Dr. Robin Ovitsh to Receive 2025 NEGEA Distinguished Service & Leadership Award
By Office of the President | Apr 8, 2025
Robin K. Ovitsh, M.D., Associate Professor of Clinical Pediatrics and former Associate Dean of Clinical Competencies in the College of Medicine, was named the recipient of the 2025 Northeast Group on Educational Affairs (NEGEA) Distinguished Service & Leadership Award. This honor recognizes her leadership in medical education, dedication to faculty development, and national contributions to clinical skills training.
Dr. Ovitsh was instrumental in developing the College of Medicine’s six Domains of Competency. This framework provides students with a structured, competency-based approach to clinical practice. Her work has helped align medical education with the evolving needs of healthcare delivery.
Her impact extends beyond Downstate through active leadership in NEGEA, including roles on the Steering Committee and Program Planning Committee, and nationally as a representative to the Association of American Medical Colleges (AAMC) Undergraduate Medical Education Executive Committee.
Dr. Ovitsh also led a NEGEA-sponsored, multi-institutional research project on student leadership in UME, earning a 2021 NEGEA Medical Education Research Grant. She serves on the executive council of the Directors of Clinical Skills Education (DOCS) and was elected DOCS President in 2021. She has contributed to key AAMC initiatives, including the Foundational Competencies in Undergraduate Medical Education and the Clinical Skills Assessment and Standardization (CLASS) Project.
In 2024, Dr. Ovitsh joined a national effort to improve the teaching of clinical reasoning across the transition from pre-clerkship to clerkship. She has also co-led workshops to train educators in clinical skills instruction, focusing on integrating basic science and clinical reasoning throughout the medical education continuum.
Dr. Ovitsh’s work has helped shape national best practices in competency-based education. Her contributions will be formally recognized at the NEGEA Annual Conference later this month, a well-deserved tribute to her enduring commitment to excellence in medical education.
Congratulations, Dr. Ovitsh, on this well-earned and meaningful honor!
Tags: Pediatrics