This interview is one in a series of interviews with recipients of the 2026 ACGME Awards. The awardees join an outstanding group of previous honorees whose work and contributions to graduate medical education (GME) represent the best in the field. They will be honored at the upcoming ACGME Annual Educational Conference, taking place February 19-21 in San Diego, California.
The Baylor College of Medicine Center for Professionalism is the inaugural recipient of the Thomas J. Nasca Professionalism Award. Ellen M. Friedman, MD, FACS, FAAP will receive the award on behalf of the Baylor team.
ACGME: Tell us a little bit about your Sponsoring organization.
Dr. Friedman: Baylor College of Medicine (BCM) is a private health sciences university located in Houston, Texas, with approximately 4,000 faculty members, more than 3,000 students and trainees, and more than 100 GME programs. The College includes the School of Medicine, the Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences, the School of Health Professions, and the National School of Tropical Medicine. In addition, BCM jointly operates Baylor St. Luke’s Medical Center with Common Spirit and has several affiliated hospitals, including Texas Children’s Hospital, Ben Taub General Hospital, and the Michael E. DeBakey Veterans Affairs Hospital, as well as campuses in Temple and San Antonio – each geographically separate and with its own unique culture. The BCM Center for Professionalism provides educational content that helps satisfy accreditation requirements for the various schools and programs and offers a range of activities to foster a professional community of connection across the schools and campuses.
ACGME: What does it mean to you and your organization to win this award in the inaugural year?
Friedman: National recognition for our work is extremely gratifying. We are particularly excited to win this award honoring Dr. [Thomas J.] Nasca’s work and his noteworthy contributions to professionalism in health care.
ACGME: Can you briefly describe the work being recognized by the award?
Friedman: The Center for Professionalism offers robust programs for all members of our community. This award acknowledges an innovative program, Professionalism in Practice, in which once a month we begin Departmental Grand Rounds with a five-minute presentation based on a vignette demonstrating a practical professionalism challenge. Each session includes a consistent template to guide one’s approach to navigating the challenge professionally to achieve a collaborative outcome. The template suggests that first, one pauses to gather one’s thoughts and calm down; second, one may consider their own point of view surrounding the challenge; third, one should consider the point of view of the other parties; and fourth, consider collaborative approaches to reach a respectful and effective outcome. This project was initiated by leaders in the Department of Medicine and the feedback from participants has been positive. The program continues to expand across additional medical, surgical, and basic science departments.
ACGME: What advice or guidance would you offer to others striving to exemplify ethical practice, integrity, and commitment to patient-centered care?
Friedman: Promoting a culture of professionalism, including ethical practice and patient-centered care, is not only the responsibility of individuals but also must be an institutional priority. We have been fortunate at BCM that our visionary leaders have emphasized professionalism by codifying institutional values of Respect, Integrity, Innovation, Teamwork, and Excellence – (RIITE) – and by creating and supporting the Center for Professionalism.
ACGME: Is there anything else you would like to share or add that we haven’t addressed?
Friedman: There are unique aspects to the BCM Center for Professionalism. While we do play a role in the remediation of perceived lapses in professionalism, we also are committed to shining light on individuals who demonstrate exemplary professionalism. To this aim, we have created the Power of Professionalism Award (POP), which is peer nominated and given on a rolling basis to members of our community. In addition, the Clark Family Service Award was established to annually honor five faculty members who are considered “unsung heroes” and who demonstrate profound commitment to professionalism and service. We believe one of the ways to encourage positive professionalism is to celebrate it.
Learn more about the Thomas J. Nasca Professionalism Award on the ACGME website.