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Recognition and Impact

logo for APEX

The Academy for Performance Excellence (APEX), administered by UT Southwestern Medical Center’s Office of Quality, Safety, and Outcomes Education, recognizes individuals who advance patient safety, quality improvement, and organizational excellence. APEX advances UT Southwestern’s commitment to continuous learning and high reliability and welcomes participants from Children’s Health, Parkland Health, Scottish Rite for Children, and the VA North Texas Health Care System to spread continuous quality improvement across the region.

APEX supports faculty, residents, students, nurses, researchers, administrative professionals, and all healthcare staff through competency-based education, applied improvement work, and scholarship. Participants advance through defined levels of quality improvement mastery:

  • Blue Level: Foundational awareness of quality improvement principles and effective team participation.
  • Bronze Level: Knowledge and applied experience to contribute to or lead quality improvement projects.
  • Silver Level: Advanced application of improvement methods, project leadership, and measurable outcomes.
  • Gold Level: Sustained leadership, scholarship, and significant contributions to performance excellence.
  • Platinum Level: Long-term commitment and demonstrated success in healthcare quality education, improvement, and scholarship.

The APEX Awards Committee reviews applications and supporting documentation quarterly to confirm that required milestones have been met.

Recognition LevelEducationParticipationScholarshipMinimum Points
Blue 1 1 1 3
Bronze 3 3 2 8
Silver 4 6 4 14
Gold 5 9 8 22
Platinum 6 12 15 33

 Please QIED@UTSouthwestern.edu for questions or request a list of qualifying activities and definitions. Subject line "APEX"

Apply to APEX

APEX Award Recipients:

  • Platinum

    Platinum Level

    The Platinum Level is reserved for QI professionals who have demonstrated long-term commitment and success in health care quality education, improvement, and scholarship activities. 

    Recipients

    • Phillip Greilich, M.D., M.Sc.
    • Puneet Bajaj, M.D.
    • Sharon Coffie, MSN, RN, CNS
    • Prathima Guntipalli, M.D., M.H.A, M.B.A.
    • Anita Hegde, M.D.
  • Gold

    Gold Level

    The Gold Quality Improvement recipient must complete all of the Silver requirements, demonstrate a deep understanding of QI methodologies and tools, and successfully direct QI projects. The candidate at this level has demonstrated an ongoing commitment to scholarly activity.

    Recipients

    • Pranavi V. Sreeramoju, M.D., M.P.H., M.B.A.
    • Rodney Chen, M.D.
    • Venkatakrishna Kakkilaya, M.D.
    • John Bennett, Ph.D.
    • Shelby Tavolacci, MOT, OTR
    • Joseph Putra, EMBA, CMBB
    • Kahwar Nawaz, M.D., MPH
  • Silver

    Silver Level

    The Silver Quality Improvement recipient must complete the Bronze requirements and undertake increasing leadership responsibilities with quality improvement activities and more complex projects.

    Recipients

    • Susan Neill-Fogus, B.S.N., RN
    • Bradley Goettl, DNP, APRN, FNP-C
    • Monica Saripella, M.D.
    • Doramarie Arocha, Ph.D., CIC
    • Sebastian Busto, BSIE, CLSSBB
    • Nakul Patel (Medical Student)
    • Kishan Patel (Medical Student)
    • Kyle Collins, M.B.A., PMP
    • Ariadne Reveles, MS, CLSBB
    • Reema Mustafa, MPH, CHCP
  • Bronze

    Bronze Level

    The Bronze Quality Improvement professional is one who has achieved the knowledge and experience to participate effectively in quality improvement projects as a team member or as a team leader for simple projects. The Bronze level recipient can lead a QI project by developing a plan based on examination of the extent of the problem by using appropriate PI methodology and tools.

    Recipients

    • Jamie Morgan, M.D.
    • Kristina Ciaglia, M.D.
    • Amie Swindle, M.S.N., CPPS
    • Salman Moti, D.H.A., M.P.H.
    • Fatemah Behina, M.D.
    • Maria Valentina Harmjanz, M.D.
    • Christopher Prado, M.D.
    • Perpetuah Sherman, M.D.
    • Brenden Garrett, M.D.
    • Peggy Bartholomew, MHSM, R.N.
    • Reema Mustafa, M.P.H., CHCP
    • Veena Peraka (Medical Student)
    • Chibundum Ezenwukwa (Medical Student)
    • Christopher McLeod (Medical Student)
    • Luke Coffman (Medical Student)
    • Riddhi Patel (Medical Student)
    • George Elmquist (Medical Student)
    • Jacob Player, M.D.
    • Lynn Yoon (Medical Student)
    • Rohan Tummala (Medical Student)
    • Maria Del Mundo (Medical Student)
    • Grant Flindt (Medical Student)
    • Ruchita Iyer (Medical Student)
    • Tenzin Palkyi (Medical Student)
    • Aakash Padakandla (Medical Student)
    • Andrew Murphy, M.D.
    • Erin Wuerz, PT, M.P.T.
    • Summera Zaheer, M.H.A., CLSSGB
    • Julia Spesivtseva, M.B.A.
    • Blair E Lane, B.S.N., RN
    • Ari Reveles, M.S., CLSSBB
    • Ruth Fontillas Yabut Fisher, PMP, CPHQ
    • Margaret Oney, RN
    • Emily Broadway, M.H.A., PMP
    • Nora Tassabhji, M.S.H.M., CLYSSB
    • George Gerges, MBA, CLSBB
    • Ryan Anaya, BS
    • Carissa Gasparovic, RNC-NIC, C-ONQS
    • Iman Ahmed, MPH
    • Zaid Fazal (Medical Student)
  • Blue

    Blue Level

    The Blue Performance Improvement professional is one who has an awareness of quality and performance improvement, primarily through education activities. At this level, there is a basic understanding of how to effectively function as a member of a team, show accountability for organizational success by recognizing and elevating the need to improve in their work area.

    Recipients

    • Denise McCauley, B.B.A.
    • Paige Reno, CSSYB
    • Johnsly George, RN, CNOR
    • Ciji Saju, M.S.N., CCRN, CNRN
    • Tawuana Willie, RN
    • Suman Vadlamani (Medical Student)
    • Lida Shaygan, D.O.
    • Chitra Srinivasan, PT, D.P.T.
    • Amy Pugh, B.S.N., RN
    • Ashraf Rajani, RN
    • Lida Shaygan, D.O.
    • Abeera Azam, M.D.
    • Fatima Mahmood, M.D.
    • Marissa Strittmatter, LSSGB
    • Ellie Jang (Medical Student)
    • Mahima Akula (Medical Student)
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