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The Distinguished Medical Student Award from the College of American Pathologists (CAP) is given to a medical student, in any year of training, for outstanding achievement, aptitude, or interest in pathology. The awardee is recommended for recognition by the pathology contact (department chair, program director, or faculty member) at a US allopathic or osteopathic medical school.
The CAP's Distinguished Medical Student Award honors the student's initiative in learning about pathology and participating in pathology-related activities. It intentionally elevates the specialty by leveraging the involvement of pathologists in medical students' training as they interact prior to and during the selection process.
Criteria
The award is intended to be recommendation-based rather than application-based. While medical schools may have current award criteria and selection mechanisms, ultimately the pathology department chair, program director, or faculty member will recommend the medical student based on the student's knowledge of/interest in pathology, participation in pathology electives, or activities revolving around pathology.
- The student may be in any year of medical training.
- The student should exhibit knowledge of and enthusiasm for pathology.
- The student should be involved in pathology courses, interest groups, electives, research, or a preceptorship associated with the medical school and/or other organizations outside the medical school.
- The medical school may, at its discretion, use selection criteria and mechanisms already in place in the institution.
- The medical school must complete and submit one electronic nomination to the CAP.
Certificate and Monetary Award
The CAP will provide a frameable certificate and a $250 monetary award to the recipient. These will be sent directly to the institution's contact for presentation to the recipient.
Award Presentation
It is at the medical school’s discretion as to when to confer the CAP Distinguished Medical Student Award. Options might include giving it at the medical school graduation when excellence awards are presented, during pathology events so the medical student can be recognized with future pathology colleagues, or during interdisciplinary academic awards presentations. Each institution may decide the best time to present the award.
Each institution may decide the best time to present the award; however, it should be presented before the end of the academic year and prior to June 16, 2025. After that date, the CAP will publish the names of award recipients and their respective schools on cap.org.
2025 CAP Distinguished Medical Student Award Winners
This year, the award attracted nationwide attention, with a record-breaking 98 outstanding medical students nominated by esteemed physicians from institutions across the United States.
Here are the 2025 award winners:
Aaron Dobbins, University of North Carolina School of Medicine
Adrian Rajab, The Ohio State University College of Medicine
Alexandra Job, University of South Dakota Sanford School of Medicine
Amanda M. Maxfield, Geisel School of Medicine at Dartmouth
Aneka Patterson, Uniformed Services University of the Health Sciences
Anjani Guda, Drexel University College of Medicine
Aratara Nutcharoen, Noorda College of Osteopathic Medicine
Blaine Baker, UC Davis Medical Center
Brandon Bui, Medical University of South Carolina
Brooke Ortiz, University of Florida
Camille Ng, California Northstate University COM
Carley C. Kida, John A. Burns School of Medicine, University of Hawaii
Carson Clark, Wright State University Boonshoft School of Medicine
Cheston Nathaniel Porter, Joan C. Edwards School of Medicine at Marshall University
Christopher Jannotta, Harvard Medical School
Clare Hartman, University of South Florida Morsani College of Medicine
Dan Dou, Perelman School of Medicine at the University of Pennsylvania
Dayanita McCutcheon, University of California San Diego
Diego Flores, Edward Via College of Osteopathic Medicine- Virginia Campus
Eleanor Mackey, Albert Einstein College of Medicine
Eli Rust, University of Rochester Medical Center
Eliza Cruickshank, Robert Larner, M.D. College of Medicine at the University of Vermont
Ellee Pisey Vikram, University of California Irvine School of Medicine
Emilio Miret, Donald and Barbara Zucker School of Medicine at Hofstra/Northwell
Emily Torres, Hackensack Meridian School of Medical
Emma Thames, University of Texas Houston, McGovern Medical School
Erin J. Saunders, University of Virginia
Eumee Cha, Johns Hopkins School of Medicine
Fatima Sattar, The University of Chicago Pritzker School of Medicine
Fiona Lane, Western University of Health Sciences
Francesca J. Noelette, Stanford University
Francesco E. Emiliani, Dartmouth Health and Geisel School of Medicine at Dartmouth
Gary Kevin Davis, Jr., Mercer University School of Medicine
Gentry Ensign, Rocky Vista University
George Huang, Dell Medical School at The University of Texas at Austin
Gianna Daley, Howard University College of Medicine
Heather Short, University of Kentucky
Hei-Yong Lo, University of Colorado School of Medicine
Henry Elsenpeter, University of North Dakota
Hong Ly, Penn State College of Medicine
Hunter Jansson, A.T. Still University, Kirksville, MO
Jake Price, University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences
Jaya Nicole Alagar, Lewis Katz School of Medicine at Temple University
Jeffery Hayashi, University of Hawaii John A. Burns School of Medicine
Jennifer Beckman, Indiana University School of Medicine
Jessica Graham, UAB Heersink School of Medicine
John F. Emery, Dartmouth Health and Geisel School of Medicine at Dartmouth
Joseph Maggiore, University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine
Joshua Pantanowitz, University of Pittsburgh, School of Medicine
Julia Vance, ATSU- Kirksville College of Osteopathic Medicine
Justin Johnson, Yale University
Karima Osman, University of Colorado School of Medicine
Kristen Oliveria, Baylor College of Medicine
Kyle Schroeder, Florida Atlantic University, Schmidt College of Medicine
Larissa Suzette Leiva Pelaez, Indiana University School of Medicine
Larissa Ybañez, University of the Incarnate Word School of Osteopathic Medicine
Laura Budvytyte, Mayo Clinic Alix School of Medicine
Laura Duzett, Touro University Nevada College of Osteopathic Medicine
Lauren Belanger, University of Minnesota
Lauren Reiman, Keck School of Medicine of University of Southern California
Lauren Roberts, University of Missouri in Kansas City
Leah Brown, University of Mississippi Medical Center
Liam Kit, New York Institute of Technology College of Osteopathic Medicine
Madeleine Taddei, University of Arizona College of Medicine - Phoenix
Madison Brooks, Geisinger Commonwealth School of Medicine
Mason Maniloff, Chicago College of Osteopathic Medicine
Matthew J. Carr, Des Moines University
Maya T. Handberry-Howard, Mercer University School of Medicine
Michael Rosario, Washington University in St. Louis
Molly Geraghty, Boston University Chobanian & Avedisian School of Medicine
Nadia Nicole Sahli, University of Texas Health Science Center at San Antonio
Natalie Sadeghy, University of Oklahoma College of Medicine
Nathan Ryan, Northeast Ohio Medical University
Nicholas Barron, Michigan State University College of Osteopathic Medicine
Oscar Norberto Perales, Yale University
Patricia Lupu, University of. Missouri-Columbia
Paul Nagao, George Washington University School of Medicine and Health Sciences
Pauline Tran, California Health Sciences University - College of Osteopathic Medicine
Philip E. Makedon, University of the Incarnate Word School of Osteopathic Medicine
Renee Ouellette, Uniformed Services University of the Health Sciences
Robert McFarling, Rocky Vista University- Colorado
Rony Moon, David Geffen School of Medicine at UCLA
Samantha K. Engrav, Mayo Clinic Alix School of Medicine
Samuel S. Kraus, University of Arizona
Sarah Lawson, Thomas Jefferson University
Sarah Weiss, University of Arizona College of Medicine - Phoenix
Stephany Bustamante, University of Central Florida
Supriya Iyer, Oregon Health & Science University
Theodore N. Muka, University of New Mexico School Of Medicine
Thomas V. Wong, University of Texas Health San Antonio
Tiffany Sanchez Garcia, San Juan Bautista School of Medicine
Tori Lee, Loma Linda University School of Medicine
Trent H. Davids, Saint Louis University School of Medicine
Troy Hefner, Louisiana State University Health Sciences Center
Truman J. Do, University of Wisconsin School of Medicine and Public Health
Tyler Scott Yeager, Oregon Health & Science University
Tyler Steidl, Rutgers University New Jersey Medical School
Zhaoyi Wang, University of Washington
Previous Years
Adam Berry, Rocky Vista University College of Osteopathic Medicine - Utah
Adnan S. Syed, University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus
Alayna Westcom, Larner College of Medicine at the University of Vermont
Alysia Bryll, UMass Chan Medical School
Anaisa S. Quintanilla-Arteaga, Stritch School of Medicine at Loyola University, Chicago
Anirudh Murthy, Renaissance School of Medicine at Stony Brook
Anna Shadid, University of Oklahoma College of Medicine - Tulsa Campus
Avigail Soloveichik, Albert Einstein College of Medicine
Basma Klump, Michigan State University College of Osteopathic Medicine
Beatrix Dudzik, Mayo Clinic Alix School of Medicine
Benjamin Robert Highland, Wake Forest University School of Medicine
Briana Fernandez, Baylor College of Medicine
Channah R. Mills, Uniformed Services University
Charles Chandler Herndon, Touro University College of Osteopathic Medicine - Nevada
Christian Santiago, OUWB School of Medicine
Charles Patrick Ehster, Lake Erie College of Osteopathic Medicine
Christian Tran, Sidney Kimmel Medical College - Thomas Jefferson University
Cody Forsyth, Touro University College of Osteopathic Medicine - California
Connie Shinru Chang, John A. Burns School of Medicine, University of Hawaii
Darby Naheedy, Midwestern University - Chicago College of Osteopathic Medicine
David Shepherd, Indiana University School of Medicine
Davina Dobbins, University of Arizona
Derek Sung, Perelman School of Medicine at the University of Pennsylvania
Elizabeth Kruse, University of Missouri in Kansas City
Emery Price, University of North Carolina School of Medicine
Emily Hartsell, University of South Alabama- Frederick P. Whiddon College of Medicine
Gabriel Christopher Purnell, The University of Texas Health Science Center at San Antonio
Gonzalo Astudillo, Foster School of Medicine, TTUHSC El Paso
Hannah P. McQueen, Mercer University School of Medicine
Hayley Elise Sanchez, Saint Louis University School of Medicine
Ian Clapp, Kentucky College of Osteopathic Medicine at the University of Pikeville
Isabella Zappi, University of Rochester School of Medicine
Jacob Shaner, University of Arizona College of Medicine - Phoenix
Jenna Aungst, DeBusk College of Osteopathic Medicine
Jennifer Bentz, Washington University in St. Louis School of Medicine
Jennifer Lee Quinter, Geisinger Commonwealth School of Medicine
John S. Overton, University of Mississippi Medical Center School of Medicine
Joshua C. Sciurba, University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine
Keaton Ott, Tulane School of Medicine
Kristina Renae Slyh, Ohio University Heritage College of Osteopathic Medicine
Krystal English, McGovern Medical School
Laura Daphne Tennis, University of California Irvine School of Medicine
Leah Johanna Gruen, University of Wisconsin School of Medicine and Public Health
Lucy Greenwald, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai
Luis Felipe Quistian, Medical University of South Carolina
Luke Morales, SUNY Downstate College of Medicine
Maryknoll Linscott, Penn State Health/College of Medicine
Matthew Lanehart, West Virginia University School of Medicine
Matthew Loberg, Vanderbilt University School of Medicine
Matthew Lordo, The Ohio State University College of Medicine
Meagan Drury, Florida Atlantic University, Charles E. Schmidt College of Medicine
Megan Erin Dukes, Case Western Reserve University
Melissa Murphy, University of Kentucky
Micahel A. Metrick II, University of Illinois at Chicago
Michael A. Pettit, University of Alabama at Birmingham Heersink School of Medicine
Morgane McGuire, University of Washington School of Medicine
Nicholas Osborne, Northeast Ohio Medical University
Pierre Tran, Western University of Health Sciences
Raquel Perry, Duke University School of Medicine
Sabrina Hollar, Rocky Vista University College of Osteopathic Medicine - Colorado
Samuel Alexander McCollum, University of Cincinnati College of Medicine
Sangeetha Sonney, University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences
Sarah Mirkhaef, Arkansas College of Osteopathic Medicine
Serica J. Hallstead, Alpert Medical School
Shahzaib Saleem, Donald and Barbara Zucker School of Medicine at Hofstra/Northwell
Sharanpreet Hira, Des Moines University
Shawn Alexa Rosario, University of South Florida Morsani College of Medicine
Sherri Irwin, University of Oklahoma Health Science Center - Oklahoma City Campus
Taylor Christian Boggess, Joan C. Edwards School of Medicine at Marshall University
Tomasz Gruchala, Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine
Tristan Joseph Jordan, George Washington University School of Medicine and Health Sciences
Veronica Alvarez, Florida International University Herbert Wertheim College of Medicine
Victoria Lee, David Geffen School of Medicine at UCLA
William Francis O'Connor, University of Maryland School of Medicine
Aaishah Raquib, Western University College of Osteopathic Medicine of the Pacific-Northwest
Aaron Jones, State University of New York Upstate Medical University
Alex Tannenbaum, University of Wisconsin School of Medicine and Public Health
Andrew Gerber, University of Nebraska Medical Center College of Medicine
Ariel Flotte, Eastern Virginia Medical School
Bader Semakieh, Arkansas College of Osteopathic Medicine
Brittany Leilani Mika Pa'ahana Sato, John A. Burns School of Medicine, University of Hawaii
Cari Carpenter, Larner College of Medicine at The University of Vermont
Carli R. Cox, College of Medicine, University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences
Christopher Dilli, Saint Louis University School of Medicine
Chuan Hao (Alex) Chen, Department of Pathology & Laboratory Medicine, Perelman School of Medicine at the University of Pennsylvania
David Kyle Carlson, George Washington University School of Medicine and Health Sciences
Devin James Hunt, The Johns Hopkins School of Medicine
Emily Cobb, University of Mississippi
Emily Hatheway Marshall, Duke University School of Medicine
Emma Hawkins, Medical University of South Carolina
Harry Nesta, University of Kentucky
Ian Taylor-Cho, Duke University School of Medicine
James Fleming, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai
Jenny Liu, Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine
Jeremy Rouanet, University of California Irvine School of Medicine
Joanna Coker, UC San Diego School of Medicine
Konnie Le, Texas College of Osteopathic Medicine
Laraine Cheung, Howard University
Lauren Larson, Wayne State University
Marci Crowley, University of South Florida Morsani College of Medicine
Maya Fares, Penn State College of Medicine
Melanie Chan, California Northstate University College of Medicine
Michael Goldbeck, University of Oklahoma Health Science Center
Natalie Moore, Michigan State University College of Osteopathic Medicine
Nicole Bracewell, University of Tennessee Health Science Center
Nicole Maddie, New York Institute of Technology College of Osteopathic Medicine
Nikitha Samy, John P. and Kathrine G. McGovern Medical School at UTHealth
Niraj Vyas, Geisinger Commonwealth School of Medicine
Ragini Phansalkar, Stanford University
Ronan Talty, Yale School of Medicine
Ryan Cooper, Keck School of Medicine of the University of Southern California
Samantha Wahlers, University of Illinois College of Medicine Peoria Campus
Sara Sakowitz, David Geffen School of Medicine at UCLA
Sebastian Kolaj, Loyola University Chicago Stritch School of Medicine
Serina Williams, Virginia Tech Carilion School of Medicine and Research Institute
Stephne Rasiah, University of Toledo College of Medicine and Life Sciences