Awards and Recognition

The Utah Medical Association is committed to recognizing and honoring Utah's extraordinary physicians who devote outstanding efforts and exemplify medicine's highest values: commitment to service, patient advocacy, community involvement, and leadership. The prestigious peer-driven awards allow physician members to nominate and honor their colleagues. Nominations begin annually in March.

UMA Physician of the Year

2023 Teresa V. Durbin, MD
2022 James, V. Antinori, MD
2021 Marc E. Babitz, MD
2020 Juan D. Fuentes, MD
2019 Marc L. Johnson, MD  
2017 Ray Price, MD, FACS
2016 Michael L. Rhodes, MD

COPIC Humanitarian of the Year

The COPIC Humanitarian Award is presented annually to honor a physician for volunteer medical services and contributions to their community. COPIC specifically looks to recognize those individuals who unassumingly volunteer outside the spectrum of their day-to-day lives. The recipient of the award designates a $10,000 generous donation from COPIC to be provided to a health care-related 501(c)(3) organization within Utah.

2023 Mairi G. Leining, MD MPH
2022 Noel C. Gardner, MD FAPA
2021 Mark Housley, MD
2020 David Nelson, DO

Deborah F. Robinson, MD, Memorial Award

Awarded annually to physicians who advocated for their patients and exemplified leadership in organized medicine.

2023 Mary Jane Pennington, MD MBA
2022 Sarah L. Woolsey, MD MPH FAAFP
2021 Patrice F Hirning, MD FACP
2020 Paused for Covid-19 Pandemic
2019 Suzanne H Harrison, MD
2018 Camille Collette, MD
2017 Claudia J Fruin, MD
2016 Rachel S Benator, MD
2015 Kristen Ries, MD
2014 Sharon RM Richens, MD
2013 Kathryn Allen, MD
2012 Victoria E Judd, MD
2011 Rosemary T Lesser, MD
2010 Joan Abele, MD
2009 Karen F Buchi, MD
2008 Teresa V Durbin, MD
2007 Jane C Bowman, MD
2006 Catherine J. Wheeler, MD
2005 Cynthia A Jones, MD

Looking Ahead

We are proud of the work Utah's physicians do for advancing healthcare excellence, quality patient care and cultivating leaders for all levels of organized medicine. We will continue to recognize their achievements and we are grateful for the physician members' contributions to UMA boards, committees, task forces, sections, societies, and especially their communities.