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Alpha Omega Alpha Robert J. Glaser Distinguished Teacher Awards

The Alpha Omega Alpha (AOA) Robert J. Glaser Distinguished Teacher Awards were established by the AOA medical honor society in 1988 to recognize faculty members who have distinguished themselves in medical student education. The award is named for longtime AOA Executive Secretary Robert J. Glaser, MD.

The Alpha Omega Alpha Robert J. Glaser Distinguished Teacher Awards recognize outstanding contributions to medical education made by gifted teachers. Up to four awards are granted each year.

Each awardee will receive a $7,500 prize. The awardee’s nominating institution will receive a grant of $2,500 for teaching activities, and, if the nominating institution has an AOA chapter, the chapter will receive a $1,000 grant for support of its activities.

Nominations are due April 3, 2026, at 11:59 p.m. ET.

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About the Award

Nominees will be evaluated on the following criteria:

  • The nominee must hold the rank of Assistant Professor or higher in either a tenure or nontenure track. 
  • The nominee’s educational accomplishments should be principally in medical student education, including innovative work and products in the support and delivery of the educational program (e.g., technological enhancements to assist medical students in the learning process). 
  • The nominee has received prior recognition as an outstanding teacher, either from their institution, another institution, or state, regional, or national organizations. 
  • The nominee demonstrates standards of professional ethics and scientific integrity.
  • Nominees who have published in the field of medical education and whose educational materials have been adopted by other institutions will be especially considered. Strong examples include grants, MedEdPORTAL contributions, and invited presentations. 
  • An institutional system for selecting candidates that provides for broad student participation and the peer judgment of faculty colleagues will be favored. 
  • Previous nominees may be nominated again. 
  • Nominations for posthumous awards cannot be considered.

Each Liaison Committee on Medical Education-accredited medical school in the United States and Canada may nominate one faculty member each year if the institution has not had a recipient of this award in the past three years. The school must designate whether the nomination is for the basic science or clinical science category. The nomination must be made by the dean of the medical school. Self-nominations are not accepted. Nominations written in first-person will be considered a self-nomination.

Completed nominations are due by April 3, 2026, at 11:59 p.m. ET. Late nominations will not be considered.

Please address all questions to:
Krystle McCloney
202-448-6622
kmccloney@aamc.org

The Alpha Omega Alpha Robert J. Glaser Distinguished Teacher Awards recognize faculty members who have distinguished themselves in medical student education.

The 2025 Alpha Omega Alpha (AΩA) Robert J. Glaser Distinguished Teacher Awards recipients are Melissa Fischer, MD, MEd, University of Massachusetts T.H. Chan School of Medicine, David Harris, PhD, University of Central Florida College of Medicine, Sherine E. Salib, MD, The University of Texas at Austin Dell Medical School, Lisa Willett, MD, MACM, FACP, University of Alabama at Birmingham Marnix E. Heersink School of Medicine.

Learn more about the recent award recipients