MMA Awards
Each year, the MMA honors physicians and medical students in the state who have made outstanding contributions to their profession, their practice or the world around them.
How to Nominate
Take a look at our awards criteria to determine the appropriate award, and then fill out the nomination form online, or print it out and mail it in.
Nominations for MMA Awards will open in the spring of 2025.
Award Categories
Distinguished Service Award
This award is the MMA's highest honor. It is given to a physician who has made outstanding contributions in service to the MMA and on behalf of medicine and the physicians of Minnesota during his or her career.
President's Award
This award is designated for individuals who have made outstanding contributions in service to the goals of the MMA - making Minnesotans the healthiest in the nation; and making Minnesota the best place to practice.
Medical Student Leadership Award
This award honors a member of the MMA Medical Student Section who demonstrates outstanding commitment to the medical profession.
Resident & Fellow Leadership Award
This award honors a member of the MMA Resident & Fellow Section who demonstrates outstanding commitment to the medical profession.
COPIC/MMA Foundation Humanitarian Award
This award is presented each year to honor a physician for volunteer medical services and contributions to their community, specifically to MMA members who go above and beyond to help address the health care needs of underserved populations in Minnesota. The recipient of the award designates a $10,000 donation from COPIC to be provided to a health care-related 501(c)(3) organization within Minnesota.
Eric C. Dick Memorial Health Policy Partner Award
This award shall be given to an individual, group of individuals, a project or an organization that demonstrates their commitment to pursuing sound public policy, building coalitions, creating and/or strengthening partnerships with the goal of improving the health of Minnesotans or the practice of medicine in Minnesota. Dick was the MMA's manager of state legislative affairs from 2010 until his death in January 2021.
James H. Sova Memorial Award for Advocacy
James H. Sova was the chief lobbyist for the MMA from 1968 until the time of his death at the AMA meeting in December 1981. This award shall be made to a person who has made a significant contribution to the advancement of public policy, medical sciences, medical education, medical care or the socio-economics of medical practice.
Recent MMA Award Recipients
Distinguished Service Award
Year Recipient
2024 David L. Estrin, MD
2023 George Schoephoerster, MD
2022 Bob Moravec, MD
2021 Kathryn Lombardo, MD
2020 David C. Thorson, MD
2019 Donald Jacobs, MD
2018 Cindy Firkins Smith, MD
2017 Benjamin Whitten, MD
2016 Patricia Lindholm, MD
2015 Patrick Zook, MD
2014 Paul Matson, MD
2013 Macaran A Baird, MD
2012 John Van Etta, MD
2011 Anthony C Jaspers, MD
2021 Kathryn Lombardo, MD
2020 David C. Thorson, MD
2019 Donald Jacobs, MD
2018 Cindy Firkins Smith, MD
2017 Benjamin Whitten, MD
2016 Patricia Lindholm, MD
2015 Patrick Zook, MD
2014 Paul Matson, MD
2013 Macaran A Baird, MD
2012 John Van Etta, MD
2011 Anthony C Jaspers, MD
Year Recipient
2010 Douglas L Wood, MD
2009 Terence P Cahill, MD
2008 G. Richard Geier Jr, MD
2007 Blanton Bessinger, MD, MBA
2006 Frank J Indihar, MD, MBA
2005 Timothy J Crimmins, MD
2004 Judith F Shank, MD
2003 Lyle Munneke, MD
2002 None
2001 Raymond G. Christensen, MD
2000 Paul S. Sanders, MD
Eric C. Dick Memorial Health Policy Partner Award
Year Recipient
2024 Minnesota Rare Disease Advisory Council
2023 Hennepin Healthcare
2022 Minnesota Chapter, American Academy of Pediatrics
2021 NAMI Minnesota
2021 NAMI Minnesota
James H. Sova Memorial Award for Advocacy
Year Recipient
2024 Rep. Tina Liebling
2023 Ruth Martinez, MA
2022 Rachel Hardeman, PhD, MPH
2021 Jan Malcolm
2020 Rep. Kelly Morrison, MD
2020 Sen. Julie Rosen
2019 Jeffrey Schiff, MD
2017 Andy Slavitt
2016 Sen. Melisa Franzen
2014 Rep. Thomas Huntley
2007 Rep. Thomas Huntley
2005 Jan Malcolm
2004 David Durenberger
2022 Rachel Hardeman, PhD, MPH
2021 Jan Malcolm
2020 Rep. Kelly Morrison, MD
2020 Sen. Julie Rosen
2019 Jeffrey Schiff, MD
2017 Andy Slavitt
2016 Sen. Melisa Franzen
2014 Rep. Thomas Huntley
2007 Rep. Thomas Huntley
2005 Jan Malcolm
2004 David Durenberger
MMA Foundation/COPIC Humanitarian Award
(Prior to 2020, this award was named the MMA Foundation Physician Volunteerism Award)
Year Recipient
2024 Tori Bahr, MD
2023 Janet Chestnut, MD
2022 Carolyn “Carrie” Stelter, MD
2021 Matt Bernard, MD
2020 Thomas Schrup, MD
2019 John Goeppinger, MD
2018 Dann Heilman, MD
2022 Carolyn “Carrie” Stelter, MD
2021 Matt Bernard, MD
2020 Thomas Schrup, MD
2019 John Goeppinger, MD
2018 Dann Heilman, MD
Medical Student Section Award
Year Recipient
2024 Rashika Shetty
2023 Nick Hable, MPH
2023 Sally Jeon
2022 Michael Kelly
2022 Sinibaldo Romero Arocha
2021 Dominique Earland
2020 Derrick Lewis
2020 June Zolfaghari
2019 Tom Schmidt
2018 Abby Solom
2017 Alexander Feng
2017 Nathan Ratner
2016 Courtney Moors
2015 Elizabeth Fracica
2022 Sinibaldo Romero Arocha
2021 Dominique Earland
2020 Derrick Lewis
2020 June Zolfaghari
2019 Tom Schmidt
2018 Abby Solom
2017 Alexander Feng
2017 Nathan Ratner
2016 Courtney Moors
2015 Elizabeth Fracica
Year Recipient
2013 Mark E Bergstrand
2011 Shayla M Wilson
2010 Elizabeth R Vogel, MD
2009 Nicole J Te Poel, MD
2008 Andrew P Landstrom
2007 Nicholas A Zane, MD
2006 Lisa J Maurer, MD
2005 Colin M Segovis, MD
2004 Aaron L Nelson, MD
2004 Stephanie D Stanton, MD
President's Award
Year Recipient
2024 Natalia Dorf Biderman, MD, SFHM
2024 Colin West, MD, PhD
2024 Colin West, MD, PhD
2023 Patrick Bigaouette, MD
2023 Charles Crutchfield III, MD
2023 Larry Hook, MD
2022 Deb Dittberner, MD
2022 Carolyn McClain, MD
2021 Jill Amsberry, DO
2021 Nathan Chomilo, MD
2020 Heather Bell, MD, and Kurt DeVine, MD
2020 John Hick, MD
2020 Ruth Lynfield, MD
2019 Kathryn Duevel, MD
2019 George Lohmer
2018 Thomas Kottke, MD
2018 Charlie Reznikoff, MD
2017 Dionne Hart, MD
2017 Christopher Reif, MD
2016 Sally Trippel, MD
2015 George Schoephoerster, MD
2015 Steven Meister, MD
2015 Jane Willet, DO
2014 Beth Baker, MD
2013 Fred T Nobrega, MD
2013 Erick Reeber, MD
2011 Kenneth W Crabb, MD
2010 Linda L Van Etta, MD
2022 Deb Dittberner, MD
2022 Carolyn McClain, MD
2021 Jill Amsberry, DO
2021 Nathan Chomilo, MD
2020 Heather Bell, MD, and Kurt DeVine, MD
2020 John Hick, MD
2020 Ruth Lynfield, MD
2019 Kathryn Duevel, MD
2019 George Lohmer
2018 Thomas Kottke, MD
2018 Charlie Reznikoff, MD
2017 Dionne Hart, MD
2017 Christopher Reif, MD
2016 Sally Trippel, MD
2015 George Schoephoerster, MD
2015 Steven Meister, MD
2015 Jane Willet, DO
2014 Beth Baker, MD
2013 Fred T Nobrega, MD
2013 Erick Reeber, MD
2011 Kenneth W Crabb, MD
2010 Linda L Van Etta, MD
2010 Nicholas F Reuter, MD
2010 Frank B Cerra, MD
2009 Edward P Ehlinger, MD, MSPH
2009 Harriet Hodgson
2008 Stephen L Hadley, MD
2008 John W Larsen, MD
2008 David L Estrin, MD
2007 John R Balfanz, MD
2007 Patrick J Zook, MD
2007 George D Malkasian Jr, MD
2007 Roger K Johnson, CAE
2006 Jane Abrams
2006 Noel R Peterson, MD, MS
2005 Charles R Helleloid, MD
2005 Bruce A Norback, MD
2004 Fred T Nobrega, MD
2004 Edward A Spenny, MD
2004 Frank J Indihar, MD, MBA
2004 John V Thomas, MD
2004 Anthony C Jaspers, MD
2004 Lee H Beecher, MD
2004 Dianne Fenyk
Resident and Fellow Leadership Award
Year Recipient
2024 Jack McHugh, MB BCh, BAO
2023 Rebecca Yao, MD, MPH
2022 Dan Pfeifle, MD
2021 J.P. Janowski, MD
2022 Dan Pfeifle, MD
2021 J.P. Janowski, MD