A Major Award!

April 23^rd 2008 already has more than enough reason to have been a special occasion. Early that morning, I had already received all that I could have wished for. Little did I know at the time (I was a little busy taking pictures of the newest member of the Parvez clan), but a letter detailing an honor of another sort was being prepared for me. It wasn’t until several days later, as things had just begun to die down did I take a moment to carefully peruse the rapidly enlarging mountain of e-mails I needed to attend to. Amongst them, I received notification of the following:

Dear Dr.Parvez,

The University of Pittsburgh Medical School Class of 2009 has selected you as one of six recipients of the Gold Foundation Humanism and Excellence in Teaching / “Little Apple” Award. The “Little Apple” Awards were initiated by the University of Pittsburgh Medical School Class of 2003 to recognize the outstanding residents and interns with whom we have worked during our third year clinical rotations and who we believe have demonstrated excellence in the following areas: student teaching, team leadership, fund of knowledge, compassionate and humanistic patient care, and service as a mentor and role model. We would like to invite you to the Pinning Ceremony this year on Friday May 2, 2008 at 3:00 PM in Lecture Rooms 5/6 of Scaife Hall…

A Major Award! For all familiar with my favorite holiday movie of all time, this could only mean ONE thing.

In all truth, I expected to find a small room with perhaps 5 or so people present, being handed envelopes, handshakes, and being sent on our merry way. It says Lecture Rooms 5/6 for heaven’s sake! I’m glad I decided to wear a nice shirt and tie.

The award itself is given to only 6 Residents from among all years of all programs in the UPMC system, which I would estimate to be a few hundred residents all together.

At the ceremony, each of the six residents was introduced and asked to say a few words to the entire incoming 3^rd year medical school class. These are whom you see in the photo from Friday. It was a really wonderful experience and it felt great to be commended for something that I was enjoying doing anyway.

By the way: the award was a lapel pin and a certificate (and a small check!)

And don’t bother asking for a piece of that windfall, folks. It’s as good as spent. Baby, after all, will need a new pair of shoes sooner or later…

(Special Thanks to Aziza Ejaz for the fantastic pic of Arman. Plenty more of those to come!!)