2009 Distinguished Research Mentor Award

On April 16, Graduate Medical Education, Inc (GMEI) presented George Abela, MD, FACC, with the first Distinguished Research Mentor Award at the Lansing Community Research Day Awards Luncheon. Dr. Abela is the Program Director of the MSU Cardiology Fellowship and Chief of the Division of Cardiology in the Department of Medicine at Michigan State University College of Human Medicine. GMEI and its institutional partners, MSU College of Human Medicine, MSU College of Osteopathic Medicine, Sparrow Health System and Ingham Regional Medical Center, created this award to acknowledge the many contributions of our faculty in their efforts to support resident/fellow-led research.

Drs. Jack Rubenstein and Ameeth Vedre, MSU Cardiology Fellows, nominated Dr. Abela for the Distinguished Research Mentor Award. In the nomination essay, they listed Dr. Abela’s many research accomplishments and noted that not only does Dr. Abela give his fellows encouragement and guidance but he also mentors and shapes their research skills to lead them to academic excellence and define their future careers. Dr. Rubenstein described during his presentation of the award how Dr. Abela is a very discriminating reviewer as he evaluates his fellows’ research projects from the initial conception phase through publication. He also shared how Dr. Abela is open to exploring all of his fellows’ research ideas, good and bad, acknowledging that to have one good idea, you must also have many bad ideas.

Congratulations again to Dr. George Abela! He is a true asset to the Lansing-East Lansing community and the State of Michigan. On behalf of our institutional partners, GMEI thanks Dr. Abela for his continuing efforts to mentor the residents, fellows, and medical students in this community.

Dr. George Abela, Program Director, MSU Cardiology Fellowship