Alumni Reunion and Awards 2023
The SSOM honored the following distinguished students, faculty and alumni for accomplishments in learning, teaching and the practice of medicine.
Class of 1958 Basic Biomedical Sciences Faculty Award
Denise Arrick
The award recognizes a faculty member in the Division of Basic Biomedical Sciences who has shown excellence in teaching or research and demonstrates service to the Sanford School of Medicine. Since 2016, Arrick has been an instructor of Anatomy in the Division of Basic Biomedical Sciences, teaching Anatomy 711/ Medical Foundations 1. Her publications and presentations are numerous. She is also responsible for gross anatomy lab tours and showcases the wet and dry lab spaces to hundreds of undergraduate and high school students each year. Her passion for anatomy is evident and she is a valuable member of the division.
Class of 1954 Warren Jones M.D. Faculty Award
Jennifer Hsu, M.D.
The Class of 1954 created this award to honor Dr. Warren Jones and recognize an outstanding medical school faculty member who upholds the tradition of excellence in teaching. Dr. Hsu was nominated by her colleagues for her outstanding leadership while in the Office of Medical Education and her work while serving as Pillar 2 director. She revised the school’s evaluation and assessment models, implemented the new curriculum at the medical school and aided in faculty development. Dr. Hsu gracefully managed student concerns while ensuring the curriculum remained thorough, and her work ethic, integrity and intelligence impressed everyone she encountered with while working at the medical school. Dr. Hsu is an infectious disease expert at Avera Medical Group in Sioux Falls and is a member of the South Dakota State Medical Association, Infectious Disease Society of America and American College of Physicians.
Class of 1983 Clinical Faculty Award
David Withrow, ’90 M.D.
The award recognizes the critical role of our clinical faculty in preparing physicians. The recipient has an active clinical practice, is a member of the medical school faculty and shows leadership in their department. Dr. Withrow graduated from the Sanford School of Medicine in 1990 and joined its faculty in 1997. He is currently a clinical professor in the Department of Pediatrics, a Fellow of the American Academy of Pediatrics and a pediatrician with Yankton Medical Clinic in Yankton, South Dakota. Dr. Withrow was nominated for this award by medical students on the Yankton campus for his outstanding work as a physician and educator.
Satish Koneru Award for Excellence in Physiology
Andrew Nerland
The award was created by the late Dr. and Mrs. Koneru of Battle Creek, Michigan, in honor of their son, Satish. This year’s award recipient was Andrew Nerland from the Class of 2025. Nerland was selected by the Basic Biomedical Sciences leadership for his achievements in physiology as well as leadership, aptitude, participation and research contribution. He is from Harrisburg, South Dakota, and a FARM student in Spearfish. Nerland participates in the Scholarship Pathways Program, South Dakota Area Health Education Center - Rural Health Leadership Program and Psychiatry Interest Group, and is a REACH Peer Mentor and a FARM delegate for the American Medical Association Medical Student Section.
George Rinker Award for Excellence in Anatomy
Mason Blue
The award was first presented in 1987 in honor of longtime professor of anatomy, Dr. George Rinker, and was created by the late Dr. and Mrs. Koneru of Battle Creek, Michigan. This year’s award recipient was Mason Blue from the Class of 2026. From Brandon, South Dakota, Blue is a Wellness Committee representative and Coyote Clinic volunteer. Upon completing Pillar 1, Blue will be a student on the Sioux Falls campus.
Distinguished Alumnus Award
Eric Larson, ’96 M.D.
The Alumni Relations Council annually honors an alumnus who actively demonstrates pride and loyalty to the medical school. Dr. Larson is a 1996 graduate of the USD Sanford School of Medicine, where he also completed his internal medicine residency training. He then joined the SSOM faculty as an assistant professor of internal medicine in 2001, with a promotion to associate professor in 2008 and to professor in 2020. Dr. Larson actively and enthusiastically mentors students and trains residents in the Department of Internal Medicine, while also overseeing the Transitional Residency Program (since 2013), and regularly involves medical students and residents as co-authors on manuscripts. Currently, Dr. Larson is chair of the Department of Internal Medicine and an internist at Sanford Health. Professionally, Dr. Larson is a fellow in the American College of Physicians and a member of the Alpha Omega Alpha national honor medical society. As a leader in medical education, scholarly activity and service at USD, Dr. Larson embodies the characteristics this award defines.
