The Society of Hospital Medicine (SHM) announced that Eric Howell, MD, FHM is the recipient of the Society's Excellence in Teaching Award for 2009. Dr. Howell will be presented with this award at Hospital Medicine 2009, SHM's annual meeting, to be held May 14-17 in Chicago, IL.

Dr. Howell currently serves as the Director of the Hospitalist Division and Director of Hospital Care for Johns Hopkins Bayview Medical Center, and is the faculty leader for the Helen B. Taussig College at Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine. As faculty leader, Dr. Howell mentors 120 medical students and is directly involved with the school's fund-raising efforts for charities, and developing the school's mentorship program.

In his roles at Johns Hopkins Bayview Medical Center, Dr. Howell oversees a hospitalist group of 37, and leads the charge in the planning and development of clinical and academic programs that improve patient care. He also oversees all Department of Medicine operations for all inpatient activities, including the development of clinical programs.

Dr. Howell has received several awards for teaching, including the 2006 Professor's Award for Excellence in Teaching in Preclinical and Clinical Sciences at Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine. This award is presented to faculty "whose investment in the teaching of students is of the highest order."

"Today's generation of hospitalists need teachers and mentors like Dr. Howell in order to accelerate the growth of hospital medicine as a specialty," commented Larry Wellikson, MD, SHM's chief executive officer.

A member of SHM since 2000, Dr. Howell serves on both the Leadership and Public Policy Committees. He is also a past Course Director for SHM's Leadership Academy, and currently serves as a member of the faculty.

A graduate of University of Maryland, College Park, Dr. Howell earned his undergraduate degree in Electrical Engineering. He received his medical degree from the University of Maryland, School of Medicine at Baltimore and completed both his residency and chief residency at Johns Hopkins Bayview Medical Center.

SHM is the premier medical society representing hospitalists. Over the past decade, studies have shown that hospitalists decrease patient lengths of stay, reduce hospital costs and readmission rates, all while increasing patient satisfaction. Hospital medicine is the fastest-growing specialty in modern healthcare, with over 28,000 hospitalists currently practicing and an upward growth trajectory in full force. For more information about SHM, visit hospitalmedicine.

Source
The Society of Hospital Medicine