Class of 2028 honors mentors

Each year, SIU medical students nominate exemplary care providers who give them professional assistance during the first year of study in Carbondale. The Class of 2028 recently selected a pair of physicians for mentor recognition.

Clare Williams, MD, a Family Medicine doctor at Shawnee Health, received the Above and Beyond Award. Ernesha Salcedo and Tayla Gaines (at right, with Williams) were impressed not only by Williams' abilities as a physician and teacher but also by her genuine care for the students. “She was the perfect physician to help me grow as an M1,” one said.

Kent Arnold, MD, was named Mentor of the Year. He’s an SIU-trained Emergency Medicine physician. Students Cherise Anderson-Scheurman and Kaylee Fafoglia (pictured at top, with Arnold) praised his ability to teach, turning even slow days into valuable instructional moments. Arnold would use the extra time to explain his thinking and approach, “something that is invaluable at this point in my training,” a nominator said.