Each year since 1997 Mayo Clinic College of Medicine and Science provides six outstanding residents and fellows with the Mayo Brothers Distinguished Fellowship Award. The award recognizes qualities associated with Mayo Clinic founders William J. Mayo, M.D., and Charles H. Mayo, M.D. Recipients are chosen from all three Mayo Clinic campuses based on outstanding clinical performance, humanitarianism and scholarly activity.
An endowment created by the Mayo brothers when they donated their life savings to create a new graduate school to train specialty residents in 1915 supports the stipends and benefits for the six outstanding award recipients.
Mayo Brothers Distinguished Fellowship Award 2016 recipients
- Awais Ashfaq, M.B.B.S. (S ’17)
- John Bois, M.D. (MED ’09, I ’12, CTSA ’15)
- Hugo Botha, M.B.Ch.B. (I-1 ’13, N ’16)
- Waleed Brinjikji, M.D. (MED ’11, RD ’16)
- Jordan Ray, M.D. (I ’16)
- Elizabeth Vogel, M.D., Ph.D. (I-1 ’12, BME ’15)
Additionally, Mayo Clinic College of Medicine awards the Barbara Bush Distinguished Fellowship to an individual who represents the highest level of professional skills and humanitarian values. The recipient represents the ideals of the Mayo brothers and of Mrs. Bush and her husband, former President George H.W. Bush. The Barbara Bush Distinguished Fellowship was established by the Mayo Clinic College of Medicine in 2004 to express appreciation to Mrs. Bush for her years of dedicated service on the Board of Trustees and for the special relationship Mayo Clinic has with her and her husband.
Barbara Bush Distinguished Fellowship 2016 recipient
- Shennen Mao, M.D. (S ’12, CI ’14, S ’16)
Awais Ashfaq, M.B.B.S. (S ’17)
Awais Ashfaq, M.B.B.S.
Department of Surgery
Mayo Clinic in Arizona
Residency: General Surgery, Mayo School of Graduate Medical Education
Medical school: Aga Khan University Medical College, Karachi, Pakistan
Undergraduate: University of Cambridge, United Kingdom
Native of: Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates
Highlights:
- Received Best Case Presentation at American College of Surgeons Annual Clinical Congress, 2014
- Received Traveling Scholarship, Society of Surgery for the Alimentary Tract, 2014
- Won Commission on Cancer Physician-in-Training Research Paper Competition, 2012
- Has published more than 35 peer-reviewed manuscripts and given more than 20 presentations
- Served as city coordinator for Mensa Pakistan to help others use their talents to improve local communities
- Aims to become a pediatric cardiothoracic surgeon and practice in resource-limited settings to change the lives of children with congenital heart defects
“Dr. Ashfaq’s clinical acumen, medical knowledge, professionalism and clinical judgment are outstanding. He has distinguished himself as one of the finest surgical residents in the program. He is on track to be one of the best surgeons to train at Mayo and serve the community.” Nabil Wasif, M.D. (S ’09), Department of Surgery, Mayo Clinic in Arizona
John Bois, M.D. (MED ’09, I ’12, CTSA ’15)
John Bois, M.D.
Division of Cardiovascular Diseases
Mayo Clinic in Rochester
Fellowship: Cardiovascular Diseases, Mayo Clinic School of Graduate Medical Education
Residency: Internal Medicine, Mayo Clinic School of Graduate Medical Education
Medical school: Mayo Clinic Medical School
Undergraduate: Dartmouth College, Hanover, New Hampshire
Native of: Colorado Springs, Colorado
Highlights:
- Received Edward C. Rosenow Teaching Award for excellence in education, 2013-2014, Mayo Clinic internal medicine residents
- Received Angela and Anne Marinelli Clinical Practice Award for exceptional achievement in clinical practice, 2014-2015, awarded annually by Mayo Clinic faculty to a subspecialty fellow
- Has published 14 manuscripts and authored several book chapters and letters
- Received an industrial grant from General Electric for ongoing prospective clinical trial
- Involved with Mayo Outreach Student Teaching Program, designed to send medical professionals and students into area schools to education children about the principles of health care fundamentals
- Served as co-founder and first president of Mayo Historical Society’s Willius Society, the medical history group which promotes research, presentation and publication of medical history among residents and fellows
“Everything John does he does with the highest level of integrity, commitment and professionalism. I have no doubt Dr. Bois will be a highly successful academic cardiovascular clinician investigator.” Kyle Klarich, M.D. (CV ’95), Division of Cardiovascular Diseases, Mayo Clinic in Rochester
Hugo Botha, M.B.Ch.B. (I-1 ’13, N ’16)
Hugo Botha, M.B.Ch.B.
Department of Neurology
Mayo Clinic in Rochester
Residency: Adult Neurology, Mayo Clinic School of Graduate Medical Education
Medical school, undergraduate: University of Stellenbosh, Stellenbosh, South Africa
Native of: Cape Town, South Africa
Highlights:
- Has scored at 99th percentile on neurology in-service training exam among peers across the country every year.
- Has published 12 peer-reviewed articles including a large, high-impact study of clinical and radiographic features in patients with neurodegenerative speech and language disorders
- Received best undergraduate medical student award, University of Stellenbosh
- Has worked with nonprofit organization Salesian Life Choices in Cape Town, South Africa, creating referral guidelines and patient education materials, designing website and creating database to organize mental health services
- Co-founded campus Humanism in Medicine Society, University of Stellenbosh
“Hugo has distinguished himself in a number of important capacities. He is an avid learner, his medical knowledge is impeccable, and his professionalism and interpersonal skills are impressive. We have every expectation Dr. Botha will be a star neurology academician.” Lyell Jones, M.D. (I-1 01, N ’04, N-EMG ’05), Department of Neurology, Mayo Clinic in Rochester
Waleed Brinjikji, M.D. (MED ’11, RD ’16)
Waleed Brinjikji, M.D.
Division of Neuroradiology
Mayo Clinic in Rochester
Fellowship: Neuroradiology, Mayo Clinic School of Graduate Medical Education
Residency: Diagnostic Radiology, Mayo Clinic School of Graduate Medical Education
Medical school: Mayo Clinic School of Medicine
Undergraduate: Michigan State University College of Natural Science
Native of: Dearborn, Michigan
Highlights:
Received McMillan Award for best clinical radiologist, awarded by Mayo Clinic Department of Radiology
- Has written more than 70 first-author papers and contributed to 50 others
- Has received research grants totaling more than $100,000
- Co-founded humanitarian teleradiology project with Mayo Clinic and Rad-Aid, which reads CT exams from Haiti that otherwise would not be interpreted by a radiologist
- Has volunteered in Turkey, performing ultrasound exams in Syrian refugee clinic
“Dr. Brinjikji has become a master clinician, a highly productive clinical researcher and enthusiastic physician. He embodies the qualities of the Mayo brothers.” Tara Henrichsen, M.D. (R-D 04, R-CSX ‘-05), Division of Diagnostic Radiology, Mayo Clinic in Florida
Jordan Ray, M.D. (I ’16)
Jordan Ray, M.D.
Division of Cardiovascular Diseases
Mayo Clinic in Florida
Residency: Internal Medicine, Mayo Clinic School of Graduate Medical Education
Medical school: University of Missouri-Kansas City School of Medicine
Undergraduate: Southwest Baptist University, Bolivar, Missouri
Native of: Bolivar, Missouri
Highlights:
- Has published 12 articles
- Was a featured speaker at the national American College of Physicians meeting, 2015
- Received American College of Physicians National Young Achiever Award
- Is a scientific reviewer for Journal of Interventional Cardiac Electrophysiology
- Volunteers at free medical clinics at Mission House, a homeless shelter in Jacksonville, Florida
- Worked with Habitat for Humanity including building homes in New Orleans, Louisiana, for families who could not afford contractors
- Plans to complete a fellowship in Cardiovascular Diseases at Mayo Clinic in Florida
“Dr. Ray is an outstanding resident in every competency – easily in the top 5 percent of residents with whom I have worked over the last 15 years since joining Mayo Clinic. He makes sure any resident who is interested in and motivated to do research or write up case reports has mentorship, guidance and encouragement. He puts the same energy into caring for his patients.” Michele Lewis, M.D. (GI ’00), Division of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, Mayo Clinic in Florida
Elizabeth Vogel, M.D., Ph.D. (I-1 ’12, BME ’15)
Elizabeth Vogel, M.D., Ph.D.
Department of Anesthesiology and Perioperative Medicine
Mayo Clinic in Rochester
Residency: Anesthesiology, Mayo School of Graduate Medical Education
Postgraduate: Ph.D., Basic Science, Mayo Clinic Graduate School of Biomedical Science
Medical school: University of Minnesota Medical School, Minneapolis
Undergraduate: Wheaton College, Wheaton, Illinois
Native of: Rochester, Minnesota
Highlights:
- Received Excellence in Internship Award, Mayo Clinic School of Graduate Medical Education, awarded by Department of Internal Medicine chief medical residents
- Obtained NIH T32 (Institutional National Research Service Award) position in Department of Physiology and Biomedical Engineering
- Has published 11 peer-reviewed articles and 14 abstracts, and participated in seven national and international conferences
- Received 2015 Duane K. Rorie Award, Department of Anesthesiology and Perioperative Medicine, Mayo Clinic
- Volunteers as research mentor for rotating high school, undergraduate and medical students in the lab
- Works with children with developmental disabilities
“I am in awe of Dr. Vogel’s productivity as a researcher, clinician, mentor and humanitarian. She will be an outstanding representative of Mayo and a welcome addition to our faculty at the conclusion of her clinical training.” Timothy Long, M.D. (ANES ’98), Department of Anesthesiology and Perioperative Medicine, Mayo Clinic in Rochester
Barbara Bush Distinguished Fellowship 2016 recipient
Shennen Mao, M.D. (S ’12, CI ’14, S ’16)
Shennen Mao, M.D.
Department of Surgery
Mayo Clinic in Rochester
Fellowship: Abdominal Transplantation Surgery, Mayo Clinic School of Graduate Medical Education
Fellowship: Clinician Investigator Training Program, Mayo Clinic School of Graduate Medical Education
Residency: General Surgery, Mayo Clinic School of Graduate Medical Education
Medical school: Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts
Undergraduate: Creighton University, Omaha, Nebraska
Native of: Mason City, Iowa
Highlights:
- Was elected as administrative chief resident, 2016
- Received Mayo Clinic Inlow Award for best resident presentation at annual resident education day, 2014
- Received Silver Retractor Award, outstanding intern, General Surgery Residency Program, Mayo Clinic, 2010
- Has published eight peer-reviewed articles, book chapters and review articles
- Volunteers with RideAbility, a therapeutic riding academy in Pine Island, Minnesota
- Performs “Taps” at military funerals through Buglers Across America
“Clinically, Dr. Mao is an all-star. In the operating room, she is skilled and well trusted among the faculty. She was incredibly productive in the Clinician Investigator Training Program and was an integral part of significant research projects in hepatic replacement. She has a passion for pediatric surgery and pediatric transplant surgery. She is truly an all-around leader and is at all times looking to give back to those around her.” Stephanie Heller, M.D. (S ’01, CCM-S ’02, S ’04), Department of Surgery, Mayo Clinic in Rochester
