Dr. Nasia Safdar, MD, PhD (AΩA, University of Wisconsin School of Medicine and Public Health, 2021, Faculty), is Professor of Infectious Diseases, the Associate Chief of Staff for Research at the William S. Middleton VA Hospital and the Associate Dean for Clinical Trials at the University of Wisconsin School of Medicine and Public Health. She is board certified in infectious diseases. She has served in a variety of leadership roles within UW and UW Health, including serving as medical director for infection control during the COVID-19 pandemic where she led pandemic preparedness for UW Health. Her research focus is to reduce health care-associated infections by identifying, testing, and implementing promising interventions. In her role as Associate Dean, she aims to expand the depth and breadth of her institution’s clinical trial portfolio to improve health outcomes. She is a fellow of the Executive Leadership in Academic Medicine (ELAM) program, recipient of the 2018 NIH Director’s New Innovator Award and was awarded a Presidential Early Career Award for Scientists and Engineers in 2017 by the Obama administration for her research in health care-associated infections. Her leadership project will develop a strategic plan for increasing clinical research capacity in medical schools and health systems. Her mentors are Drs. David Andes (AΩA, University of Wisconsin School of Medicine and Public Health, 2022, Faculty), William A. Craig Professor, Departments of Medicine and Medical Microbiology and Immunology Head, Division of Infectious Diseases, Univeristy of Wisconsin; Robert Golden (AΩA, University of Wisconsin School of Medicine and Public Health, 2016, Faculty), Dean, School of Medicen and Public Health and Vice Chancellor for Medical Affairs, UW-Madison; and Alan Kaplan, CEO UW Health.
Chad R. Stickrath, MD, FACP (AΩA, University of Colorado School of Medicine, 2016, Faculty), is an Associate Professor of Medicine and Assistant Dean for Medical Education at the University of Colorado School of Medicine. Dr. Stickrath graduated with Honors in Biology from The Ohio State University and was awarded his MD degree from the Medical College of Ohio at Toledo. He completed his Internal Medicine residency and Chief residency at the University of Colorado Denver. From 2014 – 2021, as the Assistant Dean for Education at the Colorado Springs Branch, Dr. Stickrath led the development and implementation of an innovative longitudinal integrated clerkship model for the core clinical year and the addition and training of approximately two hundred new faculty preceptors. Dr. Stickrath helped lead a major curriculum redesign for the CUSOM and subsequently transitioned into the role of Assistant Dean for Medical Education, Post-Clerkship Curriculum where he is leading the development and implementation of a novel post-clerkship curriculum aimed at helping students deepen their knowledge and skills as well-rounded physicians-in-training, choose and prepare for their chose residency and enhance their ability to positively transform the health of their future community beyond their direct clinical practice. This new curriculum will include required leadership outcomes and competencies for students. Dr. Stickrath also serves as the Co-Director for the University of Colorado School of Medicine’s Teaching Scholars Program, which teaches local rising medical education leaders about curriculum development and educational scholarship. He is a member of the University of Colorado’s Academy of Medical Educators, was formerly the Chair for the Colorado American College of Physician’s Council for Early Career Physicians and member of the Society of General Internal Medicine’s Education Committee. He was inducted as a faculty member into the Alpha Omega Alpha honor society for excellence in teaching, is a past winner of the American College of Physicians Outstanding Young Physician in Colorado Award and the University of Colorado Academy of Medical Educators’ Educational Research and Scholarship Award. His mentors include Dr. David Hirsh, Associate Dean for Undergraduate Medical Education, Harvard Medical School; Dr. Jay MacGregor, (AΩA, University of North Dakota School of Medicine and Health Sciences, 2020, Resident), 2021 AOA Fellow in Leadership, Deputy Chief of Staff, VA Eastern Colorado Healthcare System; and Dr. Shanta Zimmer (AΩA, Emory University School of Medicine, 2000, Resident), Associate Dean of Diversity and Inclusion,and Senior Associate Dean of Medical Education, Univeristy of Colorado School of Medicine. Dr. Stickrath’s leadership project involves implementing a required flexible, individualized leadership curriculum for medical students to complete during their post-clerkship phase of medical school.
Dr. Chad Vercio, MD (AΩA, Loma Linda University School of Medicine, 2022, Faculty), attended Loma Linda University School of Medicine and stayed at Loma Linda to complete residency in Internal Medicine and Pediatrics in 2009. He has held a variety of educational roles in the Loma Linda Department of Pediatrics including associate clerkship director, associate program director of the pediatric residency program and currently is the director for the pediatric primary care track. He is also the Chair of the Pediatric Department at Riverside University Health System which is a safety net hospital for Riverside County, California. He practices both inpatient and outpatient pediatrics and is also a primary physician for intellectually disabled adults. His leadership project involves professional identity formation for better prepare residents as future physician leaders. His mentors are Alexandra Clark, MD (AΩA, Albany Medical College, 1999), 2021 AOA Fellow in Leadership, Division Chief, General Division Chief, General Pediatrics; Loma Linda University Children’s Health; Assistant Pro- fessor of Pediatrics, Loma Linda University School of Medicine; Daniel Giang, MD (AΩA, Loma Linda University School of Medicine, 1999, Faculty), Vice President and Associate Dean for Graduate Medical Education, Loma Linda University Health, Professor of Neurology, Loma Linda University School of Medicine; and Tamara Thomas, MD (AΩA, Loma Linda University School of Medicine, 2003, Alunmus), Dean, Loma Linda University School of Medicine; Professor of Emergency Medicine, Loma Linda University School of Medicine; Executive Vice President for Medical Affairs, Loma Linda University Health.
Recipients will receive $30,000 funding to be used for further development of their leadership skills through a specific year-long project. AΩA Fellow in Leadership awards are presented annually to mid-career physicians who are demonstrating outstanding leadership within their organizations. To apply to the Fellow in Leadership program please visit https://www.alphaomegaalpha.org/programs/fellow-in-leadership/.
