Meet the 2025 Winner: Allan J. Walkey, MD, MSc
Dr. Walkey is practicing Intensivist, Pulmonologist, and a Health Services Researcher focused on evaluating ICU practice variation and leveraging natural experiments to identify and implement best practices in Critical Care Medicine. His research team’s work has helped characterize and guide clinical approaches to common complications of critical illness such as atrial fibrillation, myocardial injury, and persistent opioid use. As the Inaugural Chief of the Division of Health System Science at UMass Chan Medical School, Dr. Walkey leads a collaborative research and training environment that seeks to produce impactful healthcare delivery innovations that improve clinical care, population health and the patient-clinician experience. Dr. Walkey has proudly served multiple roles for the American Thoracic Society, including as Associate Editor for Critical Care for the Annals of the American Thoracic Society, Chair of the Critical Care Assembly Early Career Professionals Working Group, co-Chair of the Updated Guidelines for Management of ARDS, and within the Critical Care Assembly Planning Committee.
Description
This award is given to an individual with a clear commitment to the Critical Care Assembly and the ATS, with demonstrated significant and meaningful contributions to the CCA in the area(s) of research, clinical care, quality improvement, teaching, mentoring, promoting diversity, advocacy, and/or service. The awardee will be honored at the CC Assembly gathering at the ATS International Conference.
Criteria
Candidate should be:
- An active clinician or investigator in critical care medicine between ~10-16 years of completion of training (i.e., fellowship or terminal doctoral degree, whichever was completed/awarded latest)
- A CCA member (primary or secondary).
- Contributions to the CC Assembly in the form of committee participation or leadership, promoting CCA diversity, and/or otherwise advancing the CCA’s mission will be viewed favorably.
The nomination package must include a nomination letter touching on all four scoring metrics (see below scoring rubric) from one or more members of ATS describing why the award is merited. Nominators should note in their letter any extenuating circumstances affecting the nominee. The curriculum vitae from the candidate must also be included with the nomination packet. Unawarded nominations from prior years do not carry over and should be resubmitted; previous awardees are not eligible for the same award.
Example Nomination Letters
Carol L Hodgson, PhD, MPhil, PT, 2023 Awardee
Scoring Rubric
Applicants are scored on 4 criteria using a 1-5 rating system (with 1 being the best) across the below categories. In the event that none of the nominees in a given category receive an average score ≤3, the Planning Committee may choose to defer granting an award in that category that year. If the Planning Committee does not receive any eligible nominations in a given category (e.g., CCA member, active clinician/investigator for roughly the stated time frame), the Committee may choose to nominate an individual, who must be unanimously approved by all members in order to receive the award.
- Scientific Contributions/Products (which may include: research articles, data, reagents, software, and intellectual property)
- Teaching/Mentoring/Educational/Advocacy Contributions
- Participation in Assembly and ATS Activities (administrative, committees, workshops etc.)
- Overall impact/impression of dossier submitted for award application