W T Aikins Awards
For Excellence in Undergraduate Teaching
Nominations are now open! Deadline: December 15, 2025 at 11:59 pm.
About
These awards are named for Dr. W.T. Aikins, the first Dean of the University of Toronto's Faculty of Medicine after it was reorganized in 1887. As the Faculty's most prestigious awards for sustained commitment to and excellence in undergraduate medical teaching, these awards are given serious consideration in the academic promotions process. Award recipients are selected from nominees in a faculty-wide process that requires support from both faculty and students.
Eligibility Criteria
- Nominees must have held a faculty appointment with the Temerty Faculty of Medicine for a minimum of 10 years
- The award considers teaching performance in the undergraduate medical (MD) program only. Teaching performance in Arts & Science, graduate, and post-graduate medical programs will not be considered.
- A previous winner may be nominated for an Aikins Award in the same category as the previous award only after a lapse of five years. A previous winner may be nominated for an Aikins Award in a different category from a previous award at any time.
Award Categories
There are four categories of Aikins Awards. Expand each award to see the full criteria:
Individual Teaching Performance - Foundations 
Recognizes teaching in the Foundations part of the MD program (lectures, laboratories, seminars, workshops, tutorials, portfolio, or, in clinical skills).
Nominees will be evaluated along the following criteria for excellence in Foundations teaching:
1. Commitment
- Quantity of teaching. Summary data from 3 years of formal student evaluations are required in consideration for this award (data will be provided directly from the Office of Assessment and Evaluation).
- Accessibility to students
- Evidence of self-development in teaching methods (e.g., course attended)
- Research and publications on teaching methods
2. Excellence in communication skills
3. Subject mastery
4. Ability to organize material, emphasize principles, and present
5. Demonstrated ability to stimulate students:
- Encourages interest in and enthusiasm for subject
- Displays good rapport with students
- Leads students to think critically, analytically and independently, and to organize their own learning
6. Effective use of appropriate teaching resources and educational innovations
7. Innovative, creative and experimental teaching methods
8. Contribution as a suitable role model
Across all criteria, the nominees are expected to demonstrate a commitment to principles of equity, diversity, inclusion, and accessibility.
Individual Teaching Performance - Clerkship
Recognizes teaching in the clerkship part of the MD Program (lectures, seminars, workshops, tutorials, portfolio, clinical skills, interviewing skills or in electives).
Nominees will be evaluated along the following criteria for excellence in Clerkship teaching:
1. Commitment:
- Quantity of teaching. Summary data from 3 years of formal student evaluations are required in consideration for this award (data will be provided directly from the Office of Assessment and Evaluation).
- Accessibility to students
- Evidence of self-development in teaching methods (e.g., course attended)
- Research and publications on teaching methods
2. Excellence in communication skills
3. Subject mastery
4. Ability to organize material, emphasize principles, and present
5. Demonstrated ability to stimulate students:
- Encourages interest in and enthusiasm for subject
- Displays good rapport with students
- Leads students to think critically, analytically and independently, and to organize their own learning
6. Effective use of appropriate teaching resources and educational innovations
7. Innovative, creative and experimental teaching methods
8. Contribution as a suitable role model
Across all criteria, the nominees are expected to demonstrate a commitment to principles of equity, diversity, inclusion, and accessibility.
Development and Use of Educational Innovations
Recognizes the design of educational innovations specifically for use in the MD Program. Educational innovative technologies include the creation of and use of print materials, digital learning aids, physical specimens, models or demonstrations, other teaching aids or any other educational resources.
Nominees will be evaluated along the following criteria for development and use of educational innovations:
- Effectiveness: evidence of widespread use of the educational innovative learning object by the target group of users. Information gleaned from 3 years of course evaluations is required (data will be provided directly from the Office of Assessment and Evaluation). Adoption of the innovative educational technology by other learning institutions would be further evidence of its effectiveness.
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Uniqueness and originality in the development, materials, presentation and application of the educational innovation.
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Creativity and innovation in the design of the educational innovation.
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Appropriateness of the educational innovation for the teaching context.
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Relevance to goals of the curriculum, appropriate level, appropriate detail, accuracy
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Clarity in the comprehensibility and logical arrangement.
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Elegance in technical, conceptual and design senses.
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Evidence of research in the design and use of the educational innovation to align with best practices of medical education.
Across all criteria, the nominees are expected to demonstrate a commitment to principles of equity, diversity, inclusion, and accessibility.
Course/Program Development and Coordination
Recognizes those engaged in developing and implementing the MD Program curriculum – course, component, or theme.
Nominees will be evaluated along the following criteria for course or program development and coordination.
1. Nominee
- Commitment and enthusiasm to excellence in curriculum development and coordination
- Accessibility to students and staff
- Excellence in teaching as evidenced by consistent, above-average student testimonials and course/component/theme evaluations
2. Design and implementation
- Course is well organized, and the resources are appropriate
- Integrated appropriately with other courses and programs
- Originality and experimentation in course / program design
- Presentation of subject matter to stimulate learning
3. Quality improvement and evaluation:
- Established process of curricular review and updates, i.e., what is the curricular review process, when was it last reviewed, who was part of this process, and how often is it completed.
- Data-driven assessment practices
- Regular course/program evaluations. Formal student evaluations and other reviews of the course/program for a minimum of 3 years are required in consideration for this award (data will be provided directly from the Office of Assessment and Evaluation).
- Appropriate changes of course/program based on evaluation, feedback, and reflection
Across all criteria, the nominees are expected to demonstrate a commitment to principles of equity, diversity, inclusion, and accessibility.
How to Submit a Nomination
Nominations will be accepted until December 15, 2025 at 11:59 pm.
All nominations must be submitted using the online nomination form. Nominations can be completed by anyone within the Temerty Faculty of Medicine with knowledge of the nominee’s work.
When completing the form, you will be asked to provide the following:
Selection Process
The MD Program Teaching Awards Committee will review and evaluate all nominations. Each award winner will receive a framed certificate and a crescent glass award at the Temerty Faculty of Medicine’s Education Achievement Celebration, taking place annually in the Spring. Awardees will also have their names inscribed on the Aikins plaque, situated in the Medical Sciences Building foyer.
Please note that a previous winner may be nominated for an Aikins Award in the same category as the previous award only after a lapse of five years. A previous winner may be nominated for an Aikins Award in a different category from a previous award at any time.
If you have any questions, please contact the Administrative Coordinator, Office of the Associate Dean, MD Program.
W. T. Aikins Award Winners
Foundations
- 2025 Diane Donat, Department of Medicine
- 2025 Shaheeda Ahmed, Department of Medicine
- 2024 Shelly Dev, Interdepartmental Division of Critical Care Medicine
- 2023 Barathi Rajasri Sreenivasan, Department of Medicine
- 2022 Hosanna Au, Department of Paediatrics
- 2022 Hani Amad, Department of Medicine
- 2021 Not Awarded
- 2020 Laurence Biro, Department of Family and Community Medicine
- 2019 Joyce Nyhof-Young, Department of Family and Community Medicine
Clerkship
- 2025 Dini Hui, Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology
- 2025 Edward Etchells, Department of Medicine
- 2024 Nicholas Blanchette, Department of Paediatrics
- 2024 Helena Dhamko, Department of Medicine
- 2023 Yayi Huang, Department of Medicine
- 2023 Yonah Krakowsky, Department of Surgery
- 2023 Mark Wheatcroft, Department of Surgery
- 2022 Fuad Moussa, Department of Surgery
- 2021 Tamina Eapen, Department of Psychiatry
- 2020 Edsel Ing, Department of Ophthalmology & Vision Sciences
- 2020 Amar Uxa, Department of Medicine
- 2019 Fayez Quereshy, Department of Surgery
Course/Program Development and Coordination
- 2025 Not awarded
- 2024 Luke Devine, Department of Medicine
- 2024 James Owen, Department of Family and Community Medicine
- 2023 Anne McLeod, Department of Medicine
- 2022 Nirit Bernhard, Department of Paediatrics
- 2021 Seetha Radhakrishnan, Department of Paediatrics
- 2020 David K. Chan, Department of Medicine
- 2020 Angela Punnett, Department of Paediatrics
- 2019 Marcus Law, Department of Family and Community Medicine
- 2018 Not awarded
- 2017 Jacqueline James, Department of Medicine
- 2016 Pamela Coates, Department of Paediatrics
- 2015 Barbara (Dee) Ballyk, Division of Anatomy, Department of Surgery
- 2015 David K. Chan, Department of Medicine
- 2014 Susan Goldstein, Kymm Feldman and the evolving members of the FMLE Course Committee; Department of Family and Community Medicine
- 2013 Eleanor Latta, Department of Laboratory Medicine and Pathobiology
- 2012 Anita Rachlis, Department of Medicine
- 2011 Jodi Lofchy, Department of Psychiatry
- 2010 Not awarded
- 2009 Vincent Chien, Department of Medicine
- 2008 Not awarded
- 2007 Not awarded
- 2006 J. Banack
- 2005 J. Ali
- 2004 D. Elman, M. Schreiber, R. Freeman, R. Hooks, D. Tabak
- 2003 I. Johnson
- 2002 J. Bradley
- 2001 Not awarded
- 2000 Not awarded
- 1999 Not awarded
- 1998 F. Silver, M. Silverman
- 1997 D. Reid, T. Rutledge, D. Wasylenki
- 1996 Dr. Gasner; D.E. Isenman and D. Painter, D.G. White and the Department of Family & Community Medicine Undergraduate Education Committee
- 1995 P. Brubaker, D. Gray, M. Pare; Group Award: C. Whiteside, N. Byrne, D. Alli
- 1994 M. Vearncombe, P. McCleary
- 1993 R. Schneider
- 1992 A. Gotlieb
- 1991 Not awarded
- 1990 D.J. Amato, A. Biringer
- 1989 W.J. Weiser
- 1988 J.R. Ross
- 1987 P.H. McCleary, J.L. Provan, R.M. Shier
- 1986 D.L. Shaul, I.M. Taylor
- 1985 D.W. Chamberlain (inaugural recipient)
Development and Use of Educational Innovations
- 2025 Jennifer Lake, Leslie Dan Faculty of Pharmacy
- 2024 Not awarded
- 2023 Not awarded
- 2022 Not awarded
- 2021 Laurence Biro, Joyce Nyhof-Young and the LGBTQ Clinical Skills Team; Department of Family and Community Medicine
- 2020 Glendon Tait, Department of Psychiatry
- 2019 Jory Simpson, Department of Surgery
Small Group Teaching
(Note: This category was renamed in 2019 to Foundations)
- 2018 Nadine Abdullah, Department of Medicine
- 2018 Martin Schreiber, Department of Medicine
- 2018 Justin Weissglas, Department of Psychiatry
- 2017 Ariel Shafro, Department of Psychiatry
- 2017 Graham Roche-Nagle, Department of Surgery
- 2016 Carol Heck, Department of Physical Therapy
- 2015 Fok-Han Leung, Department of Family and Community Medicine
- 2014 Gemini Tanna, Department of Medicine
- 2013 Not awarded
- 2012 Robert Silver, Department of Medicine
- 2011 David Jenkins, Department of Medicine
- 2010 Peter Ferguson, Department of Surgery
- 2010 Ron Kodama, Department of Surgery
- 2010 Shirley Lee, Department of Family and Community Medicine
- 2010 Yuna Lee, Department of Medicine
- 2009 Adrian Brown, Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology
- 2009 Robert Sargeant, Department of Medicine
- 2008 Stacey Bernstein, Department of Pediatrics
- 2008 Christopher Wallace, Department of Surgery
- 2007 Sender Herschorn, Division of Urology, Department of Surgery
- 2007 Ophyr Mourad, Department of Medicine
- 2007 Michael Sved, Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology
- 2006 W. Gold
- 2006 R. Hilliard 2005 A. Agur (inaugural recipient)
Large Group Teaching
(Note: This category was renamed in 2019 to Clerkship)
- 2018 Not awarded
- 2017 Barbara (Dee) Ballyk, Department of Surgery
- 2017 Philip Berger, Department of Family and Community Medicine
- 2016 Not awarded
- 2015 Not awarded
- 2014 Not awarded
- 2013 Jeffrey Wassermann, Department of Anesthesia
- 2012 Dante Morra, Department of Medicine
- 2011 Barbara (Dee) Ballyk, Division of Anatomy, Department of Surgery
- 2010 Michael Wiley, Department of Anatomy
- 2009 James Ingles, Department of Molecular Genetics
- 2008 Lori Albert, Department of Medicine
- 2007 Reinhart Reithmeier, Department of Biochemistry
- 2006 C. Perumalla
- 2005 S. Shumak (inaugural recipient)
Individual Teaching Performance
(Note: This category was divided into two subcategories in 2005)
- 2004 Not awarded
- 2003 S. Shadowitz
- 2002 W. Chapman
- 2001 G. Olscamp
- 2000 M. Kapral, R. Kodama
- 1999 P. Bronskill, M. Cusimano, B. Liebgott
- 1998 R. Baker, C. Bayliss, R. Hilliard, M. Schreiber
- 1997 D. Brooks, D. Panisko, M. Sarin, M. Wiley
- 1996 C.M. Deber, D.J. Gare, P. McKee
- 1995 M. Goldberg, J. Butany, R. Richardson
- 1994 A. Gotlieb, R.K. Murray, S. Mintz, I. Taylor
- 1993 J. Keystone
- 1992 R. Hyland, J. Tenenbaum
- 1991 R. Reznick
- 1990 E.J. Akesson, H. Ho Ping Kong
- 1989 A. Agur, C. Chalin
- 1988 J. Desmond, D.K. MacFadden
- 1987 U. Ackermann, H.S. Himal
- 1986 C. Whiteside
- 1985 K.V. Robb, A. Roberts (inaugural recipients)
Development and Use of Innovative Instructional Methods
(Note: This category was renamed in 2019 to Development and Use of Educational Innovations)
- 2018 Not awarded
- 2017 Not awarded
- 2016 Not awarded
- 2015 Not awarded
- 2014 Not awarded
- 2013 C. Perumalla, S. Matthews, and N. Kee (Group Award), Department of Physiology
- 2012 Not awarded
- 2011 Not awarded
- 2010 Not awarded
- 2009 Not awarded
- 2008 Michael Wiley, Department of Surgery
- 2007 Not awarded
- 2006 Not awarded
- 2005 Not awarded
- 2004 M.J. Hohol, P.A. Stewart
- 2003 Not awarded
- 2002 Not awarded
- 2001 M. Bell
- 2000 Not awarded
- 1999 Not awarded
- 1998 Not awarded
- 1997 Not awarded
- 1996 W.J. Weiser
- 1995 V. Watt
- 1994 D. Cleave-Hogg, M. Wallace
- 1993 I. Silver
- 1992 M. Shier
- 1991 Not awarded
- 1990 R. Cohen, C.G. Jamieson, J.L. Provan (Group award)
- 1989 R.A. Buckman, S. Mintz
- 1988 Not awarded
- 1987 M.L. Chipman
- 1986 Not awarded
- 1985 N. Ranganathan, B. E. Stubbs (inaugural recipients)
Special Contribution to Teaching
- 1997 N. Camerman