Seven students from Oakland University William Beaumont School of Medicine were recently recognized for being outstanding during clerkships they had in their third year of medical school.
Students are nominated for the recognition by clerkship directors who identify those who excel in the areas of overall performance and professionalism.
Now fourth-year medical students, the 2025-26 award recipients are:
- Maya Nassif – Internal Medicine
- Eva Neuenschwander – Psychiatry
- Claire Baguley – Family Medicine
- Peter Prescott – Obstetrics and Gynecology
- Thea Wilkens-Reed – Pediatrics
- Nelson Jones – Neurology
- Andrew George - Surgery
Jickssa Gemechu, Ph.D., associate professor, Department of Foundational Medical Studies, serves as chair of the Student Awards Committee. He underscored the importance of recognizing students for their successes.
“Recognizing outstanding performance in clerkships acknowledges students who demonstrate excellence in clinical knowledge, patient care, professionalism, communication, and teamwork,” he said. “It also encourages continued growth and reinforces the qualities expected of future physicians.”
Gemechu said students identified as outstanding by clerkship directors are vetted by the award committee to ensure they are eligible. Award recipients are notified in late July, after all the clerkships for the academic year have concluded.
“I was incredibly honored to receive this award,” said George. “I put a lot of effort into learning the material and showing up for as many cases as I could … I got to work closely with a wide range of attendings and residents, which made the experience even more rewarding.”
“I’m so grateful and genuinely honored to receive this recognition,” said Neuenschwander. “Psychiatry was one of the rotations I was especially excited to begin, and it was meaningful to know that my approach to patient care and my engagement with the clerkship were recognized by the faculty.”
“I’m also grateful for the opportunity to have learned from so many wonderful patients, residents, and attendings throughout the rotation,” she added.
Prescott said he “felt very honored” to have received the recognition.
“There are so many students in my class that work exceptionally hard and go above and beyond for the patients that we help to care for, and I feel very honored to been recognized as one of these students,” he said.
The awardees pointed to various aspects of their clerkships that they said will stick with them.
Nassif, for example, said she “had the pleasure of learning from residents and faculty who challenged me to grow while entrusting me with increasing responsibility for my patients.”
“That responsibility showed me what it truly means to take ownership of patient care, which extends beyond developing assessments and plans but to really knowing your patient - what matters to them and the circumstances that influence their care,” she added.
Baguley said her clerkship “truly solidified my passion for family medicine.”
“I learned from so many residents and faculty who are passionate about family medicine and took away so much knowledge and gratitude for the field,” she said.
Jones said neurology “reinforced the importance of being systematic and paying attention to the details.”
“I liked seeing how the history, physical exam, and physiology could be used together to localize a problem and narrow the diagnosis,” said Jones. “It made me want to keep developing that same approach in my future practice.”
And for Wilkens-Reed it was all about greater understanding of the importance of listening.
“The clerkship reminded me how important it is to make patients and families feel heard, especially when they are scared or unsure of what is happening,” she said.
“It reinforced that I want to be the kind of physician who can provide strong clinical care while also making people feel comfortable, respected, and included in their care.”
For more information, contact Andrew Dietderich, senior marketing specialist, OUWB, at adietderich@oakland.edu.
To request an interview, visit the OUWB Communications & Marketing webpage.
