Lane Crawford, MD, from Robinson College was presented with the Candle Award during Anesthesia Grand Rounds on Friday, Jan. 24, 2020. The Candle Award is presented to the Faculty Affiliate Advisor who strongly demonstrates leadership, mentorship, and accessibility in their interactions with students.
Students have described Crawford as being a pillar in the Robinson community and a dedicated participant in a variety of Robinson College events. Crawford said Vanderbilt’s medical students are an amazing group of physicians in training. “It’s a privilege to get to spend time with them as an FAA and I feel very honored to receive an award from a group that I admire so much,” she said.
The Vanderbilt advisory college system provides the opportunity for students and faculty to interact in an informal setting. Crawford explained that this means faculty and students really get to know each other as people. “I think the important thing as an FAA is to show up and not take yourself too seriously.”
Crawford explained that she was a medical student at Vanderbilt when the advisory college system was getting started so she got to experience firsthand the positive effects on student wellness, camaraderie, and mentoring. She said when she returned to VUMC as faculty, she knew she wanted to be involved with the advisory colleges to help create those same experiences for students. She said that being an FAA helps her as a clinical anesthesiologist because spending time with students is energizing.
“Medical school is a transformative experience, and also incredibly stressful at times,” she said. “I hope to do anything I can to contribute to a positive, supportive environment that the advisory colleges create for students as they navigate that journey.”