UPIKE Newsroom

The University of Pikeville – Kentucky College of Osteopathic Medicine (KYCOM) held its awards banquet honoring the Class of 2024 in the Appalachian Wireless Arena on May 3.

Megan C. Hennon, D.O., of St. Louis, Mo., received the Dean’s Award. The award is presented to the graduating student whose leadership, humanity and loyalty to the profession exemplify the ideals, mission and goals of KYCOM. 

Kurtis R. Rapier, D.O., of Corbin, Ky., received the Excellence in Emergency Medicine Award. The award is sponsored by the Society for Academic Emergency Medicine and is presented for excellence in emergency medicine. 

Zachary A. Combs, D.O., of Hazard, Ky., received the President’s Award. The award is presented to the student who has demonstrated clinical excellence, earning the highest average score on clinical rotations. 

Combs, Andrew M. Bixler, D.O., of Dayton, Ohio, and Mark Faller, D.O., of Pittsburgh, Pa., received the Clinical Excellence Award. The award is presented for outstanding clinical achievement to students who demonstrated exceptional academic dedication by earning all A’s during the 2022-2024 clinical rotation years. 

Bixler, Faller and Austin W. Elswick, D.O., of Virgie, Ky., received the Merck Manual Award for Academic Excellence. The award is sponsored by Merck & Company, Inc., to recognize scholastic achievement in medical education. 

Samantha Hamilton, D.O., of Richwood, Ohio, received the John A. Strosnider, D.O., Memorial Scholarship Award. The award is presented to the graduating student who exemplifies Dr. Strosnider’s commitment to family medicine and his love and dedication to osteopathic medicine and the osteopathic profession. 

Rebekah S. Samuels, D.O., of Gettysburg, Pa., received the Student D.O. of the Year Award. The award is presented by the Council of Student Government Presidents, and each school presents this award to the student who best exemplifies the ideal qualities of an osteopathic medical student. The award is generally based on service to the school, the community and/or osteopathic medicine. 

Hamilton, Samuels, Elizabeth M. Hollis, D.O., of Battletown, Ky., and Lyudmyla Shymkiv, D.O., of Ternopil, Ukraine, received the Ram’s Head Award. The award is presented for the Fellowship Program in recognition of outstanding achievements in Osteopathic Principles and Practices. 

Montana T. Schemanski, D.O., of Harrodsburg, Ky., received the Board of Trustees’ Award. The award is presented to the graduating student earning the highest grade point average during the first two years of medical school.  

Savannah P. Carty, D.O., of Salyersville, Ky., received the Stephen M. Payson, M.S., Memorial Scholarship Award. The award is presented to a graduating student from the Appalachian region who exemplifies Mr. Payson’s commitment to the mission of KYCOM and the promotion of the osteopathic profession. 

Raven J. Melson, D.O., of Richmond, Ky., received the Boyd R. Buser, D.O., Excellence Award. The award is presented to a graduating student for overall excellence in academics and service. 

Katrena Amber Saillant of Fort Wayne, Ind., received the Donna Jones Moritsugu Award. The award is presented to the spouse of a graduating student who best exemplifies the role of a professional’s partner, in being a person in their own right, while being supportive of mate, family and profession. 

Hayley Justus, D.O., of Lancaster, Ky., received the James E. Campbell, D.O., Award. The award is presented by the James E. Campbell Education Fund to a deserving Kentucky College of Osteopathic Medicine graduate from the Appalachian region of Kentucky. 

Kristine A. Herrera, D.O., of Elizabethtown, Ky., and Jay S. Patel, D.O., of Cincinnati, Ohio, received the Mr. Dharam Pal Kashyap Award. The award was instituted in 2001 by Seema Sachdeva, M.D., in memory of her father for excellence in pediatrics and commitment to lifelong caring for children. 

Naushair A. Hussain, D.O., of Chambersburg, Pa., received the Ms. Swadesh Kashyap Memorial Award. The award was instituted in 2020 by Seema Sachdeva, M.D., in memory of her mother. Awarded to the student with the highest score in the didactic pediatrics course. 

Tiffany Isaacs, D.O., of Hurricane, W.Va., received the Mrs. Swaran Kanta Sachdeva Memorial Award for Excellence of Women in Specialty Medicine. Instituted in 2022 by Rakesh Sachdeva, M.D., in memory of his mother, the award is granted to a graduating female medical student who has demonstrated excellence in pursuing a residency in specialty medicine. 

Callie N. Catto, D.O., of Whitesburg, Ky., received the KYCOM Alumni Association Award. The award is presented to the graduating student who has shown strong involvement both at KYCOM and in the community and has committed to remaining involved with KYCOM through the alumni association. 

Richaela H. Denlinger, D.O., of Chambersburg, Pa., received the Excellence in Research Award. The award is selected by KYCOM’s research faculty and awarded to a KYCOM graduate for excellence in research. 

Denlinger also received the Kentucky Academy of Family Physicians Outstanding Student Award. The award is presented to an outstanding senior student going into family medicine. 

Jonathan Hatton, D.O., of Whitesburg, Ky., received the Clinical Medical Educator of the Year Award. The award is presented to the clinical preceptor who has served with distinction in and dedication to medical education for the students of KYCOM. 

Marco Ciavaglia, D.O., of Dearborn Heights, Mich., received the Mercy Health St. Rita’s Outstanding Student Award. The award is presented to the student who demonstrated academic achievement, community involvement, peer mentoring, a positive attitude toward challenge, professional behavior and has achieved exemplary clinical performance evaluations. 

For more information about KYCOM, visit upike.edu/kycom.