ABMS Announces 2026 Service Award Recipients

The awards highlight diverse efforts to refine medical standards and clinical performance. Dr. David G. Nichols receives the Distinguished Service Award for his long-term advocacy and his leadership in redesigning the ABMS governance structure to balance board autonomy with national accountability. Dr. Daniel J. Schumacher earns the inaugural Distinguished Scholar Award, recognizing his rigorous research into competency-based medical education, while Dr. Daniel J. Cole is honored with the Edward M. Jackson, MD – Derrick T. Vail, MD Award for his pivotal work in advancing longitudinal assessment models during periods of intense industry debate.

In the realm of patient advocacy, Susan M. Edgman-Levitan receives the Health Care Quality and Patient Safety Award for her work developing the national CAHPS patient experience surveys and integrating consumer perspectives into healthcare policy. Rounding out the group, the American Board of Anesthesiology is the first recipient of the ABMS Innovation Award. The board is recognized for its implementation of the MOCA Minute, a continuous assessment tool that replaced traditional high-stakes testing and served as a blueprint for longitudinal evaluation across all 24 ABMS Member Boards.