Gold Humanism Honor Society inducts new class

Members of the Gold Humanism Honor Society at Saturday's ceremony, with College of Medicine Dean Brad Britigan, M.D. (bottom left) and guest speaker, Dr. Richard Levin, president and CEO of the Arnold P. Gold Foundation (bottom right).

UNMC inducted its second class of Gold Humanism Honor Society members Saturday as 19 third-year medical students, six residents and four members of the faculty were recognized.

The Gold Humanism Honor Society (GHHS) was established in 2002 by the Arnold P. Gold Foundation, which was established by Drs. Arnold and Sandra Gold at Columbia University. The national organization has more than 26,000 members in training and practice.

Since 1988, the Gold Foundation has partnered with medical schools and teaching hospitals to infuse humanism into medical training. The honor society is one more way the foundation is working to achieve this goal. According to the organization’s website, “The power of the society lies in bringing together like-minded individuals to sustain their own humanism and to inspire and nurture humanism in others.”

Medical school chapters may induct up to:

  • 10 to 15 percent of the third-year medical student class;
  • Up to four faculty members selected by students in their core clinical year; and
  • Six residents selected by students in their core clinical year.

Inductees are selected through a vetted peer- and faculty-nomination process, said Charity Evans, M.D., assistant professor of surgery and co-advisor for the honor society.

Richard Levin, M.D., president and CEO of the Arnold P. Gold Foundation, the organization which oversees the 138 GHHS medical student chapters across the US and Canada, spoke at this year’s event.

The GHHS website states that “membership goes beyond selection and induction into an honor society, as GHHS members have a responsibility to model, support and advocate from compassionate, patient-centered care throughout their careers.”

Charity Evans, M.D., GHHS chapter faculty co-advisor, said that this year’s inductees were selected to do just that.

“Our inaugural year of the GHHS Chapter was phenomenal, thanks to the support of GHHS faculty supporters, and the medical student, resident and faculty inductees,” she said. “The group created and participated in activities which reached UNMC patients, health care providers and medical students of all years. We look forward to working with this year’s inductees to again play a role in inspiring and nurturing humanism in others.”

This year’s inductees include:

Third-year medical students:

  • Cody Bonk
  • Alissa Burchell
  • Allie Burt
  • Cade Craig
  • Emily Crowley
  • Alexis Erbst
  • Hannah Kinberg
  • Nora Kovar
  • Monica Krause
  • Andrew McKernan
  • Gaby Mock
  • Danny Mulhall
  • Kent Niss
  • Michelle Polich
  • James Reinecke
  • Kemper Schumacher
  • Peter Woolman
  • Mary Wulff
  • Emily Zurbuchen

Residents:

  • Matt Day, M.D.
  • Ben Grams, M.D.
  • Aleisha Nabower, M.D.
  • Chelsea Navarette, M.D.
  • Mary Nybakken, M.D.
  • Shana Peper, M.D.

Faculty:

  • Paul Larsen, M.D.
  • Dave O’Dell, M.D.
  • Adam Reinhardt, M.D.
  • Sarah Richards, M.D.
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