The Miller School’s Medical Student Teaching Excellence Awards
Organized by medical students, the awards honors faculty members, residents and peers who inspire, challenge and empower students while fostering an environment of curiosity and professional growth.
The University of Miami Miller School of Medicine’s Medical Student Teaching Excellence Awards recognize faculty and mentors who go above and beyond in preparing medical student to be physicians.
Organized by medical students Juwon Lee and Yasmine Mohseni, the awards honor faculty members, residents and peers who inspire, challenge and empower students while fostering an environment of curiosity and professional growth.
“It was truly meaningful to recognize the faculty and peers who have demonstrated exceptional dedication to teaching and mentorship,” said Lee. “Their guidance, support and passion for education have a profound impact on our medical education journey.”
The selection process began with a survey distributed to all classes in February 2025, yielding more than 160 nominations across various categories. From this impressive pool, the top two to three nominees in each category were selected for their exceptional contributions to teaching and mentorship.
Awardees and comments from students:
Phase 1 Case-based Learning (Selected by Class of 2027)
Awardee: Alan Rose, M.D.
Dr. Rose is the best. He shares important clinical stories that correlate with class material. He explains physiology concepts in a brilliant way and in the context of patient care. He is truly a remarkable educator who is incredibly dedicated to his students.
Awardee: Andrew Brown, M.D.
Truly every student wanted to be in his UMCL class. The time he takes to learn material along with us and review our lectures the night before so he can come into UMCL the next morning fully ready to engage us and teach/inspire us is unparalleled.
Biomedical Principles of Health/Symptoms, Signs and Disease Course (Selected by Class of 2027)
Awardee: James Hoffman, M.D.
Dr. Hoffman was able to take an extremely difficult topic and make it digestible. He was very engaged with students and focused students towards the biggest points that prepare us for clinical practice, rotations and our board exams.
Awardee: Warren Kupin, M.D.
Dr. Kupin went above and beyond for his students. It is teachers like him, who demonstrate tremendous passion for what they do, that inspire students and allow for them to flourish.
Phase 2 Faculty (Selected by Class of 2026)
Awardee: Mousa Botros, M.D.
Dr. Botros is an outstanding physician, teacher and mentor. It was evident how deeply he cares for his patients and his care extended to his students and residents, as well. Any of us would be lucky if we end half as good a physician as he is.
Phase 3 Faculty (Selected by Class of 2025)
Awardee: Michelle Fletcher, M.D.
Dr. Fletcher has been a supportive advocate throughout my four years of medical school, always making herself available to offer guidance and advice. She exemplifies a positive learning environment, fostering a culture of student well-being and growth.
Resident and Fellow Mentors (Selected by Class of 2025)
Awardee: Anthony Ramos Yataco, M.D.
Dr. Anthony Ramos Yataco has been an outstanding resident to work with. From the start, he fostered a team environment that was not only collaborative but also supportive, making it easy to ask questions and learn in a comfortable setting.
Awardee: Caroline Borie, M.D.
Dr. Borie encouraged us to take ownership of patients by setting a personal example. She worked hard and was very fun to be around. She was so compassionate towards everyone. She operates out of integrity and excellence. I want to be like Dr. Borie when I grow up!!
Awardee: Daisy Ference, M.D.
Dr. Ference is truly one of a kind. She makes students feel involved from day one. She is always promoting excellent patient care, and her patients can’t stop talking about how amazing she is.
Awardee: Sonie-Lynn Francois, M.D.
Dr. Francois is my favorite resident that I have worked with! She exudes positivity and optimism, which is so wonderful to be around as a student. Dr. Francois definitely contributed to my decision to pursue family medicine.
Faculty Mentors (Selected by All Classes)
Awardee: Joni Maga, M.D.
Dr. Maga consistently provides individualized mentorship to all of her MAP students. She provides a balance of encouragement and challenge. She takes time to genuinely get to know each of her MAP students, and I leave our meetings feeling seen as an individual.
Awardee: Marie Anne Sosa, M.D.
Dr. Sosa has been an incredible mentor both inside and outside of the classroom. She takes a genuine interest in all of her students, and it is easy to tell that she cares for all of our well-being. My medical school experience would absolutely not be the same without her.
Awardee: Alexis Powell, M.D.
Dr. Powell has been our med school mom, our cheerleader, an endless pillar of support and an incredible advisor and mentor as we make some of the most important decisions. I cannot imagine having gone through medical school without her!
Peer Mentors (Selected by All Classes)
Awardee: Ramy Labib
Ramy has done an excellent job of teaching me complex material through NPAS, breaking down challenging concepts into manageable pieces and ensuring that I have a solid understanding of the content.
Awardee: Smrithi Ramachandran
Smrithi is an incredible teacher, deeply committed to the growth and learning of younger classes. Her dedication, patience and ability to inspire make a lasting impact on everyone she teaches.
Awardee: Erin Albertini
Erin is simply the best. She put together a whole series of peds content to study for OSCEs, learn more about common conditions and master difficult topics. She didn’t need to do any of this, but it was so helpful to our entire group rotating on peds and we are so grateful!
Awardee: Kelby Hunt
Kelby was an amazing MS3 who really helped the MS2s feel welcome and always helped to keep us in the loop on busy services. She is truly amazing and taught us a lot.
One More Award!
Awardee: Dr. Hilit Mechaber, M.D.
Dr. Mechaber, thank you for all you do! The warmth and positivity you bring to every interaction makes me, and all of us medical students, feel so valued and cared for. You have truly made a mark on our experience at Miller, and are part of what makes UM feel like home.
Tags: Excellence in Teaching Award, faculty award, medical education, medical students, student leadership