Duke Anesthesiology’s Dr. Catherine Kuhn, designated institutional official (DIO) for Duke University Hospital, has been named a recipient of the 2027 ACGME Parker J. Palmer Courage to Lead Award. She is one of only three DIOs nationwide to receive this distinguished honor.
“I am honored and humbled by this award,” says Kuhn, professor of anesthesiology and associate dean for graduate medical education at Duke University School of Medicine. “Leading graduate medical education (GME) is a team sport—no one can lead a GME program such as Duke’s without contributions from hundreds of individuals, including hospital leaders, departmental and program leaders, GME administrators, and of course, our talented residents and fellows. I am fortunate to work with these outstanding individuals here at Duke and appreciate this recognition.”
The award recognizes exceptional leadership in graduate medical education, including a commitment to innovation, program improvement, and stewardship of residency and fellowship training programs.
According to the Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education (ACGME), Kuhn's nomination stood out among a highly competitive national pool of candidates, reflecting her outstanding leadership and dedication to supporting graduate medical education.
The ACGME will formally celebrate the awardees at its Annual Educational Conference in February in San Antonio.