HERSHEY, Pa. — The Association of American Medical Colleges (AAMC) has honored Kent Vrana, the Elliot S. Vesell Professor and emeritus chair of the Department of Pharmacology at the Penn State College of Medicine, with the 2024 Alpha Omega Alpha Robert J. Glaser Distinguished Teacher Award — making him one of four individuals nationwide to receive the honor this year. The accolade recognizes outstanding contributions to medical education and underscores Vrana's extensive and impactful career in academic medicine and scientific research.
Viewed as a lifetime achievement award, Vrana's dedication to the field spans more than four decades, during which he has dedicated his career to studying mechanisms to improve human life from Parkinson's disease to substance use disorders.
"I don’t define myself by the grants I’ve had or the papers I’ve written, but rather by the lives that I’ve touched," Vrana said, emphasizing the profound influence he aims to have on his students and colleagues.
With more than 200 published papers and two co-authored textbooks, Vrana's contributions to medical education are substantial. His mentoring of graduate students, postdoctoral fellows and junior faculty members has been lauded as transformative.
"Dr. Vrana is a master medical educator across the spectrum of professional development — from medical students to residents, to fellows, to faculty," said Karen Kim, dean of the College of Medicine, in her nomination letter. “His engaging style has inspired and influenced countless individuals around the world.”
Recognized internationally for his efforts, Vrana's numerous accolades include an honorary professorship at the Peruvian University of Applied Science School of Medicine and accepted honors nationally and internationally. He joined the Penn State College of Medicine in 2004 as chair of pharmacology, where he has since demonstrated exemplary mentorship and educational leadership.
Vrana's pedagogical approach includes innovative techniques such as Problem-Based Learning (PBL), which he co-directed for 15 years. This active learning model employs real-world problems to enhance student engagement and comprehension. Additionally, his role on the Medical Student Academic Progress Committee, which he chaired for nine years, has allowed him to influence institutional policies that ensure student competency while addressing academic challenges with empathy.
In research, Vrana has established the Pennsylvania-designated Medical Marijuana Academic Clinical Research Center at Penn State, securing $12 million in funding over a decade. This center facilitates interdisciplinary research on the effects of cannabis on various medical conditions, reinforcing his commitment to advancing knowledge in pharmacology and medical sciences.
His tenure at Penn State, characterized by a dedication to education and mentorship, has fostered a vibrant academic community.
Vrana expressed gratitude for the unique environment at Penn State, stating, "It is such a community of scholars that is all about establishing a lifelong relationship with people." He hopes that he has instilled a similar passion for learning and teaching in those he has mentored.
Vrana earned a bachelor of science in biochemistry from the University of Iowa in 1978 and a doctorate in biochemistry from the Louisiana State University Medical Center in 1983. From 1983 to 1986, he was a National Institutes of Health postdoctoral fellow in the department of embryology at the Carnegie Institution of Washington (now Carnegie Science) in Baltimore. He held faculty positions at the West Virginia University Health Sciences Center and Wake Forest University School of Medicine before moving to Penn State. In 2015, he was elected a fellow of the American Association for the Advancement of Science. From 2013 through 2023, he served as a senior representative to the Council of Faculty and Academic Societies of the AAMC. In 2024, he stepped down as chair of pharmacology, following a 20-year tenure, but remains an active researcher in the Department of Pharmacology.