Leonard Tow Humanism Awards
Each year, the Pritzker graduating class honors one faculty member and graduating student who best demonstrate the Gold Foundation’s ideals of outstanding compassion in the delivery of care, respect for patients, their families, and healthcare colleagues, as well as demonstrated clinical excellence. Dr. Jean-Luc Benoit, MD, Assistant Professor of Medicine, Section of Infectious Diseases and fourth year student, Walter Conwell, received the 2007 Leonard Tow Awards at the Gold Humanism Honor Society Induction Ceremony. Below are excerpts from their introductions.
Jean-Luc Benoit, Leonard Tow Humanism Faculty Awardee
By Jeremy Nicolarsen, MS 4
Jean-Luc Benoit, MD, Leonard Tow Humanism in Medicine-Faculty Award Winner
At a medical school and medical center such as The University of Chicago one would not have to look hard to find an inspiring teacher. Be it superb patient care guided by respect and compassion or a commitment to education that surpasses all else, these clinicians and teachers who inspire us dedicate themselves to their patients and students in a most unselfish, humanistic way.
Dr. Jean-Luc Benoit embodies these humanistic qualities and inspires his patients and students on a daily basis. What is most impressive about him, at least from a student’s perspective, is his sincere compassion for all people he comes into contact with. He is kind and interacts with his colleagues and patients in a most unassuming way. His bedside manner is impeccable and patients love him — he is very skilled at communicating and can take the most frustrated or scared of patients and calmly reassure them that their care is his primary concern.
He approaches each clinical problem with an unwavering attention to detail and treats each patient’s history as a mystery that needs solving. He does all this, while making rounds enjoyable for his team and will be the first to point out the beauty and humor in medicine. Because of his unassuming ways, he may not realize it, but he inspires so many of us.
Walter Conwell, Leonard Tow Humanism Student Awardee
By Jacqueline Ogutha, MS 4
Walter Conwell, MS 4 Leonard Tow Humanism In Medicine-Student Award Winner
I met Walter during the first few weeks of medical school. When most of us were worrying about chick slides in histology lab and Dr. Meredith’s biochemistry exams, Walter was juggling all of this in addition to making weekend trips to visit his son, Walter Jr., in Indiana. He is now the proud father of two boys.
As vice-president of the University of Chicago chapter of the Student National Medical Association (SNMA), as a teaching assistant in a number of pre-clinical courses, as Founder and President of Minorities of Academic Success (MACS), as a member of the Financial Aid Committee, the Admissions Committee, the Cultural Competence Committee, and the Medical Center’s Diversity Committee, Walter has devoted his time at Pritzker to serving others, and to fighting for causes that ensure the success of minority students.
By doing so, he has greatly enriched the Pritzker community. Walter, selected by vote of his peers, clearly stood out among a group of remarkable individuals. He will be a leader in the field of Internal Medicine. He will be a master clinician. He is already a humanitarian, an advocate, a friend, and an excellent father.
