This spring, the Brigham and Women’s Physicians Organization honored seven outstanding physicians who have largely impacted the Brigham Health community through their continuous dedication to excellence and care. This month, we are asking 2019 Physician Recognition Award winners: What is your happiest career moment?

“My happiest and most rewarding career moment was many years ago when I decided to join the Radiology faculty at the Brigham as an ultrasound specialist. When I completed my fellowship at the Brigham, I had to choose from several career opportunities, including ones in private practice and others in academics at the Brigham and elsewhere. After much contemplation and excellent advice from mentors, I chose to stay at the Brigham, where I have found great satisfaction and rewarding experiences in clinical work, teaching and research.” — Carol Benson, MD, Department of Radiology, Senior Distinguished Clinician Award

“I became involved in improving clinical care and research for women with epilepsy during childbearing years because I had so many young women come to my Neurology clinic and tell me that they were told that they could not have children of their own or it would be very risky for them and the children. Although it takes extra planning and frequent monitoring during pregnancy, my happiest moments are when I see these patients after delivery surrounded by other family members, and they are so grateful for their newly expanded family and the excellent care they received at the Brigham.” — Page Pennell, MD, Department of Neurology, Patient and Family-Centered Care Award

“I’m very proud of a number of things that transpired over my career.  For me, I think the highest point was participating in the discovery and subsequent clinical detection of treatable EGFR mutations in lung cancer, back in 2003. This was a real ‘game-changer’ in both oncology and pathology and showed the power of harnessing the genome in medical therapeutics. This discovery really accelerated what we now call ‘precision oncology’ and has led to many subsequent discoveries providing new hope, where once it was rather dire, for cancer patients around the world.” — Neal Lindeman, MD, Department of Pathology, Clinical Innovation Award

“The first joyful moment I can identify is being invited to join the faculty at the Brigham in the Neurology department by the late Dr. Edward B. Bromfield, my beloved mentor and friend. He asked me to help him develop our wonderful epilepsy training program that bears his name and is recognized as one of the top programs in the country. Other moments that come to mind are the many celebrations of the accomplishments of my amazing and talented team here at the Brigham. I think I am proudest of Dr. Ellen Bubrick winning the $100,000 BRIght Futures Prize for her innovative idea to use low-dose focused ultrasound to treat refractory focal epilepsy.” — Barbara Dworetzky, MD, Department of Neurology, James S. Winshall, MD, Leadership Award

“Just a week after going live with Partners eCare, I got in an in-basket staff message from a primary care physician thanking me for my consult note and stating that they had learned so much from it about the patient’s condition. This was an old-fashioned, dictated, no-smart-phrase note with a long impression and plan. Glad that someone read it and grateful that I was able to help a colleague, teach them about the disorder and care for their patient — all in the age of Epic! This is the reason I am at the Brigham.” — Jean Marie Connors, MD, Department of Medicine, Clinical Collaboration Award

“My happiest career moments are when I learn about my trainees receiving awards and acknowledgement for their own clinical acumen and performance. It brings me great joy when I hear that they’ve brought a little bit of the Brigham to their job or they tell me that they remember the lessons they learned from myself and other Brigham faculty about how to provide the best patient care.” — James Kirshenbaum, MD, Department of Medicine, Senior Distinguished Clinician Award