Distinction in Community Health
Distinction in Community Health
Each year, several medical students, who also excel in community health scholarship, graduate with the Distinction in Community Health. This is an option for students who make significant longitudinal contributions to community service, excel in the Community Health Improvement Courses and engage in learning about current issues and topics in community health throughout medical school. This is an opportunity for M.D. candidates to complete substantial and sustainable community health improvement with community partners, and experience health outside of health care first-hand.
Exemplar Medical school graduates may also be awarded the Costanza Community Impact Award, the Fiscella Excellence in Community Health Award or the Creative Initiative in Community Health Award, available only to Distinction Candidates with exceptional projects.
Costanza Community Impact Award: This award is given to the Distinction candidate(s) whose work exemplifies outstanding community engagement with the greatest potential for sustainable impact on the health of the community.
Fiscella Excellence in Community Health Award: This award is given to the Distinction candidate(s) whose work demonstrates significant scholarship in community engagement through academic rigor, robust evaluation and substantial dissemination.
The following Class of 2025 medical students were awarded an M.D. with Distinction in Community Health, being recognized for their significant longitudinal contributions to community service:
Lauren Eisner, Constanza Community Impact Award Recipient
Residency Match: ISMMS Mount Sinai Hospital-NY (Emergency Medicine)
Diamond Guy, Fiscella Excellence in Community Health Award Recipient
Project Title: ROCDermEd and Bringing Dermatology to Jordan Health
Residency Match: U Rochester/Strong Memorial-NY (Medicine-Preliminary & Dermatology)
Catherine Liu
Project Title: Veggie Phobia: Mindset Shifts at a Local Food Pantry
Residency Match: Rush University Med Ctr-IL (Internal Medicine)
Arman Niknafs, Constanza Community Impact Award Recipient
Residency Match: UCLA Med Ctr-CA (Internal Medicine)
Matthew Tae
Residency Match: Stanford Health Care-CA (Pediatrics)
The following Class of 2024 medical students were awarded an M.D. with Distinction in Community Health, being recognized for their significant longitudinal contributions to community service:
Acacia Bowden
Project Title: Need for Improved Access to Dermatological Care in Underserved Populations
*Residency Match: Yale-New Haven Hospital, Connecticut - Pediatrics
Devon Clark
*Residency Match: Albert Einstein Healthcare Network, Pennsylvania - Transitional Year
U Michigan Hospital - Ann Arbor - Radiology-Diagnostic
Carly Eiduson
*Residency Match: Childrens Hospital Philadelphia, Pennsylvania – Pediatrics
Hannah Jackel-Dewhurst
Project Title: The Fourth Trimester Model: Disparities in Fourth Trimester Visit Attendance
Yoav Kadan
Project Title: Increasing Access to GI Care and Cancer Screening at the UR Well Student-Run Clinic
*Residency Match: U Miami/Jackson Health System, Florida – Anesthesiology
Malavika Satheesh
Project Title: Hypertension and Telemedicine Initiative
*Residency Match: Northwestern McGaw/NMH/VA-Illinois - Internal Medicine
The following Class of 2023 medical students were awarded an M.D. with Distinction in Community Health, being recognized for their significant longitudinal contributions to community service:
Mariah Erlick
Project Title: Improving Medicolegal Advocacy for Asylum Seekers
Kiersten Flodman
Shane Fuentes
Project Title: Crossovers & Conversations
Tresne Hernandez
Katie Klapheke
Project Title: Improving Volunteer Visibility for Rochester Human Rights Initiative
Nilsa Ricci
Project Title: Understanding and Improving Trauma Debriefing Sessions for URMC Spanish Interpreters
Eli Rogers
Project Title: PPD Testing at UR Well St Luke's
Valentina Sedlacek
Project Title: ROCovery Wellness
The following Class of 2022 medical students were awarded an M.D. with Distinction in Community Health, being recognized for their significant longitudinal contributions to community service:
Anusha Amaravathi
Alexandra Buda
Project Title: Promoting Mental Health & Wellness Among Our Critical Care Nursing Staff
Shannon Cleary
Project Title: Engaging Rochester Communities on Climate Impacts and Action
Kevin Li
Project Title: Addressing Sports Injuries: Student-Athlete Community Outreach (SCOre!)
Rachel Moyer
Project Title: Reflecting on the UR Well-Nazareth Social Work Partnership
Betsy Rojas
Project Title: Bridging the Gap by Being the Change
Andrew Stoner
Project Title: Improving Community Mental Health Training for Future Physicians
Rachel Yull
Project Title: Creating Connections to Improve Maternal Child Health
The following Class of 2021 medical students were awarded an M.D. with Distinction in Community Health, being recognized for their significant longitudinal contributions to community service:
Michaela Barry
Fatima Bawany
Project Title: Home Phototherapy: Improving Access to Dermatologic Care
Celia Fung
Project Title: COVID-19 Education and Prevention in Rochester Homeless Shelters
Mahima Iyengar
Michelle Liu
Renee Miller
Project Title: Creating Recipes that Positively Influence Nutrition in Low Socioeconomic Communities
Stephen Powell
Project Title: Perceptions of Infection & Testing in UR Well-Asbury's Patron Population
Fritzlaine Roche
Project Title: Implementation of a Teledermatology Program at UR Well
Former Constanza and Fiscella Awardees
Costanza Community Impact Award Recipient
This award is given to the Distinction candidate(s) whose work exemplifies outstanding community engagement with the greatest potential for sustainable impact on the health of the community.
Devon Clark
Fiscella Excellence in Community Health Award Recipients
This award is given to the Distinction candidate(s) whose work demonstrates significant scholarship in community engagement through academic rigor, robust evaluation and substantial dissemination.
Carly Eiduson
Hannah Jackel-Dewhurst
Project Title: The Fourth Trimester Model: Disparities in Fourth Trimester Visit Attendance
Costanza Community Impact Award Recipient
This award is given to the Distinction candidate whose work exemplifies outstanding community engagement with the greatest potential for sustainable impact on the health of the community.
Shane Fuentes
Project Title: Crossovers & Conversations
Nilsa Ricci
Project Title: Understanding and Improving Trauma Debriefing Sessions for URMC Spanish Interpreters
Fiscella Excellence in Community Health Award Recipients
This award is given to the Distinction candidate(s) whose work demonstrates significant scholarship in community engagement through academic rigor, robust evaluation and substantial dissemination.
Valentina Sedlacek
Project Title: ROCovery Fitness
Creative Initiative in Community Health Award Recipients
This award is given to Distinction candidate(s) whose work generates a new partnership initiated by the Candidate(s) that developed into a meaningful, creative and impactful project where the candidate(s) integrated the new partner for sustainability beyond the project and students' involvement. This award will only be given in years where there are candidates that excel in this category.
Mariah Erlick
Project Title: Improving Medicolegal Advocacy for Asylum Seekers
Katie Klapheke
Project Title: Improving Volunteer Visibility for Rochester Human Rights Initiative
Costanza Community Impact Award Recipient
This award is given to the Distinction candidate whose work exemplifies outstanding community engagement with the greatest potential for sustainable impact on the health of the community.
Veronica Yu
Fiscella Excellence in Community Health Award Recipients
This award is given to the Distinction candidate(s) whose work demonstrates significant scholarship in community engagement through academic rigor, robust evaluation and substantial dissemination.
Amundam Mancho
Project Title: The 4th Trimester Model: A New Approach to Improving Perinatal Care
Sara Peterson
Creative Initiative in Community Health Award Recipients
This award is given to Distinction candidate(s) whose work generates a new partnership initiated by the Candidate(s) that developed into a meaningful, creative and impactful project where the candidate(s) integrated the new partner for sustainability beyond the project and students' involvement. This award will only be given in years where there are candidates that excel in this category.
Jessica Meyer
Shireen Saxena
Class of 2021 Costanza Community Impact Award Recipient
This award is given to the Distinction candidate whose work exemplifies outstanding community engagement with the greatest potential for sustainable impact on the health of the community.
Mary Buswell
Project Title: Contraceptive Needs Assessment of Clients at Trillium Syringe Service Program
Class of 2021 Creative Initiative in Community Health Award Recipient
This award is given to the Distinction candidate(s) whose work demonstrates significant scholarship in community engagement through academic rigor, robust evaluation and substantial dissemination.
Hannah Silva
Project Title: A Comprehensive Health Education Program for Individuals with Down Syndrome