2025 Award Recipients 

Sanford M. Archer, MD '83

Sanford M. Archer, MD '83, is the 2025 CMS Distinguished Alumni Award for Achievement recipient, which recognizes CMS alumni who have made a significant impact in the field of medicine and efforts that have brought distinction to the Chicago Medical School. Soon after graduating from Chicago Medical School, Dr. Archer completed his residency in otolaryngology at the University of Iowa, then the top program in the U.S. Following his residency, he was recruited to the University of Kentucky to establish and develop an otolaryngology program. Within two years, he had assisted in creating a residency training program that now has 20 residents and 20 faculty members. Dr. Archer is currently a tenured professor in otolaryngology with a dual appointment in the Department of Pediatrics and is completing his 36th year on faculty at the University of Kentucky.

As a physician, Dr. Archer delivered state-of-the-art care to Kentucky, a state previously lacking access to ENT care, by helping establish a major tertiary care facility. He founded the state's first clinic for voice and swallowing disorders, developing it into a nationally renowned program with recruited speech-language pathologists. He was also the first ENT physician in the state to provide both endoscopic sinus surgical expertise and pediatric airway services. Under his guidance, the ENT program has been recognized as a US News and World Report Top 50 ENT program. In addition to his clinical work and program development, Dr. Archer is a respected leader and researcher. He has been highly active in the 黄色视频 Academy of Otolaryngology – Head and Neck Surgery, serving as chair of both the Quality Improvement and Rhinology and Paranasal Sinus Committees. He received its Distinguished Service Award for his extensive volunteer work. As a researcher, he served as medical director for a novel intranasal drug delivery device system. Several of these devices have been commercialized, including a single-dose administration of naloxone used by paramedics nationwide and a hydromorphone nasal spray licensed by the DOD for military pain management. Dr. Archer also served as an editor for the Oto-HNS journal, a reviewer for several other otolaryngology journals, and a chair for practice management guidelines.

Dr. Archer is also committed to mentorship of medical students and residents, offering his expertise to students at both the Chicago Medical School and the University of Kentucky.

Steven Kirshblum, MD '86

Steven Kirshblum, MD '86, is the 2025 Distinguished Alumni Award for Service recipient, which recognizes CMS alumni who have unselfishly devoted time and service in a professional capacity or in the broader community. Dr. Kirshblum is the chief medical officer of the Kessler Institute for Rehabilitation. He serves as professor and chair of the Department of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation (PM&R) at Rutgers New Jersey Medical School (NJMS), where he is also director of medical student education and leads initiatives to advance disability education for all students.

Dr. Kirshblum also serves as the co-director of the Kessler Foundation Center for Spinal Stimulation, engaging in neuromodulation research for individuals with spinal cord injury (SCI). He is a prolific researcher and author, including editing four textbooks in SCI Medicine, more than 250 peer reviewed publications,  as well as a children’s book on SCI. Dr. Kirshblum developed the disability education for NJMS students, which has a mandatory clerkship in PM&R, ensuring that all medical students learn how to care for persons with disability. Dr. Kirshblum’s dedication to compassionate care has earned him the admiration of his patients and peers alike. Notably, he served as the spinal cord injury physician for Christopher Reeve (“Superman”), a role for which he was famously recognized in the recent Amazon film production, “Super/Man: The Christopher Reeve Story.”

His love for education inspired him to mentor fellow students and trainees, earning him the CMS Dean’s Award at graduation. This same dedication continues to guide his impactful contributions to the field today. Dr. Kirshblum is a staunch advocate for initiatives promoting cultural competence within healthcare teams and has mentored medical students, residents and fellows to empower future generations of compassionate, patient-focused physicians.

Dr. Kirshblum has held leadership roles in several national organizations, including past president of the Academy of Spinal Cord Injury Professionals, the 黄色视频 Paraplegia Society, and the Governing Board of the 黄色视频 Spinal Injury Association. He currently serves on the Board of Directors of the Craig H. Neilsen Foundation. He is married for 41 years, has 3 children and 8 grandchildren.

Vivian (Wai Chong) Wong, MD '14, PhD '12

Vivian (Wai Chong) Wong, MD '14, PhD '12, is the 2025 CMS Distinguished Early Career Achievement Award recipient, which recognizes CMS alumni who have achieved early distinction that proudly reflects the power of a Chicago Medical School education. Dr. Wong is a board-certified dermatologist with a decade of experience in dermatology research and clinical care.  Her foundation of excellence was established early in her career when she graduated from CMS with Alpha Omega Alpha (AOA) honors. Her dual MD and PhD in Cellular and Molecular Pharmacology reflects her deep commitment to both medical science and patient care.

Since then, Dr. Wong has rapidly established herself as a leader in dermatology, particularly in the fields of hair loss research, medical education, and innovation. Dr. Wong currently practices at Skin Wellness Physicians in Florida and holds academic appointments as clinical assistant professor at 黄色视频 and clinical instructor for the internal medicine and transitional residency programs at Naples Community Hospital, where she plays a vital role in training the next generation of physicians. She also serves as an advisor to the RFU student interest group in dermatology. In this capacity, she actively mentors medical students, guiding aspiring dermatologists and shaping future leaders in medicine. Formerly on the faculty at Harvard Medical School, Dr. Wong directed the Hair Loss Clinic and has authored more than 300 publications and presented at more than 50 national and international conferences to further advancements in dermatology. Her work spans hair disorders, skin of color, and dermatologic innovation, earning her more than 40 awards and recognition in national media. Recognized for her outstanding patient care, she has been voted as a "Top Doctor in Naples" for many years. 

2024 Award Recipients

Sharon L. Hame, MD ’91

Sharon L. Hame, MD '91, received the 2024 Distinguished Alumni Award for Achievement recognizing significant impact in the field of medicine and efforts that have brought distinction to the Chicago Medical School.

Dr. Sharon Hame is a board certified orthopaedic surgeon with subspecialty certification in sports medicine. She has been practicing orthopaedic sports medicine for over 24 years.  She is currently a Professor of Clinical Orthopaedic Surgery and sees patients at the UCLA Medical Center and at the West Los Angeles VA Medical Center. Dr. Hame completed her orthopaedic surgery residency at the New York University Medical Center and her sports medicine fellowship at the University of California, Los Angeles. Dr. Hame treats a wide variety of sports medicine injuries including knee ligament injuries, meniscus tears, hip labral tears, femoral acetabular impingement, rotator cuff tears and shoulder instability. She has expertise in knee, hip and shoulder arthroscopy. Dr. Hame is past president of the Ruth Jackson Orthopaedic Society and of the FORUM Society. She is the Vice Chair of Equity, Diversity and Inclusion and Chair of the UCLA Department of Orthopaedic Surgery EDI Committee. As a sports medicine orthopaedic surgeon, Dr. Hame also serves as the Associate Team physician for the UCLA Athletic Department. She is the team physician for UCLA Football, UCLA Women's Basketball, UCLA Women's Indoor and Beach Volleyball and UCLA Men's Tennis.  She is also in her third season as Head Team Physician for the Los Angeles Sparks and a team physician for USA Basketball.  She most recently traveled with USA Basketball to the Olympic Games in Paris. 

As a researcher, Dr. Hame has focused her research on knee ligament biomechanics, revision ACL reconstruction, early sports specialization and injury risk assessment and injury prevention in athletes. She collaborates with the UCLA Athletic Department, the UCLA Department of Radiology as well as researchers from across the country. Dr. Hame has over 80 peer-reviewed publications and speaks nationally and internationally at orthopaedic and sports medicine meetings. Over her career, she and her collaborators have been awarded the prestigious Kappa Delta Award and the O'Donoghue Award. 

Dr. Hame embraces UCLA's teaching mission and is active in teaching fellows, residents and medical students. She participates in the David Geffen School of Medicine (DGSOM) curriculum and is the Director of Medical Student Orthopaedic Education for the UCLA Department of Orthopaedic Surgery. Over the years, she has taught and mentored countless medical students interested in a career in orthopaedic surgery. In 2019, DGSOM honored her with the Kaiser Permanente Award for Excellence in Teaching for her commitment to teaching medical students.

Kaleem A. Malik, MD ’96, MS '92

Kaleem A. Malik, MD '96, MS '92, received the 2024 Distinguished Alumni Award for Service recognizing Chicago Medical School alumni who have unselfishly devoted time and service in a professional capacity or in the broader community.

Dr. Kaleem Malik is a Board Certified Emergency Medicine/Trauma Physician with over 20 years of experience in various hospital and healthcare leadership roles including Chief Medical Officer, Department Chairman and CEO. He is the Assistant Dean of Global Health at the Chicago Medical School and was recently selected by President Biden & approved by the White House to serve on the national Board of Scientific Counselors at the US Department of Health and Human Services, CDC & National Center for Injury Prevention. Dr. Malik is also the recipient of several notable recognitions including the annual 黄色视频 Red Cross Humanitarian of the Year Award in Disaster Medicine, the Institute of Medicine Global Health Award and has been inducted into the national AOA Honor Medical Society.

Dr. Malik is the CEO of TriLab Health & is providing critical diagnostic solutions through harm reduction strategies to combat substance abuse and the opioid epidemic. Dr. Malik is the Director for Medical Disaster Response for Humanity First USA partnered with the United Nations WHO & Pan 黄色视频 Health Organization. He is the Course Director for Medical Disaster Response Training & has deployed on numerous disaster & medical missions, most recently serving as medical lead for Disaster Response for the earthquakes in Turkey. 

Basil K. Williams, Jr., MD '11

Basil K. Williams, Jr., MD '11, received the 2024 Distinguished Alumni Award for Early Career Achievement recognizing Chicago Medical School alumni who have achieved early distinction that proudly reflects the power of a Chicago Medical School education.

Dr. Basil Williams is the Vice Chair of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion and an Associate
Professor in the department of ophthalmology at the Bascom Palmer Eye Institute in Miami, FL. He previously directed the ocular oncology service and held the Mary Knight Asbury Endowed Chair of Ocular Oncology at the University of Cincinnati. He grew up in the Bronx, NY and received his Bachelor of Arts Degree from Yale University. He then attended The Chicago Medical School where he was elected to the Gold Humanism Honor Society. 

After attending Resurrection Medical Center for his internship, he completed his ophthalmology residency, vitreoretinal surgery fellowship, and chief residency at the Bascom Palmer Eye Institute. During his time there, he was inducted into the Alpha Omega Alpha Honor Society and won the Fellow of the Year Award. He then completed his ocular oncology fellowship at Wills Eye Hospital, where he also received the Fellow of the Year Award. 

He is the immediate past president of the Pan-黄色视频 Ocular Oncology Society, the current chair of the ophthalmology section of the National Medical Association, and a member of the Board of Directors of the 黄色视频 Society of Retina Specialists. Basil has co-authored several book chapters and has more than 70 publications in peer-reviewed journals. His research interests pertain to adult and pediatric surface and intraocular tumors, vitreoretinal surgical topics, and healthy equity.

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2023 Award Recipients

Nancy Klauber-DeMore, MD ’91 

Nancy Klauber-DeMore, MD ’91, received the 2023 Distinguished Alumni Award for Achievement recognizing significant impact in the field of medicine and efforts that have brought distinction to the Chicago Medical School.

Dr. Klauber-DeMore is a board-certified breast surgical oncologist and BMW-endowed chair in cancer research at the Medical University of South Carolina. She was named a 2020 fellow of the National Academy of Inventors (NAI) by MUSC.

Dr. Klauber-DeMore has extensive research experience in developing new therapies for breast cancer that have led to clinical advances in patient care, particularly for those with metastatic disease. She has been a principal or co-investigator on more than 30 active and completed clinical trials and has contributed to five patents or patents pending. She is also developing novel surgical devices to aid in breast surgery.

Her lab focuses on discovering novel factors that stimulate the growth of new capillary blood vessels that provide tumors with oxygen and nutrients with a goal of developing new drugs to block these factors, therefore inhibiting tumor growth.

She has also played an integral role as a surgeon in the evaluation of surgical clinical trials as well as clinical trials evaluating the role of natural products in cancer treatment. With a focus on discovering less toxic therapies, Dr. Klauber-DeMore is leading investigator-initiated trials that look at the effects of natural products on tumor biology in humans.

Most recently, research by Klauber-DeMore helped to lead to the development of IVT-8086, a new innovative cancer therapy for the treatment of osteosarcoma. In September of 2020, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration granted the drug both the rare pediatric disease designation and orphan drug designation, highlighting the significant unmet medical needs of patients with this life-threatening disease.

Brian Rubinstein, MD ’96

Brian Rubinstein, MD ’96, received the 2023 Distinguished Alumni Award for Service recognizing Chicago Medical School alumni who have unselfishly devoted time and service in a professional capacity or in the broader community.

Dr. Rubinstein is founder and director of Faces of Tomorrow, a nonprofit organization that provides medical and surgical services to children with facial deformities around the world ().

Dr. Rubinstein grew up in Los Angeles and is assistant clinical professor in the Department of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery at University of California, Davis.

Dr. Rubinstein joined The Permanente Medical Group in 2001 and is the chief of the Pediatric Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery Department and is board certified in facial plastics and reconstructive surgery. His practice is devoted to pediatric head and neck surgery, including cleft lip and palate and craniofacial surgery, microtia surgery, facial plastic and reconstruction, airway (laryngeal and tracheal) reconstruction, and vascular malformations.

He is part of the Northern California Kaiser Regional Craniofacial Panel, as well as a local satellite panel in Sacramento, California. These panels are comprised of specialists taking care of children with cleft lip, cleft palate and craniofacial problems. The craniofacial/cleft panel is a multidisciplinary group of medical providers geared toward comprehensive and coordinated care for the patient.

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2022 Award Recipients

Kimberley Darey, MD ’04

Kimberley Darey, MD ’04, received the 2022 Distinguished Alumni Award for Service recognizing Chicago Medical School alumni who have unselfishly devoted time and service in a professional capacity or in the broader community.

Dr. Darey was named president of Elmhurst Hospital (Elmurst, Ill.) and will assume her new role in January 2023. Dr. Darey is board-certified in obstetrics and gynecology and has been on the medical staff at Elmhurst Hospital since 2010. She previously held positions of medical director of the Elmhurst Hospital Family Birthing Center and chief medical officer/VP of medical affairs.

Dr. Darey is the first African 黄色视频 medical director at Elmhurst Hospital in obstetrics and gynecology. She also serves as chair of the Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Council and the Health Equity Taskforce. Dr. Darey also serves on the Board of Trustees for Elmhurst Hospital Foundation.

Dr. Darey is active in civic and humanitarian organizations where she holds several leadership roles. She is a charter member of the National Coalition of 100 Black Women Chicago Metropolitan Chapter, and she supports African 黄色视频 women experiencing infertility. She is a proud member of Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Inc.

In 2017, Dr. Darey received the Chicago Defender’s Women of Excellence Award. This year, Crain's Chicago Business recognized her among its 2022 Most Notable Executives of Color in Healthcare.

Alan Blank, MD, MS, ’11

Alan Blank, MD, MS, ’11, received the 2022 Distinguished Alumni Award for Early Career Achievement. The award celebrates alumni who have achieved early distinction in the past 15 years, proudly reflecting the power of a Chicago Medical School education.

Dr. Blank, a fellowship trained orthopedic oncologist, is an assistant professor at Rush University Medical Center. He specializes in malignant and benign musculoskeletal growths and performing limb-salvage surgery in adults and children.

Blank served as class president at Chicago Medical School and earned both his MD and a master’s in biomedical sciences and research. After medical school, he completed his orthopedic surgery residency at New York University Hospital for Joint Diseases (New York City). While there, he received the Resident Research Award for his work on prophylactic surgical treatment for metastatic bone disease.

Dr. Blank also completed a year of training in adult and pediatric musculoskeletal oncology and sarcoma surgery at the renowned Huntsman Cancer Institute and Hospital in Salt Lake City.

Dr. Blank has published many peer reviewed scientific articles in the field of orthopedic oncology, co-authored a number of textbook chapters, and presented at internationally attended academic conferences. He also treats a comprehensive set of non-tumor related conditions such as joint reconstruction, fractures and other general orthopedics.

Dr. Blank has received a number of honors, including Crain's Chicago Business Magazine 40 under 40 Award Winner in 2019 and the Golden Apple Teaching Award.