By Kat Procyk
Photography courtesy of the Office of Engagement and Community Affairs, University of Pittsburgh.
A SMFP member (right) poses for a photo with the Partnerships of Distinction award at the Community Engagement Scholarship Forum on March 3, 2026. The group, which routinely volunteers in Pittsburgh neighborhoods, was selected for its community work.
The Social Medicine Fellows Program (SMFP) at the University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine was selected for this year’s Award for Partnerships of Distinction from Pitt’s Community Engaged Scholarship Forum (CESF) and will receive a $2,000 operating funds grant for its devotion to community impact.
SMFP trains medical students for leadership careers that bridge academic medical institutions and traditionally underserved communities. Applicants selected as first‑year fellows are paired with one of six historically marginalized Pittsburgh communities—Braddock, Hazelwood, Hill District, Homewood, McKeesport or the South Hills—where they engage in service learning and advocacy shaped by each community’s needs and assets. Some of SMFP’s efforts include teaching healthy cooking classes at the Braddock Youth Project and leading monthly home visits to check blood pressure and blood glucose in each neighborhood. The program was founded in 2017 and is led by Thuy Bui, director, SMFP, and Yui Sugiura, codirector, SMFP, both School of Medicine.
“I was drawn to Pitt School of Medicine for its deep commitment to the Pittsburgh community,” said Brina Ratangee, a first-year medical student who nominated SMFP for the award. “Unlike programs that speak broadly about addressing health disparities, SMFP provides a tangible way to engage in meaningful work. It grounds us in the histories and contexts of Pittsburgh’s underserved neighborhoods and teaches us to listen first, then collaborate with community leaders to support their ongoing efforts.”
Tina Ndoh (right), associate professor of environmental and occupational health and associate dean for public health practice, School of Public Health, with her award at the Community Engagement Scholarship forum on March 3, 2026.
Tina Ndoh, associate professor of environmental and occupational health and associate dean for public health practice, School of Public Health, was also recognized with a CESF Collaboration Champion award. These individual awards are given to Pitt community members and partners who’ve made significant contributions to Pitt’s culture of collaboration. Ndoh, who is also director for the Center of Public Health Practice in the School of Public Health, leads programs that connect students and faculty with community organizations. These efforts center on curriculum development, mentoring and leading events like the Pittsburgh Environmental Justice summit that Ndoh cofounded.
SMFP and Ndoh were honored at the forum’s event on March 3, 2026.