Department of Medicine Faculty Mentoring Awards

The Department of Medicine celebrates faculty for their outstanding contributions to the mentorship of junior faculty and leaders in academic medicine with the annual faculty mentoring awards.  These awards recognize faculty mentors in each of the three domains of the Department’s mission, namely clinical care, research, and medical education.  The awards are specifically focused on mentors who have made contributions in mentoring junior faculty, rather than residents/fellows, students, or post-doctoral scholars:

Awards Overview

Excellence in Faculty Mentorship in Clinical Medicine Award

In the clinical arena, junior faculty are often recruited to establish new programs or to develop or expand areas of niche expertise within their specialty.  To do so successfully often requires dedicated mentorship from senior faculty that can train the junior faculty member, provide expert back-up, or facilitate program building through advocating with leaders in the Department and Health System. In so doing, junior faculty become true experts in their area, and new treatment options and expertise are made available to our patients.  This award recognizes senior faculty that have consistently provided outstanding mentorship for junior faculty in the clinical realm.

Excellence in Faculty Mentorship in Research Award

Dedicated mentorship is a cornerstone of building a successful career in investigation.  From the mentor, outstanding mentorship requires time, resources, and selflessness for the benefit of the career advancement of the junior faculty member.  This award recognizes faculty that have consistently provided their time, expertise, and advice to assist in the career development of junior faculty in their research career development.

Excellence in Faculty Mentorship in Education Award

For learners at all stages, the contributions of an outstanding teacher are widely recognized.  However, the skills and pathways to become an outstanding medical educator are often less well recognized.  While other teaching awards exist for gifted teachers, this award focuses on individuals who have consistently provided mentorship to junior faculty who aim to dedicate a substantial portion of their work in medical education and assist in their career development within the medical education realm.

Eligibility

• Salaried faculty member with a primary appointment in the Department of Medicine for at least 2 years.
• Associate or Full Professor rank in any faculty series.

Application Process

The application is due in April 2026. Stay tuned for more details! 

Awardees will be selected by a committee and announced concurrently with the end of the academic year.

The following materials should be submitted with all materials attached to a single email to iquiza@health.ucsd.edu on or before April 2026.  The subject line should read “Department of Medicine Faculty Mentoring Award Nomination”.  The email should define who the primary and secondary nominators are, and include the following materials as attachments:

• Name specific award category the faculty member is to be nominated for.
• Primary Nominator Letter – Typically submitted by a mentee who is nominating their mentor, this letter should outline why the mentor is being nominated for the specific award, and provide a description of the impact that the mentor has had on the mentee’s career directly, as well as on the career of other mentees (Maximum 1 page, 11 point font, 0.5-inch margins)
• Secondary Nomination Letter(s) – Secondary nomination letters are optional and are encouraged. Up to two secondary nomination letters will be accepted. The letter(s) should outline why the seconder(s) believe the faculty member should receive the specific award, and a description of the impact that the mentor has had on the mentee’s career directly, as well as on the career of other mentees. (Maximum 1 page, 11 point font, 0.5-inch margins)