MAGIS Society Inducts Newest Members, Celebrates Faculty Excellence

MAY 16, 2014—Graduation weekend ceremonies kicked off with the MAGIS induction ceremony on Thursday, May 15.

The induction into the MAGIS Society of Master Teachers is an annual event that honors physicians and biomedical scientists dedicated to the care of others and the health needs of our society.

Drawn from the Latin motto for the Society of Jesus, MAGIS is a Latin adverb meaning “more greatly” and is a shortened form of the Jesuit motto “ad maiorem Dei gloriam” or “towards the greater glory of God.”

Stephen Ray Mitchell, MD, MBA , dean for medical education at Georgetown’s School of Medicine and a 2005 MAGIS inductee, said that besides the literal translation, magis also refers to “doing what is done wholeheartedly and to being wholly present while doing it.”

The faculty members who are inducted “have responded to this mission with extraordinary skill, enthusiasm, dedication and caring throughout our 160-plus years. They are our role models, our educators, our mentors, our heroes,” Mitchell said.

Howard J. Federoff, MD, PhD , said that GUMC is committed to shape a new generation of professionals who are equipped to confront the challenges in an evolving field of medicine.

In citing multiple examples of educational innovation, Federoff said: “We are demonstrating that a commitment to improving education is not about paying lip service but rather making meaningful changes to inspire recognition, leadership and professional development.”

2014 Master Teachers

Michael Adams, MD (M’92), program director of the internal medicine residency program and vice chair for education

Charles Read, MD (M’85), professor of medicine and surgery in the division of pulmonary, critical care and sleep medicine, vice chair of the department of medicine

Elliott Crooke, PhD , professor and chair, department of biochemistry and molecular & cellular biology, senior associate dean for faculty and academic affairs

Other Awards and Honors

Other awards and honors were also recognized at the ceremony.

Kaiser Permanente Awards:

Jacqueline Jonklaas , MD, PhD, associate professor of medicine

Maria Marquez, MD , assistant professor of pediatrics

The 2014 Leonard Tow Humanism In Medicine Award:

Dennis Murphy, MD , assistant professor of medicine

Sean Whelton, MD , associate professor of medicine

2014 Circle Grants:

“Caring for the Underserved: Quantitative and Qualitative Measures of Social Empathy in First-Year Medical Students: And Beyond”
Caroline Wellbery, MD , Yumi Jarris, MD , Kenneth Lin, MD , and Sarah Kureshi, MD

“The Skull Lesson: An Interactive, Digital Tutorial to Teach the Skull”
Carlos Suarez-Quian, PhD

“Continuing Enhancement of Long-term Retention in Embryology for Medical Students Using High-quality computer-Generated Videos”
G. Ian Gallicano, PhD

“Transforming Service Learning into a More Powerful Pedagogy by Reducing Structural Barriers”
Donna Cameron, PhD

Mother Of Pearl Award:

John Miller, MD , assistant professor of medicine

By Lauren Wolkoff
GUMC Communications