Daniel Runde (09MD, 16MME) is recognized for his multifaceted contributions to medical education at the University of Iowa, where he serves as the Department of Emergency Medicine’s vice chair of education and a course director for first-year medical and physician assistant students. A passionate supporter of patient-centered medicine and harm reduction, he has mentored countless medical students and trainees at Iowa, fostering a culture of compassion and dedication in the next generation of health care providers.

Lisa Didion (05MD, 08R, 09F) serves as chief medical officer for University of Mississippi Medical Center, the state’s only academic medical center, children’s hospital, and Level 1 trauma center. The operational initiatives she has spearheaded have led to dramatic improvements in the hospital’s patient safety, quality, and experience ratings, demonstrating her ability to take on tough problems and lead with clarity and compassion. Along the way, she has published scholarly work on the topic of patient safety and quality, allowing other health systems with similarly limited resources to learn from her example.

Dionne Skeete (01R) is a distinguished leader in the fields of trauma and acute care surgery, whose contributions have profoundly shaped trauma care delivery in Iowa and beyond. As director of the acute care surgery division in the University of Iowa Department of Surgery, Skeete demonstrates clinical expertise, faculty leadership, and a commitment to excellence. Her work on the Iowa Trauma System Advisory Council and with the American College of Surgeons Committee on Trauma reflects her dedication to advancing trauma systems at the local, state, and national levels. She is widely respected for her integrity, advocacy, and mentorship, and she is recognized as a tireless champion for patients, learners, and the broader health care community.

David Paulsrud’s (59MD) life has been defined by service to northwest Iowa, the medical community, and his country. A former Green Beret, Paulsrud trained as an orthopedic surgeon, but the latter half of his career was shaped by his passion for serving patients with substance use disorder. His contributions to addiction treatment systems in the Sioux City, Iowa, area are broad and deep, but perhaps his most profound legacy is the many generous, warm individual relationships he formed with adolescents and adults in recovery. Now in his 90s, Paulsrud continues to share his wisdom with patients and providers alike.

Karen Brasel’s (91MD) national leadership reflects her steadfast advocacy for the value of education and mentorship in the field of surgery. As vice president of the American Board of Surgery (ABS), she has spearheaded the transition to competency-based assessment in training, which promises better preparedness for the next generation of surgeons. Her research on evidence-based teaching methods, quality of life after traumatic injury, and the incorporation of palliative care has led to numerous publications and international lectures. Prior to her role with ABS, she served as assistant dean for graduate medical education, surgery program director, and vice chair of education and professional development at Oregon Health Sciences University.

JP Clancy (90MD) is a renowned physician-scientist who has dedicated his career to the hope for a cure for cystic fibrosis (CF). As senior vice president for clinical research for the Cystic Fibrosis Foundation, he directs an international clinical trial network responsible for 17 FDA-approved therapies to date. A beloved colleague and mentor, Clancy is praised for his selflessness and compassion for patients, collaborators, and learners alike.

Steven Hudak (04MD), FACS, a reconstructive urologist who serves as the urology residency program director at UT Southwestern in Dallas, Texas, often tells trainees that when he started medical school, he had almost no familiarity with urology, much less reconstructive urology.

Wanakee Carr (14MD) grew up in Des Moines, Iowa. From a young age, her parents taught her to see her education as a means by which she could be a support to her community. Carr now fulfills that role practicing obstetrics and gynecology (OBGYN) in Des Moines—work that she didn’t expect would become her calling when she first started medical school.

Mgbechi Erondu, MD, MFA, serves as a clinical assistant professor in Stanford Medicine’s Department of Anesthesiology, Perioperative, and Pain Medicine. A pediatric palliative care specialist, Erondu simultaneously completed a Master of Fine Arts at the Iowa Writers’ Workshop during her medical training at the University of Iowa Carver College of Medicine. We caught up with her to reflect on her career as a physician-writer.