VA recognizes Iowa City VA Medical Center MD for excellence in health care education

The Worthen Award, named for the former VA head of Academic Affiliations, the late David M. Worthen, MD, recognizes exceptional champions for their contributions in enhancing health professions trainee education.

The award is bestowed in three categories: the Rising Star Award, which recognizes an early career champion of health professions education; the Innovator Award, which recognizes an individual who created and is sustaining or expanding a significant educational innovation; and the Career Achievement Award, which recognizes an outstanding health professions education champion whose lifetime contributions have profoundly advanced and impacted the education mission of VA.

The Worthen Rising Star Award was awarded to Dr. Matthew Soltys, a staff physician at the Iowa City VA Medical Center, who established himself as a leader in health professions education, particularly in quality improvement and patient safety. He’s developed ground-breaking training courses, expanded curriculum content on patient safety and leadership, and founded quarterly conferences to enhance patient safety events. Soltys is a recognized local, regional, and national VA education leader whose dedication to health professions education and improving the care of Veterans has inspired and motivated both his mentees and peers in the field.

“This year’s awardees have made outstanding contributions to training the next generation of health care professionals for VA and the nation,” said Dr. Ezgi Tiryaki, Acting Chief of the Office of Academic Affiliations. “These clinicians embody the characteristics of excellence that continue to make VA a national leader in health professions education, and we congratulate them for their stellar achievements.” 

VA maintains the nation’s largest education and training program for health professionals in the U.S., working in partnership with 95% of the country’s medical schools and more than 1,450 universities and colleges including associated health professions schools. Each year, 122,000 trainees in more than 60 clinical health professions education programs complete training in a VA facility. 

The David M. Worthen Awards for Excellence in Health Professions Education are sponsored by the VHA Office of Academic Affiliations. Learn more about VHA’s mission of training health care professionals at VA Office of Academic Affiliations.

Justin Hardt, Public Affairs Officer

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