The Awards:

Learn about each of the Executive Dean's Distinguished Mentoring Awards below. The call-for-nominations for 2025 awards will be sent out in early summer 2025. 

Rolfe A. Becker, MD and Sylvia Becker Mentoring Award

• This award seeks to recognize outstanding mentorship of learners (medical students, residents, and/or fellows) and to support efforts for enhanced mentorship. Award recipients receive $1500 in funding to be spent on mentorship activities. 
• Up to three awards will be given out, with one award given to a faculty member from the Kansas City, Wichita, and Salina campuses respectively. 
  
  

Lifetime Achievement in Mentoring Award - "The Jayhawk"

• This award is recognizes individuals who have achieved Professor rank and have worked at the KUMC School of Medicine for over 20 years. During that time they must have demonstrated a commitment to fostering the intellectual, creative, scholarly, and professional growth of their junior faculty. 
  

Excellence in Mentoring Award

• This award acknowledges the exceptional efforts of senior faculty members who ensure junior faculty achieve their full potential in the areas of service, research, and teaching

Honorary Mentoring Award

• This award is a way to recognize outstanding mentors from outside the KUMC SOM community.

Achievement Award for Mentoring Residents

• This award provides residents (current or alumni) a way to honor faculty mentors who embodied the spirit of mentorship during their residency. This award recognizes the commitments made by faculty members and the dedication to their mentees to reach success in their chosen field or specialty.

Achievement Award for Mentoring Post-docs

• This award provides post-doctoral fellows (current or alumni) a way to honor faculty mentors who embodied the spirit of mentorship during their post-doc programs. This award recognizes the commitments made by faculty members and the dedication to their mentees to reach success in their chosen field.

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Recognition of Honorees

Honorees receive membership to the KU School of Medicine Distinguished Mentors, recognition at the Annual Faculty Retreat, $1,500 in funding (given to recipients of the Rolfe A. Becker and Sylvia Becker Mentoring Award recipients) or a $1,500 financial award (given to Lifetime Achievement, Excellence in Mentoring, Honorary Mentoring, Achievement Award for Mentoring Residents/Post-Docs recipients)