The Scope E-Newsletter July 2009 Awards Issue Excellence Awards

The Graduate School of Medicine recently honored employees with the third annual Employee Excellence Awards program. Excellence Awards are given to staff members who go beyond the scope of their jobs by providing outstanding job performance, courtesy and customer service, community service and leadership.

Excellence in Community Service
Rose Marie Spangler-Mitchell
Senior Lab Technologist, Family Medicine

Spangler-Mitchell was chosen for her life-long commitment to community service. She began as a candy striper in Bristol at 14 years old and since then has volunteered with the Red Cross, Mission of Hope, Junior Olympics, Knoxville Marathon and Gatlinburg 4th of July Midnight Parade. She has also served internationally through mission trips to Nigeria, Ghana, Haiti and Peru.

In nominating Spangler-Mitchell, Kelly McDaniel, MPH, Administrative Director and Instructor, said, "Rose-Marie is a VOLunteer. She gives back to the hospital, Graduate School of Medicine, the department, our community and other countries. She also encourages others to join her."

Excellence in Courtesy and Customer Service
Rebecca Higdon
Administrative Coordinator, Family Medicine

Higdon spearheaded Electronic Medical Records (EMR) efforts for Family Medicine. She trains staff, residents and faculty on EMR and is a point of contact for the patients for medical records. She is currently working with other departments to setup and implement EMR.

Kelly McDaniel, MPH, Administrative Director and Instructor, said, "Rebecca is a hard worker who is well liked and respected by her coworkers, the residents and faculty. She is committed to her customer base and ensures their needs are met."

Excellence in Job Performance
Laura Wolfe
Library Associate, Preston Medical Library

Wolfe, using her expertise in interlibrary loans, changed the borrowing process to reflect libraries Preston has a reciprocal relationship with, providing a significant cost savings to Preston library. She has used her skills to implement cataloging records and perform other technical duties typically handled by a librarian, impacting future policies and procedures.

In nominating Wolfe, Sandy Oelschlegel, MLIS, Director, said, "Laura's practicality and ability to multi-task, combined with her common sense and technical skills, make her a perfect fit for the job."

Excellence in Leadership
Stacy Kirkpatrick
Research Supervisor, Surgery Vascular Research Laboratory

Through the guidance of Kirkpatrick, more than 90 percent of students in the Vascular Research Laboratory have been accepted to medical school. Two students have received doctorates of philosophy in biomedical research. Many fellows and residents have obtained academic positions. The lab has produced a large volume of publications, received significant extramural funding and has become an avatar of what an academic research laboratory should be.

Mitchell Goldman, MD, Professor and Chair, said, "For the past 10 years Stacy has been the backbone of the teaching and research efforts of the Vascular Research Laboratory. Her management has continually led to outstanding research opportunities for faculty, residents, medical students, pre-med students and post-doctoral candidates."

Honorable Mentions
This year, in addition to the overall winners, the following employees have been recognized as outstanding nominees in the Employee Excellence Awards program. Congratulations to the following:

Performance:
Tammy Devine, Business Manager, Business Office
Conchita Bowling, LPN II, Internal Medicine and Obstetrics and Gynecology
Debbie Lichlyter, Medical Administrative Coordinator, Radiology
Debra Blaylock, Administrative Services Assistant, Radiology

Leadership:
Paige Rinehart, Medical Administrative Coordinator, Anesthesiology

The Employee Excellence Awards are given annually in June. A complete list of guidelines as well as the nomination form can be found on the GSM Pulse Intranet site.