Prior to 2026, the Distinguished Service Award was given by the former Group on Institutional Advancement. It is now awarded by the External Relations Group.
The Distinguished Service Award recognizes individual External Relations Group members for their significant and longstanding contributions to the group, to the AAMC, and to their profession.
Recipients*
- 2026: Claire Bassett, Baylor College of Medicine
Jerry Kooiman, MPA, Michigan State University College of Human Medicine - 2025: Michael E. Knecht, FACHE, RWJBarnabas Health
- 2024: Kathy M. Dean, MA, University of Iowa Health Care
- 2023: Gary Mans, UF Health
- 2022: Karen S. Peterson, University of Wisconsin School of Medicine and Public Health
Tom Fortner, MBA, University of Mississippi Medical Center - 2021: Barry J. Collins, MBA, University of Virginia School of Medicine and University of Virginia Medical Alumni Association and Medical School Foundation
- 2020: Joni Westerhouse, Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis
- 2019: Chad Ruback, MSEd, MBA, Rosalind Franklin University
- 2018: Margaret (Maggie) McDonald, PhD, MFA, University of Pittsburgh Graduate School of Public Health
- 2017: Dale T. Tate, UCLA Health
- 2015: Patricia Comey, Drexel University College of Medicine
- 2014: Donald E. Clayton, Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis
- 2010: Elizabeth (Betsy) Platt Waters, Medical University of South Carolina
- 2008: Don Gibbons, Harvard Medical School
- 2007: Mary Sue Cheeseman, University of Cincinnati
- 2006: Elaine K. Freeman, MS, Johns Hopkins Medicine
Vicki Saito, Duke University Health System - 2001: Sondra Ives, University of Texas at Houston
- 2000: J. Antony (Tony) Swartz Lloyd, Beth Israel Deaconess
Carolyn Tinker, University of New Mexico Hospital/Bernalillo County Medical Center
*If you know of a DSA recipient not listed here, please contact us at externalrelationsgroup@aamc.org.
Eligibility Criteria
Nominees must:
- Have served in a senior leadership role at their respective institution.
- Have made contributions to the mission of the AAMC, the External Relations Group, and their professional field.
- Have served at least five years, cumulatively, as active participants in one or more of the following volunteer roles:
- Conference speaker or facilitator at the AAMC Conference for Institutional Advancement and/or Learn Serve Lead: The AAMC Annual Meeting.
- External Relations Group Steering Committee member, External Relations Group Conference/Discipline Advisory Group member, or External Relations Group Awards for Excellence judge.
- Have been External Relations Group members for at least 10 years.
- Have been External Relations Group members as recently as five years prior to the nomination year.
- Demonstrate standards of professional ethics and integrity.
Nomination Process
Candidates for the Distinguished Service Award must be nominated by a current External Relations Group member. An electronic nomination packet (no more than 10 pages) must include the following:
- A nomination letter explaining the nominee’s qualifications for the award by highlighting their specific contributions to the External Relations Group, the AAMC, and the profession. Specific examples of leadership and volunteer roles are strongly recommended.
- The letter must be doubled-spaced with 1” margins, typed in Times New Roman font size 12, and not exceed two pages. The committee will not review additional materials.
- Nominations submitted the previous year will be considered the following year and nothing new must be submitted, but updated materials will be accepted.
- A current resume or curriculum vitae (CV) for the nominee, including current contact information.
When the call is open, please send nominations to externalrelationsgroup@aamc.org.
All AAMC awardees and honorees are expected to meet the AAMC’s standards of professional ethics and integrity. By submitting the nomination, you are confirming that you have no concerns of which the AAMC should be aware regarding the nominee satisfying this expectation.
Nomination Timeline
The call for nominations will open in November and close in early January. Look for details in the November External Relations Group newsletter.
Selection Process
The External Relations Group Steering Committee reviews and selects the award recipient. This award is given at the discretion of the External Relations Group Steering Committee and may not be bestowed annually.