Teaching Award

In discussion with the Cardiology group a KGH, we have formalized a Teaching Award in Mike's name. It will be awarded for the first time in June, 2012 at the 'Last Call Ball' for Internal Medicine/Cardiology  residents.

The name and description of the award follows:

Dr. Michael Andrew Nault Cardiology Teaching Award

In recognition of passionate, thoughtful and skillful teaching in the field of Cardiology.

I'm really proud to have been part of organizing this award to recognize Mike's contribution to both teaching and the cardiology program.  

An unexpected treasure has come out of this process, which is the plaque in the photo above.  Mike's uncle (aka: Muncle Ichael) carved this plaque and it is superb.  It captures so much of Mike and I know he would be in awe, along with the rest of us.  The anatomical heart makes me think of Leonardo Da Vinci's sketches and Mike's too.  The detail of the superficial veins on the heart is something that can only be appreciated in person.  The heart itself is embedded into the plaque (black walnut), which has an amazing effect.  The top half of the heart then slides open, to reveal the valves inside, like a little secret window.  It feels quite intimate to open this space, as though it holds its own secret.  I feel like I'm peeking into Mike's mind and heart, looking inside--  as he poured over ECGs and wrestled with electrophysiographic tracings.  Michael also depicted the Queen's crest in an incredibly small scale along with the Rod of Asclepius.  Mike had a thing for dinosaurs, serpents, and dragons, so that interest is also captured through this medical symbol.  A final detail is a thinly carved ECG tracing that runs the full length of the plaque, on either side of the heart.

Once the busy Christmas season passes, I will have little brass plates added where the recipients' names will be engraved, along with a larger plate at the top with the name and description of the award (as outlined above in bold).

It's hard to feel satisfied with a memorial for Mike.  Until now, nothing seemed quite right.  Nothing was finished.  I am so happy that this carving is complete, and done perfectly-- and am very happy the award will be in place this coming year.