The National Board of Medical Examiners (NBME) has awarded the Edithe J. Levit Distinguished Service Award to Cathy J. Lazarus, MD, FACP, associate dean for Student Affairs and Records at LSU Health New Orleans School of Medicine. The award, named after the first woman president and chief executive officer of a national medical association (NBME), recognizes “individuals who have devoted countless hours to the work and the vision of the NBME.” Dr. Lazarus began her volunteer service to the NBME in 1998. She has served on 15 committees and task forces over the last 20 years including the Behavioral Sciences test writing committee (chair 2002-2006), the Evidence-Based Medicine item writing committee, the video scenario task force, the Step 1 oversight committee, the NBME Board, the Stemmler Fund Committee, the Finance and Audit Committee, the Diversity Task Force, the Budget Committee—which sets the fees for the USMLE exams—and the Search Committee for the Executive Director. She remains a member of the Communications Skills Item Writing Task Force.
Lazarus also serves as the chief academic officer at University Medical Center.
Lazarus is an Executive Leadership in Academic Medicine graduate. She has chaired committees and task forces for the American Medical Women’s Association, Generalists in Medical Education, Arnold P. Gold Foundation, Physicians for Reproductive Choice and Health, and the Louisiana Chapter of the American College of Physicians, where she also served as secretary of the Governor’s Council.
She has been awarded grant funding, led research studies as principal investigator (PI) or Co-PI, authored or coauthored journal articles and abstracts, and given invited scientific presentations at the local and national levels. Lazarus has also served as an associate editor, editor, and as a member of the editorial board of a number of journals. Her teaching responsibilities, service activities, administrative responsibilities, and community service activities have been extensive.