Highlights from 2024 Reunion Weekend

2024 Distinguished Alumni Awards

Congratulations to the recipients of the 2024 UW School of Medicine Distinguished Alumni Awards! The awards recognize remarkable alumni in four categories for exceptional contributions to the field of medicine. The awards will be presented on Friday, May 31, at our live event; after the event, you can watch videos about our recipients here.

Distinguished Alumnus Award

Lawrence E. Holland, MD, Res. ’86

We honor Dr. Lawrence Holland for his outstanding dedication and achievements in the field of orthopedics. Over four decades, Dr. Holland has consistently demonstrated compassion, competence, adaptability and leadership. His commitment to patient care, medical education and philanthropy is evident through his extensive involvement in teaching, mentoring and charitable endeavors. His remarkable journey to becoming a highly respected orthopedic surgeon exemplifies resilience, hard work and generosity. Despite his many accolades and awards, Dr. Holland remains humble and focused on the well-being of his patients and colleagues. He serves as an inspiring model for future generations of physicians.

Alumni Humanitarian Award

Ramona Okumura, BS ’81, Prosthetics and Orthotics

We honor Ramona Okumura, a dedicated clinician and lecturer with 27 years of service to the University of Washington School of Medicine. Ramona’s humanitarian efforts in the field of pediatric prosthetics are truly commendable. Through her work previously with the Palestine Children’s Relief Fund and now HEAL Palestine, she has provided essential prosthetic treatment as well as training for Palestinian clinicians in Gaza. Ramona’s tireless dedication to improving the lives of children with limb loss extends beyond her physical presence in Gaza; she actively collects donated prosthetic components and provides virtual consultations. Her leadership in organizations like the Association of Children’s Prosthetic-Orthotic Clinics reflect her broader impact in advancing the field, while her service with Gaza Amputee Projects highlights her unwavering commitment to humanitarian causes.

Alumni Service Award

Scott R. Stuart, MD ’01, Res. ’04, Chief Res. ‘05

We celebrate Dr. Scott Stuart for his exceptional service to his alma mater and the medical community. Dr. Stuart demonstrated empathetic and collaborative leadership during his tenure as president of the University of Washington School of Medicine Alumni Association from 2014–2022, significantly enhancing the UWSOM Alumni Association and fostering greater unity within the alumni community. Dr. Stuart’s dedication to medical education includes his coordination of shadowing and clerkship opportunities; mentoring of aspiring healthcare professionals; participation in alumni and community events such as the UW Diversity Career Fair and Dinner with a Dawg; and his role as a capstone instructor. His professional achievements, volunteer work and many awards underscore his contributions as a clinician, teacher and mentor.

Alumni Early Achievement Award

Andrew Trister, MD, PhD, Res. ’10, Chief Res. ’14

We honor Dr. Andrew Trister for his early-career achievements as a leader and innovator in expanding access to healthcare through technology. Dr. Trister led the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation’s efforts to accelerate the development and adoption of molecular and antigen tests during the COVID-19 pandemic. His career highlights include serving as the Chief Medical and Scientific Officer at Verily, as deputy director of digital health and artificial intelligence at the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation and as a founding member of Apple’s Health team. His leadership roles, including board positions and advisory roles in healthcare companies, further illustrate his commitment to advancing global health through technology and innovation. Dr. Trister is an active mentor and contributes to scholarly work in healthcare and technology that focuses on improving healthcare access and delivery worldwide.

Watch videos celebrating previous years’ recipients.

State of the School with Dr. Tim Dellit

Watch Tim Dellit, MD, share about the changing landscape of medical education, recent medical breakthroughs and future plans for the UW School of Medicine. Dr. Dellit is the CEO of UW Medicine and the dean of UW School of Medicine.

Hear Student Voices

Our medical students are tomorrow’s medical leaders — the people who will improve the health of our region and world. Learn more about our inspiring students and the contributions they are making to the health of our community.

“Scholarships have allowed me to pursue my education and forge my own path,” says Sarah Busch. “My goal is to pay it forward to future generations of hopeful students, especially those who are institutionally underrepresented in medicine.”

Read Sarah’s story >>

“Thanks to scholarships, I’ll be able to go into family medicine and serve a rural community,” says Kathryne Mitchell. “For me, medicine means bringing all the amazing things that I’ve learned back to Alaska so that the people who made it possible for me to go to this program can benefit from it.”

Read Kathryne’s story >>

Catch Up with Class Notes

Milestones, stories and achievements: See what your classmates are up to with Class Notes! Do you have news to share? Submit your Class Note.

Thank You!

Thank you for joining us. You are what makes Reunion Weekend special!

We hope you enjoy the opportunity to connect with your classmates, celebrate milestones and catch up on what’s new at the School.

We want to hear from you. Let us know what you thought of your reunion! Check your inbox for a short survey after Reunion Weekend.