UMSOM’s Senior Associate Dean Dr. Donna Parker Receives 2024 Champion of the Year Award for Mentoring Women in Academic Medicine

Donna L. Parker, MD, FACP, Professor of Medicine and Senior Associate Dean for Undergraduate Medical Education at the University of Maryland School of Medicine (UMSOM), has been named the recipient of the 2024 Champion of the Year Award presented by the University of Maryland, Baltimore (UMB) UMBrella Advisory Board. The UMBrella Awards recognizes a member of the UMB community of any gender who serves as a role model in their commitment to championing women in academia and/or administration. The awards are given annually in three separate categories: On the Rise, Leading the Way, and Champion of the Year.

“Being recognized with this award is a reminder of the opportunities that we have to make a positive impact in our daily work,” said Dr. Parker. “I have devoted much of my career to mentorship with a particular focus on women in medicine. It is incredibly important for those of us in leadership positions to step forward to support and encourage our next generation of women leaders.”

Dr. Parker, who is regarded as a deeply motivated and successful mentor, was nominated for the award by Marissa A. Flaherty, MD, Assistant Professor of Psychiatry and Assistant Dean in the Office of Student Affairs at UMSOM.

“Dr. Parker has been an unwavering source of support since I was a first-year medical student,” said Dr. Flaherty. “Through her continued mentorship in my residency and  my becoming an attending, Dr. Parker inspired me to pursue a career in medical school advising. Her constant support and leadership have encouraged many women across campus.”

Dr. Parker received her MD degree from UMSOM and joined the school’s faculty in 1992. She has served in multiple roles, including Medical Director of the Internal Medicine Resident Clinic, Associate Program Director for Ambulatory Education in the Department of Medicine, Assistant Dean for Admissions, Associate Dean for Student and Faculty Development, and Associate Dean for Student Affairs. In 2019, she was promoted to Senior Associate Dean for Undergraduate Medical Education.

Dr. Parker will be honored during the UMBrella Women's History Month Symposium on March 6, 2024, at the SMC Campus Center.