A Season of Honors

The College of Medicine has had much cause to celebrate our distinguished faculty, professional staff and students.

Honor Society Inductions

The College of Medicine inducted its newest members into the Alpha Omega Alpha Honor Medical Society and Gold Humanism Honor Society during a ceremony and banquet on March 25, 2026, at the Hilton Philadelphia City Avenue.

During the ceremony, 47 students, five residents and fellows, and four faculty members were inducted into the Gold Humanism Honor Society, which champions humanism in healthcare through compassion, collaboration and scientific excellence. The society “empowers experts, learners and leaders to together create systems and cultures that support humanistic care for all.”

Drexel’s chapter of Alpha Omega Alpha, the Delta Zeta chapter, welcomed 61 students, five faculty members, 13 residents and two alumni. The society holds the belief that the medical profession can improve care for everyone by “recognizing high educational achievement, honoring gifted teaching, encouraging the development of leaders in academia and the community, supporting the ideals of humanism and promoting service to others.” In addition to inducting new members, the AOA presented the annual Volunteer Clinical Faculty Award to Daniel R. Taylor, associate professor of pediatrics.

See a list of all honor society inductees and photos of the event.

Golden Apple Awards

The annual Golden Apple Awards recognize outstanding service, teaching and mentoring by College of Medicine faculty and professional staff. The honorees are nominated by each class of medical students, who vote to determine the award winners. In a note sent to this year’s recipients, Charles B. Cairns, MD, Walter H. and Leonore Annenberg Dean, and senior vice president of medical affairs and Drexel Health Operations, thanked the award recipients for their “commitment to creating a rich and supportive learning environment” and helping “prepare the next generation of physicians to serve with humanity and humility.” This year, a Golden Apple was named in honor of Cheryl Hanau, MD, professor and Richard Shuman, MD, Chair of the Department of Pathology & Laboratory Medicine, who has received about two dozen awards over her years of service. View the 2026 Golden Apple Award recipients.

Philadelphia Magazine Top Doctors

More than 40 College of Medicine faculty members were named to Philadelphia magazine’s list of 2026 Top Docs. The list is generated in partnership with Castle Connolly Medical Ltd., and is based on nominations from physicians’ peers. The faculty honored this year come from a range of specialties including otolaryngology, psychiatry, sports medicine, internal medicine, geriatrics, plastic surgery, general and orthopedic surgery, and pediatrics. View the list of this year’s Top Docs.

Dean’s Awards

Recipients of the Dean’s Awards for Excellence in Clinical Teaching and the Dean’s Excellence Awards were acknowledged during the Commencement ceremony and honored at a luncheon afterward. The Excellence in Clinical Teaching Awards, established in 1993, recognize exceptional educators at clinical sites. Awardees are selected based on student rotation evaluations, with input from the administration and the Dean’s Office. Honorees demonstrate a strong commitment to Drexel medical students and span our affiliate and regional medical campuses. The Dean’s Excellence Awards, created in 2025, recognize outstanding contributions and achievements by faculty and professional staff in the College of Medicine’s education, research, clinical practice and leadership missions. See a list of Dean’s Award recipients.