate medical education in 1976, his first action was to hire Hamm. It proved to be his best decision, he later said.
Hamm is a native of Cook, Nebraska. She joined UNMC in 1975 after graduating from the Lincoln School of Commerce. She was inducted into the Alpha Omega Alpha Honor Medical Society and earned UNMC’s Gold U award, the highest honor for UNMC employees. She authored “The Graduate Medical Education Committee Handbook,” published in 2008.
The J.G. Elliott Award is given annually to an individual who has made significant contributions to medicine and health programs for the state of Nebraska. It is awarded in memory of Jack Elliott, who served on the University of Nebraska Board of Regents for 20 years until his death in 1974.
What a Rock Star! Well deserved.
Truly a life well lived! What a totally deserving award for Vicki! Congratulations!
Well deserved recognition for all of the hard work and dedication to house officers for decades! And for supporting all who have worked with house officers throughout the years! Congratulations Vicki!!
Indeed.
Vicki: Congratulations!
Vicki was an awesome colleague. It was a super pleasure to work with her.
Congratulations Vicki! You are more than deserving of this honor, truly one of the greats!
So deserving!! She was/is always a bright shining star for UNMC and the GME community. It was my honor & pleasure to work with her.
Congrats, Vicki!
Congratulations on this well-deserved recognition! Your decades of dedication to education have transformed countless lives, inspired generations of physicians and administrators, and built a legacy of learning. Thank you for proving that passion and commitment can truly change the world. This award is a celebration of the extraordinary impact you’ve made not only on future physicians but on UNMC and Nebraska as a whole! It was always a pleasure working with you.
Indeed, she’s such a star!
Congratulations!
It was amazing how she worked through the pandemic and made things work. Her extraordinary commitment had such a positive impact on several of us. Thanks for everything, Vicki.
What a great honor this is for Vicki. She was here when I was a resident and I remember all the good she did for all those in post graduate training. She was always kind and helpful, lending a hand anytime she could for anyone. Not just for GME issues, but anywhere help was needed. She was a shinning star for many of us. I’m glad both my wife and I had the chance to know her and have Vicki as a friend.
I miss seeing her around our campus. Enjoy California!
Congratulations Vicki! I am so happy you are being recognized with this award!
Congratulations to you Vicki! A very special honor for someone who is so deserving – I am very excited for you to be recognized in this way. Enjoy!
Well-deserved and a great way to honor your many years of service. Congratulations Vicki.
Congratulations Vicki! You deserve the honor. Sucess comes to those who deserve it. You really deserve this award.
Well deserved. Congrats, Vicki!
I am so pleased for you. Congratulations, you are so deserving of this award.
Congratulations, Vicki! What a well-deserved recognition of your commitment to the UNMC community!
Legendary and well-loved!! Congratulations, Vicki – you certainly earned this award and all of these accolades too!!
Wonderful recognition for the amazing contributions you have made to UNMC, Vicki! So appreciative of the work you have a done including mentoring many program administrators, program directors, and others!
Way to go, Vicki. What an honor – what a distinguished career!
Congratulations, Vicki! This is so well deserved! What a blessing you are to all who know you!
Congratulations, Vicki! Your hard work, dedication, and talent truly shine; this recognition is well-deserved!
Such an impressive career! Imagine the immense impact you have had on healthcare for the entire State. You deserve honors far beyond UNMC and Nebraska Medicine.
Congratulations! You are so deserving of this!!
Congrats Vicki! Thank you for all you have done for UNMC and Nebraska!