David M. Worthen Awards | Call for Nominations
The David M. Worthen Awards are the highest honors given by the Veterans Health Administration (VHA) to recognize outstanding achievements in health professions education. Established in 1988, this award program was named after the late David M. Worthen, MD, former Associate Chief Medical Director for Academic Affairs, board-certified ophthalmologist, established academician, surgeon, researcher, and inspirational leader of the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) education mission. VHA education champions are honored in three categories including: Rising Star, Career Achievement, and Innovator in Health Professions Education.
Requirements and Rules
Nominees must be employed at least 5/8 time by VHA and active in trainee education both at the time of the nomination and the award.
Nominees can originate from medical centers, Veterans Integrated Service Network (VISN) Offices and National Program Offices. Only one nominee will be accepted from each of these levels (Medical Center, VISN Office, and National Program Office) for each of the three award categories (Rising Star, Career Achievement and Innovator).
Individuals may only be nominated for one of the three Worthen Award categories annually.
Award
Each recipient will receive a plaque and $3,000 in award funding. A plaque is also presented to the facilities at which the three recipients are employed.
Categories
Please consider honoring Dr. Worthen’s vision, commitment, and dedication by nominating employees who meet the qualifications in any of the award categories established:
- David M. Worthen Rising Star Award for Excellence in Health Professions Education
This award recognizes an individual with an early career track-record in health professions trainee education in the following areas: educational administration, curriculum, trainee assessment, program evaluation, educational research, educational policy, or affiliate relationships
The recipient of this award is to be an early career champion of health professions trainee education.
- David M. Worthen Career Achievement Award for Excellence in Health Professions Education
This award recognizes an individual with a longstanding record of educational achievements that significantly advance the delivery of education across health professions trainees in the following areas: educational administration, curriculum, trainee assessment, program evaluation, educational research, educational policy, or affiliate relationships.
The recipient of this award is to be an outstanding health professions trainee education champion whose lifetime contributions have profoundly advanced and had widespread impact on the educational mission of VHA.
- David M. Worthen Innovator Award for Excellence in Health Professions Education
This award recognizes an individual who has created an innovation in health professions trainee education. Innovations are creative solutions for either newly emerging or longstanding challenges to education in VA in areas such as educational administration, curriculum, trainee assessment, program evaluation, educational research, educational policy, or affiliate relationships.
The recipient of this award is to be an individual who created and is sustaining or expanding a significant educational innovation for health professions trainee education.
Two-Step Nomination Process
| Step 1 | Letter of Intent and CV due December 1. |
| Step 2 | Full Nomination Package due February 1 for those nominees invited for further consideration. |
Thank you for your support in recognizing employees who dedicate their lives to providing and supporting high quality health professions education for our trainees serving our nation’s Veterans.
Questions
Questions may be directed to the OAA Awards Team.
