Eight UW students and two faculty members were recognized for outstanding research abstracts and presentations at the Western Student Medical Research Forum (WSMRF) and Resident's Forum in Monterey and Carmel, Calif., from Jan. 28-31.

The WSMRF and Resident's Forum are held in conjunction with the Western Regional Inter-Society Meetings of the Western American Federation for Medical Research (WAFMR), the Western Association of Physicians, the Western Society for Clinical Investigation (WSCI), the Western Society for Pediatric Research, and the California Thoracic Society.

More than 350 research abstracts were submitted from medical students across the western United States and Canada. Residents, research fellows, and faculty members also submitted more than 200 abstracts. The UW had 81 student abstracts and presentations, more than any other medical school.

Six UW medical students were selected among the 20 subspecialty award winners for top student abstracts: Jennifer Moe, Cory Nitzel, Aaron Shur, Tracy Tylee, Paul Anderson, and Jacki Vasen. Two other UW students, Esther Fine and Giana Davidson, were among the students recognized for outstanding oral presentation in the student scientific sessions.

Two faculty members received 2004 WSCI/WAFMR Outstanding Investigator Awards: Conrad Liles, associate professor of medicine and infectious diseases, and Molly Carr, acting assistant professor of medicine in the Division of Metabolism, Endocrinology and Nutrition.

Several faculty members also served as moderators at the WSMRF, including: John Coombs, associate dean for regional affairs, rural health, and graduate medical education; Susan Marshall, assistant dean for curriculum; Tom Nighswander, WWAMI program clinical medical education coordinator at the University of Alaska, Anchorage; Wes Van Voorhis, professor of medicine; Bradley Anawalt, associate professor of medicine and physician at the VA Puget Sound Health Care System; and Liles, also an adjunct associate professor of pathology.

In addition, Roger Rosenblatt, vice-chair of the Department of Family Medicine, served as a co-executive director of the event, and Brian Zeglen, administrative specialist in Coombs' office, served as a co-program director.