Three Penn Medicine faculty honored with American College of Physicians awards

Three Penn Medicine faculty have been recognized by the American College of Physicians (ACP) with national awards honoring their leadership, research, and contributions to patient care.

Scott D. Halpern, MD, PhD, received the ACP Award for Distinguished Contributions to Behavioral Medicine, which recognizes individuals who have made significant contributions to the science of behavioral approaches to treating medical illness and integrating behavioral health into internal medicine care.

The John M. Eisenberg, M.D. Professor in Medicine at Penn and founding director Penn’s Palliative and Advanced Illness Research (PAIR) Center, Halpern is recognized for pioneering research that applies principles of behavioral economics to improve health outcomes, advance health equity, and strengthen clinical decision-making.

Paula Chatterjee, MD, MPH, was honored with the Walter J. McDonald Award for Early Career Physicians, which recognizes outstanding achievement by physicians within 16 years of graduating medical school. The award highlights excellence in leadership, academics, clinical care, teaching, mentoring, and service.

An assistant professor in General Internal Medicine, Chatterjee’s innovative research has advanced how health care systems serve low-income and underserved populations while identifying opportunities to better align resources with the clinical needs of patients and populations. She is also recognized for her commitment to mentoring the next generation of physicians and health services researchers.

Katalin Susztak, MD, PhD, received the Harriet P. Dustan Award for Outstanding Work in Science as Related to Medicine, one of ACP's highest scientific honors. The award recognizes individuals whose contributions to science have achieved national or international distinction.

Susztak, the Willard and Rhoda Ware Professor of Diabetes and Metabolic Diseases IV and co-chair of the Penn/CHOP Kidney Innovation Center, is a globally recognized leader in kidney disease research. Her groundbreaking work has advanced understanding of the molecular mechanisms underlying chronic kidney disease and helped identify new therapeutic targets.