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Physician honored as finalist for humanism by Cindy Abole Public Relations Patricia G. McBurney, M.D., assistant professor of pediatrics, was named among more than 50 other national physician-finalists for the 2005 Association of American Medical Colleges (AAMC) Humanism in Medicine Award. McBurney, who is a 1997 graduate of MUSC’s College of Medicine, has worked in the Department of General Pediatrics for the past six years.   Dr. Patricia G. McBurney, center, accepts the Association of American Medical Colleges Humanism in Medicine Award from Dr. Jerry Reves, and McKay Crowley Feb. 15. On Feb. 15 McBurney was formally recognized and presented with a AAMC plaque and certificate by College of Medicine Dean Jerry Reves, M.D., Jeffrey Wong, M.D., associate dean for medical education and McKay Crowley, MUSC/AAMC student representative.   McBurney is the second physician from MUSC to be nominated for this award. Terry Day, M.D., associate professor of head and neck oncology surgery, was recognized as a humanism finalist in 2004.      “I’m very appreciative of this honor. It means a lot to me, especially because it was a nomination originating from the students,” said McBurney, who works mostly with fourth-year medical students. “Teaching and working with students is one of the best things about my job. It is an experience I enjoy the most.”   McBurney returned to MUSC in 1998 and completed a two-year pediatric fellowship. She is co-director of the pediatrics clerkship and has taught in the doctoring curriculumn for the past four years. She also serves on many committees within the College of Medicine and is a member of Council On Medical Student Education in Pediatrics.   “It is an honor for a faculty member to be singled out for an award, especially in this area of merit,” said Reves. “It’s a testimony to Dr. McBurney as an individual and professional because it celebrates teaching and her commitment to guiding and mentoring our state’s future physicians.”   Each year, AAMC, with support from the Pfizer Medical Humanities Initiative, honors excellence and the outstanding qualitites of care and compassion to a medical school physician who works as both teacher and mentor to medical students.   The award, which is driven by student nominations and a special selection process, was established to strengthen and promote interaction between medical students and faculty. Candidates are judged on five qualities and characteristics: positive mentoring skills; involvement in community service; compassion/sensitivity/collaboration with students and patients; and modeling ethics of the profession.   Nominations bearing documenta-tion of the nominee’s qualities and characteristics were submitted to the AAMC’s Organization of Student Representatives (OSR) spokesperson in medical schools nationwide. The OSR was responsible for finalizing a description of award criteria, processing and coordinating an institutional selection committee composed of select medical students representatives.      “Dr. Patricia McBurney is dedicated to teaching medical students how to care for patients, rather than just treat them,” said L. Lyndon Key, M.D., chairman of pediatrics, MUSC Children’s Hospital. “She spends time to get to know her patients and their parents. She faces the tough decisions and is not afraid to protect her patients from abusive situations. She works tirelessly to demonstrate to students the importance of a strong ethical professionalism. She ensures that training is not just a word, but an action, as she directs the pediatric core course.”   “Humanism in medicine is an important quality. It is the fundamental job of our medical school, its faculty, staff and instructors to create a compassionate and collaborative learning environment that contributes to preparing our student-physicians to be caring and responsive to patients and their families. Our outstanding faculty convey these qualities to all of our medical students,” Reves said.     Friday, Jan. 13, 2006 Catalyst Online is published weekly, updated as needed and improved from time to time by the MUSC Office of Public Relations for the faculty, employees and students of the Medical University of South Carolina. Catalyst Online editor, Kim Draughn, can be reached at 792-4107 or by email, catalyst@musc.edu. Editorial copy can be submitted to Catalyst Online and to The Catalyst in print by fax, 792-6723, or by email to catalyst@musc.edu. To place an ad in The Catalyst hardcopy, call Island papers at 849-1778, ext. 201.