Zubair W. Baloch, MD, PhD, Professor of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, is among the eleven members of the Penn Medicine Academy of Master Clinicians Class of 2022. The Academy of Master Clinicians was launched in 2013 to recognize those Penn Medicine clinicians who exemplify the highest standards of clinical excellence, humanism and professionalism. Election to the Academy of Master Clinicians is regarded as the highest clinical honor to be bestowed on a Penn physician from any department or entity across Penn Medicine.

Among the distinguishing qualities of a Master Clinician are a superior depth of knowledge in the field and a willingness to pursue new knowledge, excellent judgment, integrity, and exemplary interpersonal and communication skills with patients and colleagues at all levels. He or she should also be an outstanding educator and serve as a role model and mentor who exemplifies the highest levels of professionalism and positively influences the culture of Penn Medicine.

As defined in its charter, members of the Academy of Master Clinicians will serve as ambassadors for Penn Medicine. They will create an organized forum to provide feedback to leadership on strategies to improve the culture of clinical excellence in general and to promote the ideal patient experience in particular. They will be expected to be available as a mentor and consultant and to lead or participate in professional development and training programs for faculty, residents, trainees, students or staff. Areas of focus will include the art of medicine, communication skills, new faculty orientation and training, direct observation of clinical skills, and other topics of interest. Five other Department faculty members, Donald L. Siegel, PhD, MD, Kathleen T. Montone, MD, Cindy McGrath, MD, Leslie Litzky, MD, and Nicole Aqui, MD, are also members of the Academy of Master Clinicians. While there are many dual or multiple academic-degree holders in the AMC, Drs. Siegel and Baloch are the only two master clinicians of the more than 130 academy members with both MD and PhD degrees to date.

For more information on the Academy, visit the Office of Academic Affairs website.