Sir William Osler Outstanding Student Award

The Sir William Osler Award recognizes a Kansas City University dual degree DO/MA in Bioethics graduating student who exemplifies excellence in the humanistic dimensions of healthcare. Dr. Osler was known for bringing medical education out of the lecture hall to the bedside. He encouraged and modeled the notion of learning from patients by listening. He was a humanist and a humanitarian, a student of history, and read and wrote prolifically. Read about Sir William Osler.

Criteria

The awarded student will demonstrate the following attributes:

• Passion and commitment to the fields of bioethics
• Excellence in the bioethics curriculum
• Capacity for bioethical and humanistic imagination
• Critical thinking and an intellectual curiosity about norms and ideas
• Respectful engagement in ethics discourse with faculty and learning colleagues
• Effective communication skills and capacity to understand and convey ideas

Application

To be considered as a nominee for The Sir William Osler Award, please write and submit an essay of no more than 1,000 words by midnight, Sunday, March 16, 2025. 

Essays should include detailed descriptions and personal examples of the practice of medicine in light of such things as:

• Your life experience
• Bioethics and medical education
• Your aspirations as an osteopathic physician and ethicist
• Sir William Osler’s legacy

In addition to the essay, applicants should attach two letters of recommendation, not to exceed 250 words, from their KCU peers. Submit your entire application with attachments via email Dr. Luke Bobo.

Recognition

The recipient of this award, as determined by designated university faculty and administration, will be recognized during the Honors and Awards Program during commencement week.

The KCU Department of Bioethics first presented the Sir William Osler Award in May of 2011.

Previous award recipients: