The President’s Award for Diversity and Humanism in Clinical Care

This award honors clinical faculty who exemplify the humanistic spirit of patient-centered medicine, both through clinical excellence and in outstanding compassion in the delivery of care.

See our Past Clinical Excellence Award Winners

The 2020 Winner:

Naomi Winick, M.D.

Professor of Pediatrics
Division of Pediatric Hematology and Oncology

Dr. Winick is the type of doctor whom patients – boys and girls with cancer – draw pictures of. She’s the type of doctor whom patients’ parents give thanks for – both verbally and, over and over, in writing. According to her Division Chief, she’s the type of doctor in whom clinical excellence and compassion meet and flourish.

In the course of her 35 years on the UT Southwestern faculty, Dr. Winick has touched countless lives. As a specialist in pediatric hematology and oncology, many of those lives have been young ones, and the number of patients who keep in touch with her long after being in her care speaks volumes about her character as both a doctor and a human.

Colleagues say that Dr. Winick’s expertise in managing the treatment of children with leukemia is unmatched, but they also note that her commitment to inclusion, diversity, and humanism equally distinguishes her as a physician.

Among the many roles she’s held over the course of her career, she’s been a member of the UT Southwestern Advancement of Women in Medicine Committee and continues to serve on the Women in Science and Medicine Advisory Committee. In recent years, she has been an active participant in discussions of ways to facilitate recruitment of trainees and faculty members from underrepresented minority populations.

Part of what makes Dr. Winick a compelling role model for medical students, residents, clinical fellows, and junior faculty – and for young women in medicine, in particular – is her dedication to her own constant improvement as a caregiver. In addition to her board certifications in pediatrics and pediatric hematology-oncology, she also recently achieved certification in hospice and palliative care medicine. In 2021 – 43 years after earning her medical degree at Northwestern University – she will complete a master’s degree in public health at UT Health Science Center at Houston, UT Southwestern campus.

Stephen Skapek, M.D., Chief of the UTSW Division of Pediatric Hematology and Oncology, notes that such dedication is entirely in keeping with who Dr. Winick is as a physician and is a clear example of how seriously she takes her responsibility to provide the most compassionate care.

“I often ask the parents of inpatient children to tell me about their primary hematology or oncology physician,” Dr. Skapek says. “All of those who have Dr. Winick as their physician uniformly sing her praises. Beyond realizing that her content expertise in leukemia is renowned across the nation, they always focus on the time that she gives them, the patience with which she answers all of their questions, and the compassion that she brings to every interaction.”

In her words: “So many at UT Southwestern, and in my field, have done so much; I am humbled and honored to have been chosen for the President's Award for Diversity and Humanism in Clinical Care. I believe that patient care is predicated on listening and understanding, addressing the patient's or family's primary concerns first, whenever possible, and bringing the patient and family into the reasoning behind recommendations, which allows them to join the conversation. 

“The Division of Pediatric Hematology and Oncology, as well as other divisions within pediatrics, defines this respectful, loving approach to patient care at every level, every day. I am honored to share this award with them and grateful to be one of them. I continue to learn from those around me and am thrilled to have the opportunity to teach and mentor. I am also grateful to be a member of a university that recognizes the importance of our patients, their families, and our trainees, and the care they all deserve.”