Congratulations to Seth Goldberg, MD, Associate Professor of Medicine, Division of Nephrology, for being voted the 2021 Nathan Hellman Memorial Teacher of the Year. The award was presented at the Fellows Graduation Dinner, June 8, 2021.
The annual award is given to a faculty member in recognition of outstanding clinical nephrology teaching. The awardee, selected by WashU Nephrology fellows, receives an inscribed plaque and a cash award to support professional development.
“I feel tremendously honored to receive this award,” says Goldberg. “Though the past year has presented many challenges, I want to again thank the fellows who have persevered through it all, and who have made it such a pleasure to teach.”
Multiple awards received during his time in the division are proof of Goldberg’s teaching abilities and dedication. He received the Barnes-Jewish Hospital Knowlton Award for Internal Medicine in 2009, the Award for Excellence in Teaching in nephrology in 2010 and 2012, and the Distinguished Service Teaching Award in 2011, 2015 and 2018. He also received the inaugural Nathan Hellman Teaching Award in 2018.
Goldberg is Associate Program Director for Service and Assessment for WashU Nephrology’s Fellowship Program, and is co-director of the Multidisciplinary Kidney Stone Clinic, Director of Polycystic Kidney Disease Clinic and Director of the Living Kidney Donor Program.
Comments accompanying Goldberg’s nomination for the 2021 Nathan Hellman award included:
“He is a wonderful person who takes an extra effort to teach. Even on the busiest of the days, he will come to fellows room, take the marker and start teaching. He is a ‘fellows friend’- more than an attending and is the most nonjudgmental person.”
“Love working with Dr. Goldberg. Rounds are enjoyable and relaxed. He is always teaching during rounds. From the start of the fellowship, he has always guided us. We can call him anytime of the day or night and he answers even if he isn’t on call. He spends time with the fellows in the lounge explaining concepts and teaching us finer details of CRRT.”
“He breaks things down to the fellows level. He is patient and kind. Even on the weekends, he finds time to explain things.”
The Nathan Hellman Memorial Teaching Award was established by WashU Nephrology in 2018 through a donation from former nephrology fellow Richard Hellman, MD, and his wife, Patricia, in memory of their son, Nathan E. Hellman, who earned his MD/PhD at WashU. After completing his residency at University of Pennsylvania, Nathan began his nephrology training at the Massachusetts General Hospital Joint Nephrology Fellowship Program in 2007. Nathan went on to establish the Renal Fellow Network in 2008; the site continues as an important educational forum to this day. Nathan was completing his nephrology research fellowship and was to be appointed a faculty member when he passed away unexpectedly on February 13, 2010. He was 36 years old.
On Twitter, follow Dr. Goldberg @sgoldber99 and keep up to date with our division @WUNephrology.
