This interview is one in a series of interviews with the 2026 recipients of the ACGME Awards. These 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 2026 ACGME Annual Educational Conference, taking place February 19-21, 2026, in San Diego, California.
Jamie Pfaff, MD and Katie Sunthankar, MD are joint recipients of the 2026 David C. Leach Award. Dr. Pfaff is a fellow in general cardiology at Vanderbilt University Medical Center. Dr. Sunthankar was a fellow in cardiovascular disease when they were nominated for the award, and is now an assistant professor of medicine at Vanderbilt University Medical Center in Nashville, Tennessee.
ACGME: Why did you want to become a physician?
Dr. Pfaff: I was drawn to medicine for the combination of scientific problem-solving and meaningful human connection. Over time, that motivation has expanded to include improving the systems in which physicians train so they can care for patients, and themselves, well.
Dr. Sunthankar: Initially I was attracted to medicine due to enjoyment of evidence-based reasoning, however throughout training, what actually began to motivate me more was sharing that enjoyment with others – both residents and fellows and my patients. It is an immense privilege to be someone’s physician and I am grateful for the role I have in helping better a patient’s health and connect with people within my community.
ACGME: What innovation or improvement did you implement in your program?
Pfaff: Together, we worked to advocate for clearer, more equitable support for resident/fellow parents, including greater transparency around parental leave and normalized accommodations. We created a handbook outlining what we learned ourselves, having our first children while in our programs, to try to create clarity for others. Our goal was to move away from case-by-case advocacy toward consistent, predictable support.
ACGME: What does it mean to you to receive this award?
Sunthankar: Receiving the David C. Leach Award alongside Dr. Pfaff is incredibly meaningful. It affirms that advocacy and well-being are central to graduate medical education and that collaborative efforts can drive meaningful change.
ACGME: What has been the most rewarding part of your residency and/or fellowship?
Pfaff: The most rewarding part has been advocating for physician learners, particularly parents, and seeing real changes that improve their day-to-day experience. Doing this work alongside Dr. Sunthankar has made it especially impactful.
Sunthankar: The most rewarding part was advocating for my patients, co-residents and co-fellows. Our medical system and medical training are complex and there are many hidden pathways to help achieve better health and success. Helping to advocate for others to improve their health and build upon their education has been very meaningful. Along the road, making life-long friends and colleagues through initiatives like the PGY-Parent Handbook has made it especially meaningful.
ACGME: What has been the most challenging?
Pfaff: Training in systems that were not designed with caregiving responsibilities in mind has been challenging. Creating change within established structures requires persistence, collaboration, and cultural shifts, not just policy updates.
Sunthankar: Training is difficult – you are learning so much every day in an environment that is not risk-free. On top of that, becoming a parent to young children made this even more difficult, as parenting requires the most flexibility and GME is a time when you have the least flexibility.
ACGME: What advice would you give to other residents or fellows?
Pfaff: You don’t need a formal leadership role to make change. Start by listening, find collaborators, and anchor your ideas in shared values. Even small improvements can have lasting impact.
Sunthankar: GME is a difficult time and even just listening to a friend or colleague and trying to understand where they are coming from, and their concerns, can make a huge difference.
ACGME: Is there anything else you would like to add?
Both: This work has been deeply collaborative, and [we are each] grateful to the mentors, colleagues, and institutional leaders who supported our efforts. We hope this recognition encourages continued innovation that supports the diverse lives of today’s physician learners.
Learn more about the ACGME’s David C. Leach Award here.