Mentoring Award

This award celebrates clinicians who demonstrate exceptional commitment and effectiveness as a mentor to health care providers.

See our Past Clinical Excellence Award Winners

The 2024 Winners:

Laura Lacritz, Ph.D., ABPP

Distinguished Teaching Professor of Psychiatry and Neurology and in the Peter O’Donnell Jr. Brain Institute

“I’m putting my mentoring cap on.”

You’ll hear this phrase frequently from Dr. Laura Lacritz, according to devoted mentees and colleagues. They could also make the case that the cap never really leaves her head.

Dr. Lacritz, a nationally recognized leader in the field of neuropsychology, has made mentorship a cornerstone of her career, committing herself to the success of students, postdoctoral residents, and faculty alike.

“Part of what makes Dr. Lacritz such an effective mentor is that she is a true role model who is supportive and encouraging when needed, but she is also honest, practical, and upfront with mentees about their strengths and weaknesses,” wrote one of her nominators. “She does not back away from difficult conversations but uses those opportunities to help those she mentors grow and reach their potential.”

In her patient interactions, Dr. Lacritz is approachable and warm while modeling empathy and calmness for her mentees.

“Out of the dozens of supervisors and mentors that I have had during my graduate and professional career, Laura is undoubtedly the one who embodied the role of a mentor,” wrote one mentee-turned-colleague. “I hope that I can have half the impact on a budding intern as she had on me during that stage of my career.”

Known for happily taking the time to talk with anyone in need of assistance, Dr. Lacritz provides formal as well as informal mentorship in many ways to those around her. She ensures that students are presenting at national conferences, facilitates their attendance at leadership events, and helps promote them when opportunities arise. She also is sought out by junior faculty to provide career guidance and candid advice for challenging training or leadership situations.

Through her own example and by promoting others, Dr. Lacritz has been instrumental in many of her trainees attaining leadership or service roles across major neuropsychology organizations. In fact, her dedication to building future leaders was the impetus for the creation of the Leadership Ambassador Development (LEAD) Program within the National Academy of Neuropsychology, a yearlong program that has graduated 60 future leaders and is now in its fifth year.

Dr. Lacritz also serves as the Neuropsychology Training Director and is the faculty adviser of the UTSW chapter of the Association of Neuropsychology Students in Training (ANST) organization, and she has been influential in helping graduates secure positions in prestigious neuropsychology postdoctoral fellowship programs around the country.

In addition, she has recruited and mentored an outstanding group of neuropsychologists, employing her compassion and guidance to enable them to grow and develop into highly skilled clinicians.

Dr. Lacritz has received numerous awards for her mentoring and the programs she has developed, and, a nominator added, “this has been to the great benefit of trainees and faculty at UTSW over the past 30 years.”

She earned her undergraduate degree in psychology at UT Austin with highest honors and her Ph.D. in clinical psychology at UT Southwestern, where she served as Chief Resident, as well as completed a two-year postdoctoral neuropsychology fellowship.

In her words: I am so honored and humbled to be receiving this award. A philosophy that has guided my career is to never underestimate the potential impact you can have on those around you. I have tried to apply this in my role as a mentor and teacher, and while this award means so much to me, the real joy has been to see the wonderful trainees I have had the privilege to mentor achieve their goals, thrive, and become mentors themselves. Thank you so much for this award; I will cherish it always.

Ildiko Lingvay, M.D., M.P.H., M.S.C.S.

Professor of Internal Medicine, Division of Endocrinology, and in the Peter O’Donnell Jr. School of Public Health

A great mentor is not only a good judge of people’s character, strengths, and opportunities, but someone who also skillfully incorporates these attributes in a guiding way that helps them to succeed. Dr. Ildiko Lingvay is such a mentor and has made a tremendous impact on UT Southwestern’s clinical programs, research productivity, and recruitment efforts at all levels.

Dr. Lingvay has a special way of tailoring her mentorship to the individual’s needs and personality, has had an incredible influence on the careers of more than 100 faculty and trainees so far, and continues to be one of the most sought-after mentors in the Division of Endocrinology.

“Her mentees see her confidence, determination, and resilience, and they seek to emulate these qualities,” her nominator wrote, adding that they observe how she has mastered her discipline while remaining approachable and collaborative.

Fellows who have trained with Dr. Lingvay were eager to share their praise and gratitude for her insight, compassion, and guidance.

“Working with and learning from Dr. Lingvay is an absolute delight,” noted one fellow. “She is not only a bottomless well of knowledge but is kind to her students, explains concepts clearly while adjusting to one’s level of understanding, and teaches us the valuable skill of blending evidence with expert opinion and patient choice.”

“Dr. Lingvay is an amazing physician and teacher,” another fellow said. “From her, not only have I learned evidence-based practice, but also empathetic, comprehensive patient care.”

Dr. Lingvay’s reputation as a mentor transcends the confines of UTSW, as she now has mentees at other universities across the globe. In addition, she participates on mentorship committees of national societies, including the Endocrine Society’s Mentorship Committee and Women in Endocrinology Committee as well as the American Diabetes Association’s Endocrine Early Career Advisory Group and Women’s Interprofessional Network Advisory Group. Additionally, she has made career development presentations at national meetings.

Dr. Lingvay earned her medical degree at Carol Davila University of Medicine and Pharmacy in Romania. She completed an internal medicine residency at Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center and received advanced training in endocrinology and metabolism through a fellowship at UT Southwestern. She also holds master’s degrees in public health and clinical science from UTHealth Houston School of Public Health and UT Southwestern, respectively.

Her research interests include metabolic syndrome, obesity, and diabetes mellitus, and she has published numerous journal articles, book chapters, and case reports related to these conditions.

In her words: Academic medicine is a highly rewarding but arduous career. Mentors play an important role in shaping the mentees’ careers and personal development, thus maximizing not only the likelihood of a successful career but ensuring the journey they embarked on is enjoyable and rewarding every step of the way. Mentorship is a two-way road. Each mentoring relationship has taught me valuable lessons and has inspired me to grow in ways I never anticipated. It’s a reciprocal process, where both mentor and mentee contribute to each other’s development and success. I’ve been fortunate to work with some truly remarkable individuals who have shown dedication, creativity, and a drive to make a difference. Their achievements continue to be one of the most rewarding experiences of my career. I would like to dedicate the honor I received to my mentors, who encouraged me to persevere and have guided me along the many twists and turns of my academic path. They were the ones who have shown me the power of mentorship and inspired me to carry on the torch and positively impact the careers of those around me.