MGC faculty receive awards at 2023 commencement
As part of 2023 Commencement, Vanderbilt University School of Medicine’s Master of Genetic Counseling program presented sevreral faculty awards. Congratulations to the honorees.
Excellence in Mentoring: Katherine Anderson
Presented to a faculty member who embodies personal and professional mentorship of genetic counseling students, this year’s Excellence in Mentoring award was presented to Katherine Anderson. Anderson’s mentorship has guided impactful student research projects and supported the first genetic counseling rotation dedicated entirely to cardiovascular genetics.
Division of Genetic Medicine’s Grant Liddle Teaching Award: Katie Lang
The Grant Liddle Teaching Award was established in 1983 by Vanderbilt University Medical Center house staff to recognize faculty members who demonstrate exemplary leadership in the promotion of scientific research. The Division of Genetic Medicine cited Lang’s valuable supervision of MGC students, her work in helping ot reinvient the cancer unit for the Medical Genetics 2 class, and her willingness to share her wisdom and expertise with students.
Excellence in Classroom Education: Jill Slamon
Assistant Program Director Slamon was praised as “a master educator and compassionate instructor” and thanked for “all she has given to create the best genetic counseling program ever.”
Outstanding Supervisor of the Year: Arianna Guillard
This award is given each year by the MGC students, whose nomination praised Guillard’s dedication to their learning. “Frequently when we would ask Arianna a question she would respond with, “well, what do you think”? She created space for us to grow and to trust our knowledge and instincts as counselors. If there were any cases with complex inheritance patterns such as SMA or Cystic Fibrosis, she was our go-to for risk calculations or running through patient education scripts.”