Alumni Association

Members of the faculty of Babies Hospital established the Babies Hospital Alumni Association (BHAA) around 1938. Its objective, according to the bylaws, "shall be the advancement of the interests of Babies Hospital, the advancement of pediatric art and science, and the promotion of social activities among its members."

Alumni Day

Alumni Day occurs in April of each year. All alumni association members are invited to participate in a day of activities, including:

• Hattie Alexander Memorial Lecture
• BHAA Distinguished Alumnus Award
• BHAA Breakfast and Business Meeting

The BHAA presents the following awards each year:

• Distinguished Alumnus Award: This award is presented to “an alumnus or alumna who has received wide recognition for distinguished service to the science or practice of pediatrics or for excellence in public service for the health and welfare of children." View current and past Distinguished Alumnus Award recipients.
• Harry S. Altman Memorial Prize: This prize is presented to a senior medical student who demonstrates enthusiasm, eagerness, integrity, honesty, and dedication to the health and wellbeing of children, in the best tradition of Dr. Harry S. Altman. 2024 recipient Madeleine Fish will be a pediatric resident here at Columbia/NewYork-Presbyterian Hospital.

• Edward C. Curnen, Jr. Award: This award was established by Dr. Curnen’s colleagues to honor the house officer who best exemplifies the ideas of humane and compassionate patient care that Dr. Curnen so manifestly displayed during his long and distinguished career in pediatrics. Danielle Steinberg, MD, 2024 awardee, will continue her training next year at NYU Langone as a pediatric emergency medicine fellow.

• Emmett Holt Fellowship: This award is presented to a graduating medical student, or student who has graduated within the last two years, in honor of his or her exceptional promise in the field of pediatrics and dedication to children. Alexander Northrop, 2024 award, recipient, will be a pediatric resident at the Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia.
• Jerry Jacobs Prize: This prize is awarded to a graduating student who has demonstrated excellence in the differential diagnosis and treatment of disorders in children. The 2024 awardee is Marissa Caldwell, who will be a pediatric resident at University of California San Diego Medical Center.
• Rustin McIntosh Fellowship: Dr. Rustin McIntosh was Chairman of the Department of Pediatrics and Director of the Pediatric Service from 1933-1960. During his tenure, Dr. McIntosh fostered a “spirit of doubt and need for inquiry” that led to breakthroughs in the treatments of many childhood diseases. The Rustin McIntosh Fellowship honors a pediatric postgraduate fellow who best exemplifies these attributes. 2024 recipient Virginia Byron, MD excelled in both her clinical and scholarly work as an adolescent medicine fellow, and will work in Tanzania developing an adolescent medicine curriculum.
• Metropolitan Fund Fellowship: The Metropolitan Fund Fellowship was established in the Division of Hematology/Oncology in 1986 in memory of former fellow Susan Furnberg, who died during her fellowship year. This award is presented annually to a fellow demonstrating excellence in the field of hematology, oncology, and stem cell transplantation. Alejandra Ramirez, MD, 2024 awardee, is a third-year pediatric hematology/oncology/stem cell transplantation fellow who consistently delivers exceptional care with humility and compassion.
• Milton Singer Memorial Fellowship: This award is presented to talented physicians who have completed their residency in pediatrics and who are planning a career in research in children's illnesses that held a special interest to Dr. Singer, particularly cerebral palsy and prematurity. Neonatal-perinatal fellow Toni Iurcotta, MD, 2024 recipient, will join the neonatal faculty at Columbia University Irving Medical Center.
• Rebecca A. Schwarz Memorial Prize: Dr. and Mrs. Steven M. Schwarz established The Rebecca A. Schwarz Memorial Prize in November 1981 as a memorial tribute to their infant daughter, Rebecca, who died after surgery to repair a congenital heart defect. In appreciation for the support and care they received throughout Rebecca's life, the Schwarz family established this prize to be presented to a senior medical student conducting outstanding research in the area of pediatric heart disease. 2024 recipient Alice Tao will be a pediatric resident here at Columbia/NewYork-Presbyterian Hospital.
• William Perry Watson Prize: This is the oldest award in the Department of Pediatrics, established in 1922 by a gift from Dr. Watson. The prize is awarded annually to the member(s) of the graduating class who shows "the most valuable work in the study of the diseases of infants and children during his or her regular courses.” Dr. Watson was a graduate of the P&S Class of 1878 and went on to become the Medical Director of the Prudential Life Insurance Company. 2024 awardee Sarah Lehman will be a pediatric resident here at Columbia/NewYork-Presbyterian Hospital.

• Dr. Jen-Tien Wung Fellowship Award for Clinical Excellence in Neonatology: This award was established in 2020 in the Division of Neonatology in honor of Dr. Jen Tien Wung. The award is presented annually to a graduating neonatology fellow who has demonstrated excellence in the clinical care of neonates that Dr. Wung so manifestly displayed during his long and distinguished career. Wendy Gu, MD, 2024 award recipient, will join the neonatal faculty at Westchester Medical Center/Maria Fareri Children’s Hospital after completing her neonatal-perinatal fellowship here at Columbia.