Awards Program
As part of our mission the Foundation recognizes the outstanding contributions of our members to post-acute and long-term care medicine with the following annual awards:
- Clinician of the Year Award
- Medical Director of the Year Award
- William Dodd Founder’s Award for Distinguished Service
- James Pattee Award for Excellence in Education
Each award has its own nomination and selection criteria and procedures. Please visit each individual award for more information.
Accepting applications for 2024 Awards July 1 – September 30.
2024 Award Winners will be announced at PALTC24 – AMDA’s Annual Conference , Spring 2024.
2024 Nominations will begin July 1, 2023 and run until September 30, 2023.

Clinician of the Year Award

2023 Clinician of the Year Award
Vikas Reddy, MD
The Clinician of the Year Award recognizes members of the interdisciplinary (IDT) team who serve in PALTC settings. It honors a licensed health-care practitioner who is directly involved in treating and caring for people in PALTC settings and who embodies excellence in patient/resident care.
The 2023 Clinician of the Year award winner was announced at PALTC23.
The recipient was Vikas Reddy, MD. His nominator noted that “Dr. Reddy demonstrates a high level of professional competence in ongoing clinical, ethical, and social educational initiatives with providers in our practice as well as nursing staff in the skilled and long-term care communities we serve. He is recognized as a strong advocate for our patients and residents and demonstrates compassion and thoughtfulness in his interactions with them and their families. His collaborative approach with other team members has established him as a role model amongst his peers and associates. Involvement in community medical services is important to him and he is constantly developing new projects to bring clinical insight and guidance to the vulnerable populations we serve.” Strong testimonials from a number of his team members were also concluded.
2023 AWARD WINNER VIDEO
AWARD ELIGIBILITY
- AMDA member in good standing
- Licensed practitioners providing direct care in PALTC settings including physicians, advanced practice providers, mental health practitioners, social workers, physical or occupational therapists (ie. Nurse Practitioners, Physician Assistants, PharmD).
- Settings of practice including skilled nursing facility, private practice/practice management group, assisted living, or Program of All Inclusive Care for the Elderly (PACE).
HOW TO SUBMIT A NOMINATION
You may nominate an individual for the 2024 Clinician of the Year award by completing the information requested below. Nominations for the Clinician of the Year award are due September 30, 2023.
Nomination letters should be submitted in a Word document, double-spaced using Arial font size 11, not to exceed 3 pages. Once complete, you may upload this with the nominee’s current Curriculum Vitae (CV) on the nomination site at paltcfoundation.org.
To aid you in the preparation for your nomination, it is recommended that you contact the nominee to inquire into the specific activities or examples as required in clinical skills, collaboration, advocacy, and leadership, and to obtain their
current CV.
- Narrative & Nominee Professional Information (Required): Please list address the categories listed below with specific examples thathighlight why this person should be selected.
- Clinical skills– competence through continuing education, including ethical and social issues, exemplary
interaction with patients/residents and families - Collaboration with other members of the team
- Advocacy
- Leadership
- Please include quotes or information from others in support of your nomination.
CLINICIAN OF THE YEAR AWARD APPLICATION
You may nominate an individual for the 2024 Clinician of the Year Award in Eduction by completing the information requested below.
Medical Director of the Year Award

2023 Medical Director of the Year Award
Rani Rao, MD, FMCP, CMD
The Medical Director of the Year Award recognizes those individuals whose vision, passion, leadership, knowledge, and commitment succeed in taking patient care to exceptional levels of quality, excellence, and innovation.
The 2023 Medical Director of the Year award recipient—Rani Rao, MD, FMCP, CMD—received her award at the PALTC23 Annual Conference in Tampa, FL, on March 9, 2022.
Dr. Rao’s nominator said: “When Dr. Rao arrived at Coler on March 30, 2020, NYC was the epicenter of the COVID-19 Pandemic in our country, and all of her efforts became focused on dealing with this public health crisis of an unprecedented nature. From day one, she rounded with our frontline workforce on the nursing units, conducting group meetings to help calm their fears and apprehension while doing all that she could do to get them sufficient supplies and PPE, and to obtain emergency replacement staff for our health care workers who became ill from COVID-19. Throughout the pandemic months, she worked diligently with other key leaders at Coler to maintain close lines of communication between residents and their families, arranging interdisciplinary meetings via videoconference to discuss plans of care.”
2023 AWARD WINNER VIDEO
PAST WINNERS
Recipients of the Medical Director of the Year Award
2022 Swati Gaur, MD, MBA, CMD
2021 Leslie Beth Eber, MD, CMD
2020 Fred Feinsod, MD, CMD
2019 Charles Crecelius MD, PhD, CMD
2018 Eric Hasemeier, DO, MBA, CMD
2017 Joshua Schor, MD, CMD
2016 David A. LeVine, MD, CMD
2015 Patricia A. Chace, MD, CMD
2014 Sandra Liliana Oakes, MD CMD
2013 Rocco Vivenzio, MD, CMD
2012 Noel DeBacker, MD, CMD
2011 Sabine von Preyss-Friedman, MD, CMD
2010 Robert Schreiber, MD, CMD
2009 Rebecca L. Ferrini MD, MPH, CMD
2008 J. Kenneth Brubaker, MD, CMD
2007 Timothy Malloy, MD, CMD
AWARD ELIGIBILITY
- A physician in good standing with the community and profession
- An AMDA member
- A Certified Medical Director (CMD)
- An experienced medical director (3 or more years)
- An experienced attending physician in a nursing facility(ies)
- A proven team leader
- A proven clinical leader
- Involved in community activities
- An effective educator
HOW TO SUBMIT A NOMINATION
You may nominate an individual for the 2024 Medical Director of the Year award by completing the information requested below. Nominations for the Medical Director of the Year award are due September 30, 2023.
The nomination letter should be submitted in a Word document, double-spaced using Arial font size 11, using this form as a guide to complete and not exceed three pages. Once complete, you may upload this with the nominee’s current Curriculum Vitae (CV).
Narrative:
- Experience in Years
- Service History – Facilities served and dates of service as medical director.
- Include quotes or information from other facility leaders (e.g., Administrator and DON) in
support of your nomination application. - Incorporated psych-emotional components (e.g., How he/she makes staff, colleagues, and
patients feel)
Describe in detail activities and examples of success with measured outcomes when available in each of the categories.
- Medical Director Activities –: team leader, clinical leader, staff education, and community involvement
- Team leadership – e.g. established a wound care team
- Clinical leadership – e.g. implemented practice guidelines on falls prevention
- Education of facility staff – e.g. in-service topics, state or national presentations
- Community involvement – e.g. represents and supports the facility in the broader medical community, holds monthly advance directives clinics at the local senior center
To aid you in the preparation for your nomination it is recommended that you contact the nominee to inquire into the specific activities or examples as required in clinical skills, collaboration, advocacy, and leadership, and to obtain their CV.
Before you get started, consider the following:
- Review AMDA’s Role and Responsibilities of the Medical Director and compile examples of how your medical director fulfills these.
- Cite examples of how your medical director collaborates with the interdisciplinary team.
- Gather examples of the everyday contributions he/she makes as well as extraordinary and exceptional contributions.
MEDICAL DIRECTOR OF THE YEAR AWARD APPLICATION
You may nominate an individual for the 2024 Medical Director of the Year Award by completing the information requested below.
William Dodd Founder’s Award

2023 William Dodd Founder’s Award
Arif Nazir, MD, CMD
The William Dodd Founder’s Award for Distinguished Service recognizes significant contributions to building the Society’s organizational strength, image, and mission by promoting the development of competent, compassionate, and committed medical practitioners. It is named for AMDA Founder William Dodd, MD, CMD.
At PALTC23, the award was presented to Arif Nazir, MD, CMD.
“Arif has held every significant position in AMDA over the years. His presidency energized…the average, frontline AMDA member in a positive way. His push for increased technology utilization in PALTC was the first movement for the increased utilization of information technology for frontline clinicians,” his nominator noted. “He has put AMDA and its clinicians in a positive spotlight. He has pushed care initiatives to his and other chains of facilities in quality initiatives and the use of intradisciplinary team members. To know him is to sense his impetus for positive change in PALTC.”
2023 AWARD WINNER VIDEO
2023 AWARD WINNER | The William Dodd Founder’s Award for Distinguished Service: Arif Nazir, MD, CMD
PAST WINNERS
Recipients of the William Dodd Founder’s Award for Distinguished Service
2022 Michael Wasserman, MD, CMD
2021 Barbara Resnick, PhD, CRNP
2020 Keith Rapp, MD, CMD
2019 David Smith, MD, CMD
2018 Paul Katz, MD, CMD
2017 Jonathan Musher, MD, CMD
2016 Karyn Leible, MD, CMD
2015 J. Kenneth Brubaker, MD, CMD
2014 Jeffrey Burl, MD, CMD
2013 Paul Drinka, MD, CMD
2012 Steven Levenson, MD, CMD
2011 William D. Smucker, MD, CMD
2010 Charles Crecelius, MD, PhD, FACP, CMD
2009 Daniel Haimowitz, MD, FACP, CMD
2008 Charles A. Cefalu, MD, MS
2007 Daniel Osterweil, MD, MscEd, CMD
2006 Leonard Gelman, MD, CMD
2005 James E. Lett II, MD, CMD
2004 Randall Huss, MD, CMD
2003 Dennis Stone, MD, MBA, CMD
2002 Keith Krein, MD, CMD
2001 Cheryl Phillips, MD, CMD
2000 Eric Tangalos, MD, CMD
1999 Monte J. Levinson, MD, CMD
1998 Nicholas Owen, MD, CMD
1997 William Dodd, MD, CMD
AWARD ELIGIBILITY
- A physician, physician assistant, or advanced nurse practitioner in good standing with the community and profession.
- Active in the field of post-acute & long-term care.
- AMDA member in good standing.
- Not a current officer on the AMDA, ABPLM or Foundation boards.
HOW TO SUBMIT A NOMINATION
You may nominate an individual for the 2024 William Dodd Founder’s Award by completing the nomination form. The 2024 Dodd award will be presented at PALTC24 – AMDA’s annual conference.
Nominations for the William Dodd Founder’s Award are due September 30, 2023.
Nomination letters should be submitted in a Word document, double-spaced using Arial font size 11, using this form as a guide to complete and not to exceed 2 pages. Once complete, you may upload this with the nominee’s current Curriculum Vitae (CV).
Narrative: Provide specific contributions and examples that the nominee has made to build the organizational strength, image, and mission of AMDA, and advance the Society’s goals to improve care delivered to patients throughout the long-term care continuum. Include quotes or information provided by others in support of your nomination as appropriate.
To aid you in the preparation for your nomination it is recommended that you contact the nominee to inquire into the specific activities or examples as required in this nomination and leadership, and to obtain their CV.
WILLIAM DODD AWARD APPLICATION
You may nominate an individual for the 2024 William Dodd Founder’s Award by completing the information requested below.
James Pattee Award for Excellence in Education

2023 James Pattee Award – Joint Recipient
Philip Sloane, MD, MPH
PAST WINNERS
Recipients of the James Pattee Award for Exellence in Education
2022 Peter Jaggard, MD, CMD, FACP
2021 Michele F. Bellantoni, MD, CMD
2020 Robert Kaplan, MD, CMD
2019 Naushira Pandya, MD, CMD
2018 Jeffrey B. Burl, MD, CMD
2017 Matthew S. Wayne, MD, CMD
2016 Verna Reynolds Sellers, MD, CMD
2015 Jonathan Evans, MD, MPH, CMD
2014 Heidi White, MD, MHS, MEd, CMD
2013 Leslie S. Libow, MD, CMD
2012 Paul Katz, MD, CMD
2011 John E. Morley, MB, BCH
2010 Cari Levy, MD, PhD, CMD
2009 Cheryl L. Phillips MD, CMD, AGSF
2008 Leonard Gelman, MD, CMD
2007 Daniel L. Swagerty, MD, MPH, CMD
2006 Catherine Kiley, DO, CMD
2005 David Brechtelsbauer, MD, CMD
2004 Janice Knebl, DO, CMD
2003 Michael Maddens, MD, CMD
2002 Jonathan Musher, MD, CMD
2001 Alva Baker III, MD, CMD
2000 David A. Smith, MD, FAAFP, CMD
1999 Larry Lawhorne, MD, CMD
1998 Steven A. Levenson, MD, CMD
1997 James Pattee, MD, CMD
The James Pattee Award for Excellence in Education recognizes significant contributions to enhance AMDA-The Society’s educational structure and framework, to advance education specific to PALTC practice, and to promote AMDA leadership via educational endeavors within the LTC continuum. It was established to honor James Pattee, MD, CMD, the father of the AMDA Certification Program and the Core Curriculum program.
The 2023 award had joint recipients: Sheryl Zimmerman, PhD, and Philip Sloane, MD, MPH.
As their nominator explained, “[Drs. Sloane and Zimmerman have] performed the editor’s role for
JAMDA in an exemplary fashion. Always a voice for PALTC and AMDA, JAMDA has fulfilled that role
incredibly well with their leadership. The journal has been elevated to a higher position in the academic world and made JAMDA the preeminent publication for PALTC. Worldwide articles have been solicited, edited, then accepted and published. Editorial articles have defined PALTC, outlining where it has been and where it should be headed. Many of those editorial articles have been penned by Drs. Sloane and Zimmerman, with the balance crafted by PALTC thought leaders. Drs. Sloane and Zimmerman are the exemplars of Jim Pattee’s vision for AMDA.”
2023 AWARD WINNERS VIDEO
James Pattee Award for Excellence in Education – Joint Recipients: Philip Sloane, MD, MPH and Sheryl Zimmerman. PhD

2023 James Pattee Award – Joint Recipient
Sheryl Zimmerman, PhD
AWARD ELIGIBILITY
- A physician, physician assistant or advanced nurse practitioner in good standing with the community and profession.
- Active in the field of post-acute & long-term care.
- AMDA member in good standing.
- Not a current officer on the AMDA, ABPLM or Foundation boards.
HOW TO SUBMIT A NOMINATION
You may nominate an individual for the 2024 James Pattee Award for Excellence in Education by completing the nomination form. The 2024 Pattee award will be presented at PALTC24 – AMDA’s Annual Conference.
Nominations for the James Pattee Award for Excellence in Education are due on September 30, 2023.
Nomination letters should be submitted in a Word document, double-spaced using Arial font size 11, using this form as a guide to complete and do not exceed 2 pages. Once complete, you may upload this with the nominee’s current Curriculum Vitae (CV).
Narrative: Provide specific contributions and examples that the nominee has made to advance the educational goals of AMDA, and as a leader in PALTC education across the PALTC continuum. Include quotes or information provided by others in support of your nomination as appropriate.
To aid you in the preparation for your nomination it is recommended that you contact the nominee to inquire into the specific activities or examples as required in this nomination and leadership, and to obtain their CV.
JAMES PATTEE AWARD APPLICATION
*Required Fields
You may nominate an individual for the 2024 James Pattee Award for Excellence in Education by completing the information requested below.