2024 Distinguished Educator Awards

LEAPS Distinguished Educator Award for Outstanding Mentor

Allison Duffy, PharmD, BCOP (School of Pharmacy)

The Distinguished Educator Award for Outstanding Mentor recognizes one faculty member at UMB for their role in supporting, encouraging, and promoting a positive and inclusive scholarly and teaching environment and for contributing to the professional and personal development of graduate and professional students.

Dr. Duffy was chosen because she demonstrated a passion and interest for teaching, fostered active independent and guided learning among her mentees, engaged students in a positive environment that promoted creativity in the profession, and for her approachability, honesty, and her ability to “dissolve imposter syndrome in pharmacy into thin air with empathy and kindness.”  Dr. Duffy continues to mentor and collaborate with many residents, especially three past graduates who now practice with Dr. Duffy at her practice site as an oncology clinical pharmacy specialist.

She has precepted 58 students on advanced experiential learning experiences and 50 pharmacy residents on more than 70 different rotation experiences since 2010.

“Dr. Duffy has been a consistent role model in the field of oncology pharmacy practice. She facilitated opportunities to practice at the top of my license, supported my pursuit of board certification in oncology pharmacy, and provided invaluable opportunities for scholarly activities, such as co-authoring review papers and book chapters and mentoring me through first-author peer-reviewed research. Her mentorship style goes beyond the routine, emphasizing the importance of understanding the nuances of research, refining ideas, and effectively communicating findings. In addition to providing scholarly opportunities, Dr. Duffy seamlessly integrated her mentorship into the personal dimensions of my life. As a new mom navigating the challenges of balancing a demanding career in oncology pharmacy with the responsibilities of motherhood, I found in Dr. Duffy not just a professional guide but a compassionate mentor who recognized the unique challenges I was facing. She integrated her mentorship into professional and personal dimensions, offering practical advice and emotional support during pivotal moments. Dr. Duffy continues to be a role model to me for the importance of self-care, mental wellness, and prioritizing what truly matters in life.” (Former Mentee)

LEAPS Distinguished Educator Award for Excellence in Teaching

Scott Riley, PhD (School of Pharmacy, Instructor, Pharmaceutical Sciences)

The Distinguished Educator Award for Excellence in Teaching recognizes outstanding teaching done by our faculty and the sustained positive influence of their teaching on students and advisees/mentees. Great teachers go above and beyond to inspire students and instill learning skills that ultimately prepare the student for a lifetime of learning.

Dr. Scott Riley was chosen for his ability to embrace education with a focus on student engagement and facilitating meaningful student-faculty dialogue. He has been a crucial part in building our new Master of Science in Pharmaceutical Sciences into the successful program it has become today, recruiting around 50 students/yr. (up from 4/yr). He hit the ground running to fill the unique instructor and program coordinator role. He made immediate and significant improvements in the PSC MS didactic courses, and through effective communication, he helped bridge the gap between the Baltimore and Shady Grove campuses. Additionally, he enhanced student participation and engagement by encouraging questions and feedback and then addressing concerns directly with the professors.

“Dr. Riley's innovative approach to education is perhaps the most evident in his Technical Writing class, a course he designed as a requirement for first-year Ph.D. students.

Unlike traditional lectures, he integrates discussions where students engage and inquire actively, significantly enhancing their learning experience. This method has been beneficial, leading to a deeper comprehension of academic writing. Moreover, his curriculum includes reading assignments on composition style, writing behavior, and revision processes, aiming to improve our writing and critical analysis skills. The course is structured to encourage students to review and critique each other's work, further enriching our learning experience.” [Former Student]

He has since developed a second technical writing course, a pharmaceutical sciences-focused data analytics and coding course, and a summer education program for incoming students. All his courses are focused on providing content in an accessible way and assessing performance on multiple levels of learning.

LEAPS Distinguished Educator Award for Outstanding Scholarship/Publication

Nicholas Morris, MD, FAAN, FNCS (School of Medicine)

The Educational Scholarship/Publication Award aims to recognize scholarly contributions to education that have led to a publication (book, book chapter, or peer-reviewed journal article) that contributes to the literature or practice of graduate and professional education. Articles and published works may be “submitted,” “in-press,” or already published.

Dr. Morris was chosen due to his successful contribution to advancing the practice of professional education in Neurology. More specifically, he has shown innovation in developing a neuro-simulation educational program (funded by the American Board of Psychiatry and Neurology) for residents and fellows to learn how to approach emergencies in neurology. This “sim” program has been heralded as a valuable learning experience in his department and potentially serves as a basis for future education in clinical neurology. His submitted publication, “Simulation-based Assessment of Trainees’ Performance Managing Acute Ischemic Stroke,” represents an example of how clinical instructors can utilize the simulation laboratory to reveal common deficiencies in trainee’s performances, to improve patient outcomes and to establish further validity evidence for the utilization of simulation as a clinical assessment.

These results have been presented at national and regional meetings and serve as an essential basis for simulation training in the clinic. Dr. Morris recently received funding to develop virtual reality-based clinical training scenarios to mitigate some of the limitations of manikin-based simulations and continues to be an innovator in neurology education.