Alumni Society presents annual awards recognizing excellence in the teaching and practice of medicine
In recognition of significant contributions to the educational mission of The Ohio State University College of Medicine and to the practice of medicine, the Ohio State College of Medicine Alumni Society presented six awards at a celebration on Sept. 4. The annual awards for Alumni Achievement, Alumni Service, Community Practice, Early Career Achievement and Faculty Teaching were awarded to E. Christopher Ellison, MD, ’83 Res and Richard D. Parker ’81 MD; Charles L. Hamilton III, MD, ’08 Res; Sarah Sams ’91 MD; Christopher Nau ’13 MD; and Philicia S. Duncan, MD, for their dedication and outstanding accomplishments.
Eric Altneu ’15 MD, president of the Medical Alumni Society, and Carol R. Bradford, MD, MS, FACS, dean of the Ohio State College of Medicine, welcomed attendees before the group shared a meal and honored the award recipients.
With more than 18,000 medical alumni living around the world, Dr. Bradford spoke about the lasting impact of their work and emphasized the importance of staying connected to the college’s distinctive identity and mission.
“It takes a deeply talented community to power our tripartite mission –– and our alumni are central to that effort,” Dr. Bradford said. “Your achievements have made it possible for us to grow with purpose and vision. You truly embody the spirit of Buckeye excellence, and I am grateful for your continued engagement with our college.”
Alumni achievement: making a difference
This year, we had two recipients for the Alumni Achievement Award: E. Christopher Ellison, MD, ’83 Res and Richard D. Parker ’81 MD. Created in 1947 to acknowledge distinguished career achievements in contributions to the practice of medicine and to society, the award honors service, leadership and scholarship.
Dr. Ellison has remained at the forefront of laparoscopic surgery and has served in numerous leadership roles in the profession, including as president of the American College of Surgeons, the American Surgical Association and the Central Surgical Association, and as chair of the American Board of Surgery. At Ohio State, he is the Robert M. Zollinger Professor Emeritus of Surgery, and spearheaded the academic foundation of the Department of Surgery and promoted establishing the departments of Neurosurgery, Plastic Surgery and Urology in the College of Medicine.
Dr. Parker is nationally and internationally known for his dedication to the field of orthopedics and arthroscopic knee surgery. He retired in February from the Cleveland Clinic Foundation (CCF) after 37 years of practice. Prior to joining the foundation, Parker trained and practiced at the Mount Sinai Medical Center in Cleveland. He held many clinical and leadership positions, including as president of CCF Hillcrest/Mentor Hospital and East Region Ohio Market. His research and innovative teaching have led to residents and fellows excelling as physicians.
Charles L. Hamilton III, MD, ’08 Res, received the Alumni Service Award for his extraordinary levels of commitment and service to academic medicine at Ohio State. He has over 15 years of clinical expertise and currently serves as an associate clinical professor and as the perioperative medical director at Ohio State East Hospital.
Dr. Altneu presented the Community Practice Alumni Award to Sarah Sams ’91 MD, a family physician, educator and advocate for family medicine. After spending 13 years in private practice, she returned to her residency program, the Grant family medicine residency here in Columbus, as an associate director and full-time faculty member.
The Early Career Achievement Award was presented to Christopher Nau ’13 MD, who is an assistant professor in the Department of Reproductive Biology at Case Western Reserve University School of Medicine and also is the director of the Diabetes in Pregnancy Program at University Hospitals in Cleveland.
The evening concluded with the presentation of the 2025 Faculty Teaching Award to Philicia S. Duncan, MD, associate clinical professor of Internal Medicine at Ohio State, where she’s deeply involved in medical education, quality and health improvement and institutional advancement.
Year after year, the members of the Alumni Awards Committee devote their time and service to selecting the outstanding award recipients. This annual gathering is a storied event celebrating colleagues’ remarkable achievements through service, education and incredible professional accomplishments. Read more about each of the 2025 Alumni Award recipients.
