Professional Association of Residents of Ontario (PARO) Awards recognize exceptional leadership and teaching talents

Congratulations to the recipients of the 2015 Professional Association of Residents of Ontario (PARO) and PARO Trust Fund Awards: Drs. Kristin Chow, Alicia Mattia and Cyrus C. Hsia.


Citizenship Award for Medical Students

The Citizenship Award recognizes medical students who, in addition to maintaining an adequate academic standing, have made a significant contribution towards improving the general welfare of fellow medical students. Successful candidates have demonstrated creative, innovative leadership in one or more of the following areas: curriculum development; student well-being; faculty liaison; and, community involvement.

Dr. Kristin Chow, MD’15
Over the last four years, Dr. Kristin Chow has demonstrated leadership and dedication to curricular improvement in her roles as Best Curriculum on Earth Secretary in first year and Academic Director, London during the last three years. In her first year, she was able to achieve some of the highest and most consistent student response rates for curriculum feedback in the School’s history. Since then, she has also developed effective strategies that included personal appeals and an awareness campaign. Dr. Chow works incredibly hard to ensure that student feedback is heard and that it is representative of the entire student population at Schulich Medicine & Dentistry.


Resident Teaching Award

The Resident Teaching Awards honour residents who have provided outstanding clinical teaching
experiences to junior housestaff and clinical clerks.

Dr. Alicia Mattia, PGY4 Neurology
Dr. Mattia is a prominent leader within the Neurology residency program and an exemplary senior resident. Her dedication to teaching is not only evident when she is managing the inpatient neurology Clinical Teaching Unit, but also in her involvement with organizing and implementing the Neurology Resident Journal Club. As the senior resident leading a team of residents and medical students, Dr. Mattia is very successful in balancing education and service to meet the learning needs of each member of the team while fostering a pleasant, supportive learning atmosphere. At the same time, she exemplifies patient-centered, compassionate care and promotes education without compromising patient care.


Excellence in Clinical Teaching Award

The goal of the PARO Excellence in Clinical Teaching Award is to publicly acknowledge the essential role that good clinical teachers play in the training of physicians. Residents are asked to outline the qualities that make their nominee an excellent teacher including: positive role modelling, quality of bedside teaching, and interest in the trainees' personal development and well-being.

Dr. Cyrus C. Hsia, MD’03, Department of Medicine
Dr. Cyrus Hsia completed his undergraduate degrees in Mathematics and Human Biology at the University of Toronto. He completed his medical school training, residency in internal medicine and fellowship in hematology at Western University. He is currently an assistant professor at Western University and associate medical director of the blood transfusion laboratory, London Health Sciences Centre. Dr. Hsia is the course co-chair for the Year 1 undergraduate blood course and coach for the Department of Medicine coach assessors program.