Dean’s Award for Excellence in Medical Student Research Mentorship Winners

This award recognizes an individual whose sustained and exemplary effort as a research mentor has developed medical student researchers outside of the classroom.

Call for nominations

2026 Winner

Syed Nabeel Zafar, MD, MPH

Dr. Zafar joined the Department of Surgery in 2020 from the University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center where he completed his Fellowship in Surgical Oncology. Dr. Zafar has consistently showcased clinical and research excellence by providing exemplary care to complex cancer patients, publishing high impact manuscripts, and developing innovative programs. He has positively contributed to the career and lives of dozens of medical students both at UWSMPH and other medical schools. Dr. Zafar has mentored over 23 medical students, guiding them not only in research but also in professional and career development in the past 6 years, and his commitment to student success is best exemplified by the achievements of his mentees: Seven of his medical students have delivered their first ever oral presentations at national meetings, and ten have secured their first first-author publications.

Dr. Zafar received his MBBS from Aga Khan University, his MPH from Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, and completed his residency at Howard University Hospital. He is fellowship trained in Advanced GI and Minimally Invasive Surgery and Complex General Surgical Oncology.

Previous Award Winners

wdt_ID	Year	Winner
1	2021	James Conway, MD
2	2020	E. Jason Abel, MD
3	2019	David Schneider, MD
4	2018	Nasia Safdar, MD, PhD
5	2017	Perry Pickhardt, MD
6	2016	Rebecca Sippel, MD; Deane Mosher, MD, PhD
7	2015	Paul Sondel, MD, PhD
8	2014	Gregory Kennedy, MD, PhD
9	2013	Pamela Kling, MD
10	2012	Bermans Iskandar, MD
11	2011	Jonathan Temte, MD, PhD
12	2010	Herbert Chen, MD
13	2022	David Jarrard, MD
14
15	2023	Andrea Spiker, MD
16	2024	Meghan G. Lubner, MD
17	2025	Andrew Baschnagel, MD
18	2026	Syed Nabeel Zafar, MD, MPH