Teaching Awards

Sarah Traynor, PhD
Anatomy Teaching Faculty, UW School of Medicine and Public Health

Nominators say why:
Dr. Traynor is an excellent educator who treats learners with respect and kindness. In her teaching, Traynor holds her students to high standards — and gives them the tools to meet those standards. She creates engaging learning materials, presents difficult concepts in understandable ways, and provides learning opportunities through meaningful formative and summative assessments. Traynor is skilled at assessing her own work as well and is always looking for areas to improve.

Madhuri Nishtala, MD
Surgery, UW School of Medicine and Public Health

Students say why:
Dr. Nishtala made me feel comfortable from my first day on general surgery service. From making sure that I was prepared for cases to asking about my well-being, she truly cared about my experience and making it a safe learning environment. What inspired me most about Dr. Nishtala is she took the time to learn where each student was at and worked with them to reach their goals, whether that be learning basic procedural skills or helping guide them through the residency application cycle. Wherever she ends up as faculty, they will be lucky to have her!

Corlin Jewell, MD
Assistant Professor, Department of Emergency Medicine, UW School of Medicine and Public Health

Students say why:
Dr. Jewell is truly one of the best mentors I’ve had the privilege of knowing. He was always thoughtful, approachable and kind when teaching and advising us in the residency application process. I also had a unique and tough personal situation that I shared with him to which he responded with unparalleled grace and empathy. When asked to vote for a faculty member for this award, choosing Dr. Jewell was an automatic choice for many of us EM-bound students.

Rebecca Johnson, MD
Department of General Surgery, Aurora BayCare Medical Center

Students say why:
Dr. Johnson is a phenomenal educator and the Green Bay Wisconsin Academy for Rural Medicine (WARM) students are so lucky to learn from her. She is a model of what tomorrow’s surgeon should be — driven, knowledgeable, compassionate and dedicated. She is extremely well-liked by all the students who are lucky enough to work with her. She takes the time to make sure students understand the why behind what patient care is occurring, both in the OR and clinic. She challenges us appropriately to become model physicians and simply put, she is the kind of physician we all strive to be like. I was terrified going into my surgical block and consider her instrumental in becoming comfortable in the OR where I now seek to provide surgical birth services in my career. She has truly “walked the walk” as a rural physician and makes sure we are appropriately informed about the career we are pursuing. Thank you, Dr. Johnson, for all your wisdom! This award is very well deserved by such a remarkable human and provider.

Kelly Hodgson Kline, MD ’97
Pediatrics, Emplify Health

Students say why:
Dr. Hodgson Kline demonstrates exceptional dedication to her students, patients, and community. She empowers students to take on meaningful responsibility during clinical rotations while consistently encouraging us to grow and refine our skills. Through her mentorship, she creates an environment that is both supportive and challenging, helping students build confidence as future physicians. As the SCOPE block director in La Crosse, she also works diligently to ensure that every student receives a thoughtful and high-quality educational experience. Additionally, Dr. Hodgson Kline continually goes above and beyond for her students, generously volunteering her time at community events organized by students and writing countless letters of recommendation. Most importantly, she exemplifies what compassionate and impactful rural practice looks like, inspiring many WARM students to pursue careers in rural medicine.

Katherine Reimer, MD ’13
Internal Medicine, Marshfield Clinic Health System

Students say why:
Dr. Reimer is the epitome of an excellent physician, and I hope to one day emulate her. Not only in the way she listens to and cares for her patients, but also in the way she continually teaches and supports medical students. Working with Dr. Reimer honed my skills as a medical student. She would sit and listen as I led patient interviews, taking time afterward to ask about my thought processes and provide thoughtful feedback on my clinical reasoning and communication. She consistently kept the best interests of all parties involved at the forefront of her mind.

During my rotation with her, I learned not only a tremendous amount about internal medicine, but also how to create an educational environment that promotes student learning while striking the perfect balance between autonomy and guidance.

Shujahat Chaudhry, MD
Family Medicine, Advocate Aurora Health

Students say why:
Dr. Chaudhry is an outstanding mentor. He created a supportive and safe learning environment that allowed me to grow confidently as a student. He consistently encouraged me to take the lead during clinic procedures and patient encounters, and he supported me in pursuing the learning opportunities I found most valuable. He regularly checked in to ensure I was progressing at a comfortable pace, demonstrating his genuine commitment to both my education and well-being.