Dr. Paul Hemmer Selected for AAMC, AOA Distinguished Teacher Award

By Sarah Marshall

One of the Uniformed Services University’s exceptional faculty members, Dr. Paul Hemmer, was nationally recognized recently for his tremendous contributions to medical education.

Hemmer, a professor in USU’s Department of Medicine, is known for his commitment to helping students and faculty excel, and was selected for the Robert J. Glaser Distinguished Teacher Award, presented by the Association for American Medical Colleges and the Alpha Omega Alpha Honor Medical Society. The award recognizes gifted medical academicians for their outstanding contributions to educating the next generation of healthcare professionals.

The Robert J. Glaser Distinguished Teacher Awards were established by the Alpha Omega Alpha Honor Medical Society in 1988 to provide national recognition to faculty members who have made notable achievements in medical student education. The award recognizes four faculty members at Liaison Committee for Medical Education-accredited medical schools across the country: an educator from basic science and preclinical departments, and two from clinical disciplines. Hemmer’s award was based on all of his teaching -- pre-clinical and clinical education, as well as the work he has done nationally with workshops and invited presentations. Recipients will be recognized in November during the virtual AAMC annual meeting.

Dr. Paul Hemmer, professor and vice chair for Educational
Programs in USU's Department of Medicine, was recently 
selected for the Robert J. Glaser Distinguished Teacher Award,
presented by the Association for American Medical Colleges
and the Alpha Omega Alpha Honor Medical Society.
(Photo by Thomas Balfour)

Hemmer received his Bachelor of Science degree from the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee and his medical degree from the Medical College of Wisconsin. He completed his residency in internal medicine at the Gundersen Medical Foundation/Lutheran Hospital in Lacrosse, WI.  In 1992, he joined the faculty at USU as an active duty Air Force physician, where he later completed a Master in Public Health. In 2008, he began serving as USU’s vice chair of Medicine for Educational Programs, overseeing all pre-clerkship educational programs and interdepartmental courses, all medicine clerkship sites in the continental U.S. and Hawaii, fourth-year electives throughout the country, as well as key faculty development programs and initiatives. In 2012, after more than 20 years of service, he retired from the Air Force Medical Corps as a colonel, but remained at USU as full-time faculty and vice chair in the Department of Medicine.  

Throughout his tenure at USU, he has provided feedback on performance to more than 12,000 medical students and several hundred clerkship faculty. He has also helped develop the Introduction to Clinical Medicine and Introduction to Clinical Reasoning courses, which he continues to teach.

Hemmer adds his recent award to his long list of accolades. He has earned national and international praise over the years for his curriculum and faculty development and educational research. He has also received numerous honors, including Academic Grand Master of the U.S. Air Force, the Patil Award for Assessment by the Association for Medical Education in Europe (AMEE), the Ruth-Marie E. Fincher, MD Service Award from the Clerkship Directors in Internal Medicine, the Lifetime Achievement Award, University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee Alumni Association, the Laureate Award from the Air Force Chapter of the American College of Physicians, and the Carol Johns Medal, the highest honor faculty can bestow on a fellow faculty member at USU.

“I am humbled by, and so grateful for, this award.  From the time I was in medical school, I always envisioned and hoped that I would be involved in the education of others, and I have been lucky enough to have this be the case for nearly 30 years,” Hemmer said.  “In receiving this award, I can’t help but reflect on those who have helped me in my life, from family, to students and residents, to colleagues, to my patients.  I am proud to represent USU, and to have the opportunity to continue to work with students, staff, faculty, and colleagues from whom I learn so much every day and for whom I have such deep respect and admiration."

Dr. Paul Hemmer, professor and vice chair for Educational Programs in USU's Department of Medicine, was nationally recognized recently for his tremendous 
contributions to medical education. (Photo by Sarah Marshall)