The University System of Maryland recognizes the School of Medicine professor with its prestigious annual honor for excellence in teaching.
Four faculty members from the University of Maryland, Baltimore (UMB) have been recognized with University System of Maryland (USM) Board of Regents Faculty Awards, the highest honor presented by the board to exemplary faculty members within the 12-institution USM. The UMB awardees are Eric Strauch, MD, School of Medicine; Sara Gold, JD, and Maxwell Stearns, JD, Francis King Carey School of Law; and Jay Unick, PhD, MSW, School of Social Work. (Additionally, two UMB employees were honored with Board of Regents Staff Awards.)
USM faculty members are honored annually for their excellence in one of five categories: Teaching; Scholarship or Research; Creative Activity; Public Service; or Mentoring. Each UMB winner is being profiled on “The Elm.”
Today: Eric Strauch, MD, Professor, Department of Surgery, School of Medicine (UMSOM); Excellence in Teaching
About Dr. Strauch
Eric Strauch, a leader in the field of medical education, with particular focus on the field of surgery, has transformed UMSOM’s general surgery clerkship over the course of his two tenures as director (2005-2008 and 2015-2025). Under his leadership, the clerkship now ranks among the highest in the country in national student evaluations. He also was the founding chair of the Medical Student Education Committee for the Department of Surgery from 2018 to 2025.
Dr. Strauch also is the editor of two of the key surgical education texts used by medical students across the country, and as the moderator of the surgery department’s morbidity and mortality conference since 1998, he has been the face of education for the entire department.
He has been a transformational clinical educator for countless students, residents, and fellows over the course of his nearly 30-year career. As an exceptional physician, Dr. Strauch teaches by example, showing his students what it means to provide compassionate and skillful care. The lessons they learn from him ripple outward as every student he teaches goes on to touch the lives of their own future patients and families, magnifying his impact across Maryland and the nation.
Kudos from Colleagues
“Dr. Strauch is committed to direct teaching. For students, he served as clerkship director for the surgical rotation for over a decade. As this is a required core rotation, in this role he has been a shepherd to all medical students who have graduated from our institution. He gives lectures to the medical students not only on medical topics such as biliary disease and septic shock, but on important personal growth topics as well, such as managing finances and finding work-life balance.
“His reach extends beyond our school through his academic work. Dr. Strauch is an editor of ‘NMS Surgery’ as well as its companion book, ‘NMS Surgery Casebook.’ These are internationally recognized textbooks of surgery designed for medical students that further highlight our institution.”
— Christine Lau, MD, MBA, Dr. Robert Buxton Professor and Chair, Department of Surgery, UMSOM
“Dr. Strauch has stayed at the University of Maryland School of Medicine for the entirety of his career and become a treasured colleague. I can say without hesitation that his contributions to medical education are exceptional and enduring. He demonstrates unwavering values, and his consistency provides a refreshing sense of stability for medical students who appreciate his high expectations. He embodies the ‘true north’ that we strive for in medical education and focuses on the whole picture for student development.
“In addition to his direct teaching and administrative work with students, Dr. Strauch has been a driving force in supporting early-career faculty on their paths to promotion as educators. Many consider him an important mentor.”
— Donna Parker, MD, Professor, Department of Medicine, and Senior Associate Dean for Medical Education, UMSOM
“Clinical medical education is an intense and immersive experience. New medical students tend to have the greatest apprehension about the general surgery clerkship, due to a combination of the foreign environment in the operating room, challenging working conditions, and the fearsome reputation of surgeons — both deserved and undeserved.
“Over his tenure as surgical clerkship director, Dr. Strauch made it his mission to improve the quality of both the educational experience and the learning environment. Due to his efforts, the surgical clerkship now has one of the highest learning satisfaction scores of any medical school in the nation.”
— Kimberly Lumpkins, MD, MBA, FAC, Dr. J. Laurance Hill Endowed Professor in Pediatric Surgery, Department of Surgery, UMSOM
Dr. Strauch Says ...
What was your reaction to winning the USM award?
“I was very excited and surprised to hear I won the award. I did not know it involved the whole University System until I found out that I had won. Winning the award gave me a sense of fulfillment, as I have been actively involved with student education for decades and this award gave significant validation.”
How does it feel to be selected among thousands of faculty members within USM?
“There are so many excellent educators that I work with at UMSOM. Education is a team sport, and I feel that they should share in the award.”
What is your proudest accomplishment?
“Living and working in the same community as a faculty member, I have encountered many former medical students, some of whom graduated decades ago, who have asked me to operate on their children because they liked the way I taught or the care I gave to patients they saw during their training, or have commented on the positive effect I had during their medical education.”
What is the greatest benefit to being an educator?
“The greatest benefit is that you are forced to maintain high standards, and you are forced to continue your own education and adapt with the new knowledge and guidelines.”