UWs Wyoming WWAMI Program Faculty Members Receive Awards

Two University of Wyoming WWAMI Medical Education Program faculty members recently were recognized for their dedication to student learning.

Dr. Dana Govaerts, a clinical assistant professor, and Emily Schmitt, Wyoming WWAMI research coordinator and an assistant professor in the UW Division of Kinesiology and Health, were honored by the University of Washington School of Medicine (UWSOM).

UWSOM is the only medical school for the WWAMI (Washington, Wyoming, Alaska, Montana, Idaho) Medical Education Program.

Govaerts received three WWAMI Pro Awards during the May-August 2022 award cycle. WWAMI Pro is a medical student-driven recognition program that honors individuals who contribute to positive, respectful and supportive learning environments. Govaerts was the only individual awarded multiple times during this period.

“The WWAMI Pro Awards are for people who have gone above and beyond in contributing positively to the student experience, especially in exhibiting and bringing to life professional values through their actions,” says Dr. Molly Jackson, assistant dean for clinical mentoring at UWSOM. “Dana makes our school and the clinical programs better through her contributions.”

Schmitt received one of five research mentor awards. These awards are given to faculty members who are mentors of medical students on summer research projects that take place in between their first and second years of medical school. Of the 25 nominations, Schmitt was the only nominee who was not based in Seattle.

“Dr. Schmitt has truly increased the profile of the research offerings for medical students at the University of Wyoming during her tenure as the research coordinator,” says Wyoming WWAMI Director Brant Schumaker. “Wyoming is now seen as a destination for research for medical students throughout the five-state WWAMI region. We are so fortunate to have such dedicated faculty in the Wyoming WWAMI foundation site. Thanks to these fantastic individuals and the rest of the WWAMI team, our students have an experience second to none.”

For more information about the Wyoming WWAMI program, go to www.uwyo.edu/wwami.

About the College of Health Sciences

UW’s College of Health Sciences trains health and wellness professionals and researchers in a wide variety of disciplines, including medicine, nursing, pharmacy, communication disorders, social work, kinesiology, community and public health, and disability studies.

The college also oversees residency and fellowship programs in Casper and Cheyenne, as well as operating primary care and speech/hearing clinics in Laramie, Casper and Cheyenne. With more than 1,600 undergraduate, graduate and professional students, the college is dedicated to training the health and wellness workforce of Wyoming and conducting high-quality research and community engagement, with a particular focus on rural and frontier populations.