Awards in Education

Award Description: Two awards may be presented annually for excellence in the teaching, administration, and/or development of (an) IMS graduate course(s). Eligible course directors may be teaching 0.25, 0.5, or 1.0 FCE courses within IMS.

Award Criteria:

• Evidence of teaching excellence
• Evidence of teaching effectiveness
• Evidence of effective use of innovative teaching resources and instructional methods
• Evidence of positive student impact

Award Eligibility: Faculty members who hold full-time appointments in Basic Science Departments or Institutes in the Temerty Faculty of Medicine who are course directors of (an) IMS graduate course(s). A previous winner of the IMS Course Director Award is eligible for re-nomination in this award category after a period of five years.

Nomination Process: See nomination process below for full details. The Nomination Package for the IMS Course Director Awards is required to include elements #1 - 4.

Award Description: This award may be presented annually for excellence in lecturing (2 or more lectures, continuous or intermittent) in (an) IMS graduate course(s).

Award Criteria:

• Evidence of teaching excellence
• Evidence of teaching effectiveness
• Evidence of positive student impact

Award Eligibility: 1/ Faculty members who hold full-time appointments in Basic Science Departments or Institutes in the Temerty Faculty of Medicine who have lectured in (an) IMS graduate course(s). 2/ Graduate students who are registered (full-time or part-time) with a Basic Science Department or Institute in the Temerty Faculty of Medicine who have lectured in (an) IMS graduate course(s). 3/ Non-academic guests who have been invited to give guest lectures in (an) IMS graduate course(s).

A previous winner of the IMS Course Lecturer Award is eligible for re-nomination in this award category after a period of five years.

Nomination Process: See nomination process below for full details. The Nomination Package for the IMS Course Lecturer Award is required to include elements #1 - 2.

Award Description: This award may be presented annually in recognition of an innovation specific to IMS education. The innovation may encompass innovation in content, in course/program delivery, in student/public outreach, or in student engagement. The award may be granted to an individual or to a team of individuals.

Award Criteria:

• Evidence of excellence in innovation or innovative practices within IMS education
• Evidence of the innovation’s effectiveness
• Evidence of the innovation’s positive impact to graduate education / IMS students

Award Eligibility: Any innovation specific to IMS education is eligible, provided there is suitable evidence of excellence, effectiveness, and impact.

A previous winner of the IMS Innovation in Education Award is not eligible for re-nomination in this same award category.

Nomination Process: See nomination process below for full details. The Nomination Package for the IMS Innovation in Education Award is required to include elements #1, 2, and 6 in addition to providing:

• description of innovation, including corresponding needs assessment in support of its development,
• statement of innovation’s objectives/goals/outcomes,
• copy of or live link to the program/conference agenda (if applicable),
• data demonstrating objectives/goals/outcomes were accomplished, and
• participant comments and/or evidence of educational effectiveness. 

Award Description: This award may be presented annually in recognition of an IMS graduate student who has made significant contributions to graduate education. 

Award Criteria:

• Evidence of positive impact specific to graduate education / IMS students
• Evidence of leadership
• Quantity and quality of contributions specific to graduate level education

Award Eligibility: Graduate students who are registered (full-time or part-time) with a Basic Science Department or Institute in the Temerty Faculty of Medicine.

A previous winner of the IMS Student Contribution to Graduate Education Award is eligible for re-nomination in this award category after a period of five years.

Nomination Process: See nomination process below for full details. The Nomination Package for the IMS Student Contribution to Graduate Education Award is required to include elements #1, 4, and 5.

Award Description: This award may be presented annually for exceptional sustained contributions to graduate level education that positively impacts IMS students. Contributions may include teaching, administration, program evaluation, etc.  It is expected that nominees have contributed to learning that extends beyond the limits of a traditional course.

Award Criteria:

• Evidence of commitment to, and excellence in, IMS education
• Evidence of positive impact specific to graduate education / IMS students
• Evidence of leadership
• Quantity and quality of contributions specific to graduate level education
• Evidence of effective use of innovative resources pertinent to IMS education

Award Eligibility: Faculty members, IMS staff, and IMS course administrators who hold their appointment in Basic Science Departments or Institutes in the Temerty Faculty of Medicine and have directly contributed to IMS education for at least 10 years.

A previous winner of the IMS Sustained Excellence Award is not eligible for re-nomination in this same award category.

Nomination Process: See nomination process below for full details. The Nomination Package for the IMS Course Director Awards is required to include elements #1 - 6.

Nominees for the IMS Awards in Education must be nominated by a student (current or former) or another faculty member; self-nominations are not accepted. Please ensure that the Letter of Nomination clearly states the award category, provides a thorough justification for the nomination that aligns with the specific award criteria, and lists the nominee’s contact information.

The Letter of Nomination should not exceed 500 words and should be formatted as either an email or a single PDF document. The nominator should email the Letter of Nomination by the Step 1 deadline to cc.medscience@utoronto.ca

All Letters of Nomination received by the Step 1 deadline will be reviewed by the IMS Curriculum Committee and a short-list of nominees (max. 3 per category) will be contacted directly. Short-listed nominees will be responsible for compiling and submitting their Nomination Package according to the required elements of the award. The entire Nomination Package may include, in order:

1. Supporting Letters (maximum of 1-2 pages each) from:
   • Students (other than nominator, current or former, minimum of 2 and maximum of 3).
   • Colleagues (other than nominator, minimum of 1 and maximum of 2).
2. Summary of Student Evaluations (maximum of 5 pages), such as teaching evaluation scores.
3. Nominees Statement of Teaching Philosophy (maximum of 1-2 pages).
4. Summary of Nominee’s Contributions to Teaching/Education (maximum of 4 pages) that highlights accomplishments and teaching innovation relevant to the specific award criteria.
5. Nominee’s Current Abridged CV (maximum of 10 pages).
6. Teaching Materials, with associated brief description of why materials are relevant to application (maximum of 10 pages).

The entire Nomination Package should be formatted as a single PDF document and emailed, by the nominee, to cc.medscience@utoronto.ca

• 2004: David Streiner
• 2005: Frances Silverman
• 2006: Gary Levy and Atul Humar
• 2009: Paul Corey
• 2010: Howard Mount
• 2012: Jonathan Hellmann
• 2013: Michael Wiley
• 2014: Martin McKneally
• 2015: Heather Ross
• 2016: Jim Eubanks
• 2017: Mojgan Hodaie
• 2018: Joseph Ferenbok
• 2021: Tony George and Margaret Hahn
• 2022: Marianne Koritzinsky
• 2023: Nancy Olivieri 

• 2004: John Marshall
• 2005: Paul Corey
• 2006: Jay Keystone
• 2007: Ori Rotstein
• 2008: Maria McDonald
• 2009: Heather Ross
• 2010: Nicholas Woolridge
• 2011: Zafiris Daskalakis
• 2012: Lili-Naz Hazrati
• 2013: Muhammad Mamdani
• 2014: Marc Stewart Dryer
• 2015: Daniel Drucker
• 2016: Steffen-Sebastian Bolz
• 2017: Jane Freeman
• 2018: Michael Szego
• 2021: Erik Spence and Marcelo Ponce
• 2022: Pamela Plant
• 2023: Katie Dainty 

• 2022: Michelle Dubinsky and Lisa Eunyoung Lee
• 2023: Ergi Duli and Nairy Khodabakhshian

• 2022: Anne Agur
• 2023: Mojgan Hodaie