Jeff Wilson Wins Theilen Award

Dr. Jeffrey Wilson has been awarded one of the highest distinctions the Carver College of Medicine grants, the Dr. Ernest O. Theilen Clinical Teaching and Service Award. This award, sponsored by the Office of Faculty Affairs and Development, recognizes a faculty member each year who embodies the ideals Dr. Theilen exemplified in his compassion and dedication to students and patients on an individual basis, as well as his commitment to the college and hospital.

Dr. Wilson is a Professor of Pulmonary, Critical Care, and Occupational Medicine. Dr. Manish Suneja, Director of the Internal Medicine Residency Program, and Dr. Joe Zabner, Director of the Division of Pulmonary Critical Care, and Occupational Medicine, nominated Dr. Wilson for this award. Each of them cited his fifteen years as Director of the Pulmonary Disease and Critical Care Medicine Fellowship. Dr. Suneja cited Dr. Wilson’s overhaul of a feedback system in the fellowship that ensured greater timeliness and specificity of instruction from mentors to trainees. This was not just of benefit to students, says Dr. Suneja, but also had the benefit of “making his colleagues better instructors.”

Dr. Zabner provided specific instances where Dr. Wilson’s grace and wisdom helped guide him. “I have learned to listen to Jeff. I appreciate his stubbornness because he is almost always right.” Dr. Zabner described a revision to the match ranking program that resulted in discovering “hidden gems in residents” who had applied to their fellowship program. Dr. Wilson’s support for these fellows does not end at match, though. Instead he checks in with them and their mentors on a regular basis, helping to identify the training needs an underperforming fellow may need, often “resulting in amazing improvement in knowledge, attitude and performance.”

Please join the Department in congratulating one of our best on the receipt of this award and in extending our gratitude for his years of talented service. Thank you, Dr. Wilson!