Mark Harrast, MD
Dr. Mark A. Harrast has been voted by his peers as the winner of the 2024 Bruce C. Gilliland Award. Dr. Gilliland was a professor of Medicine in the Division of Rheumatology and a professor of Laboratory Medicine at the University of Washington SOM.
The Gilliland award is presented annually to the candidate who is actively engaged in clinical and didactic training or in the implementation of a graduate medical education curriculum. The winner must have shown evidence of excellence over time and must have served for a t least 3 years within the UW SOM as a teacher of residents/fellows.
Dr. Harrast is the founding director of the Sports Medicine Fellowship program (2006). He served as the director of the fellowship program until this year – 18 years. He stepped away from his role as a contingency plan for stability of the Sports Medicine Fellowship, allowing Dr. Liem to have a comfortable transition into his new role.
According to the 5 colleagues in his department who nominated him and wrote supportive letters, Dr. Harrast is well regarded as a strong leader – he is supportive, knowledgeable, organized, responsible, communicates well, has a strong guiding vision and is highly dedicated to the field. He is extremely principled, ethical, and dedicated to advancing the field of Sports Medicine and providing highest quality evidence-based care and education. Because of his leadership experience particularly related to medical education and training, he was appointed as the first Vice Chair of Education in 2023 by Dr. Janna Friedly, Chair of the Department of Physical Medicine & Rehabilitation. In this role, Dr. Harrast has been critical in faculty development, innovation, improvement, quality and patient safety.
Dr. Harrast embodies what it means to be a Clinician Educator. His clinical skills and ability to relate to patients are superb. His teaching skills are well appreciated by trainees (as evidenced by his prior receipt of the Outstanding Teacher award), and he works tirelessly to disseminate medical knowledge and skills to the broader medical community. He also makes it a point to help residents and fellows increase their own competency in academic medicine, by incorporating trainees into book chapters, review articles, and case presentations at national meetings, and happily mentors them along every step of their journey.
Stanley Herring, a PM&R colleague, who knew Dr. Gilliland said that he believes that Dr. Harrast has the same characteristics: compassion and selfless dedication to mentoring and teaching.
It always gives me great pleasure to celebrate members of our community. Thank you, Dr. Harrast.
Byron Joyner, MD, MPA
Vice Dean for Graduate Medical Education
Designated Institutional Official