MAGIS Society Ceremony Honors Faculty Excellence in Teaching and Mentorship
(May 15, 2026) — Georgetown University School of Medicine inducted three faculty members into the MAGIS Society of Master Teachers during its annual commencement week ceremony, recognizing excellence in teaching, mentorship and service.
This year’s MAGIS Society of Master Teachers Induction and Faculty Awards Ceremony was held May 14 in the Goldberg Auditorium at MedStar Georgetown University Hospital.
Drawn from the Latin motto of the Society of Jesus, magis means “more greatly” and comes from the Jesuit phrase ad maiorem Dei gloriam — “for the greater glory of God.”
The MAGIS Society ceremony celebrates faculty members whose impact extends far beyond the classroom and laboratory through their commitment to forming future physicians, scientists and health leaders.
2026 MAGIS Society Inductees
For Preclinical Sciences
John Partridge, PhD, professor of pharmacology and physiology and director of the medical pharmacology course
(r to l) John Partridge, PhD, accepts congratulations from Bassem Haddad, MD, professor of oncology and obstetrics and gynecology at Georgetown University School of Medicine.
In his nomination, Partridge was celebrated for his collegiality and connection with students. “One of John’s superpowers is his rapport with students. … He is always open to collaboration with faculty in other disciplines, participating in integrated sessions with the Diagnostic Reasoning and Testing and Psychiatry courses. And — he is a fantastic colleague.”
For Clinical Sciences
Deborah Topol, MD, assistant professor of medicine and associate dean for longitudinal curriculum at Georgetown University School of Medicine
(l to r) Norman J. Beauchamp Jr., MD, MHS, executive vice president for health sciences and executive dean of the School of Medicine, stands with Deborah Topol, MD, and Stephen Ray Mitchell, MD, dean emeritus of the School of Medicine
In her nomination, Topol was recognized for more than two decades of contributions to medical education. “Deborah has made lasting contributions to the education of our preclinical and clinical students. … She is the educator and clinician that students aspire to be.”
For Biomedical Graduate Education
Anna T. Riegel, PhD, professor of oncology, senior associate dean for Biomedical Graduate Education, and vice president for biomedical graduate education and research
(l to r) David H. Song, MD, chief medical officer and vice president of medical affairs for MedStar Georgetown University Hospital, stands with Anna Riegel, PhD, and Norman J. Beauchamp Jr., MD, MHS
In her nomination, Riegel was recognized for her longstanding commitment to educating future scientists. “Dr. Anna Riegel’s passion for graduate biomedical education has been obvious since her appointment as assistant professor, initially in the Department of Pharmacology and later in the Department of Oncology, at Georgetown.”
This year marked the first inclusion of a faculty honoree representing Biomedical Graduate Education (BGE), reflecting the School of Medicine’s continued integration of biomedical graduate education into the medical school community.
The MAGIS Society of Master Teachers honors physicians and biomedical scientists dedicated to the care of others and the health needs of society. They are educators, mentors and role models whose commitment to students reflects Georgetown’s Jesuit values and tradition of cura personalis — care for the whole person.
Kaiser Permanente Excellence in Teaching Awards
The ceremony also recognized recipients of the 2026 Kaiser Permanente Excellence in Teaching Awards:
(l to r) Shimae Fitzgibbons, MD, and Josh Watson, PhD, were recognized for their respective teaching awards.
The Kaiser Permanente Award for Excellence in Preclinical Teaching was presented to Josh Watson, PhD, associate professor of pharmacology and physiology.
The Kaiser Permanente Award for Excellence in Clinical Science Teaching was presented to Shimae Fitzgibbons, MD, associate professor of surgery and senior associate dean for evaluation and assessment.
Retiring Faculty Members
The 14 faculty members who will be retiring from distinguished careers in teaching at Georgetown University School of Medicine were also recognized and include:
Seema Agarwal
Pathology
David Casalino
Radiology
Fung-Lung Chung
Oncology
Mary Cormier
Radiology
Danielle De Mulder
Radiology
Brian Evans
Orthopaedics
James Giordano
Neurology
Janice Jeon
Radiology
Timothy Jorgensen
Radiation Medicine
Douglas Kamerow
Family Medicine
Rochelle Mayer
Pediatrics
Andrei Medvedev
Neurology
Stefano Vicini
Pharmacology & Physiology
Richard Waldhorn
Medicine
- Tagged
- Commencement 2026
- MAGIS