FACULTY EXCELLENCE AWARD RECIPIENT

Nominated by Kenny Huang – STARS student at UMass Chan Medical School

The nomination from her student highlighted many initiatives Dr. Tagaram has helped lead and noted her direct impact on them: “Dr. Tagaram’s leadership, mentorship, and service go far beyond the expectations of a faculty advisor—her impact has influenced not only the students she guides but also the broader central MA community. She empowers us to take ownership while giving us the tools for success, teaching us to apply structured quality improvement with rigor and clarity. Watching her impact on patients and families has been a powerful learning experience, and in every dimension—student engagement, community service, cost-awareness education, and cultural change—she exemplifies the ideals of the STARS Faculty Excellence Award.”

Dr. Tagaram is an academic hospitalist at UMass Memorial Medical Center. As the QI Lead at an affiliated hospital, she collaborates with care teams and leadership to drive meaningful improvements. Dr. Tagaram has spearheaded and participated in multiple quality initiatives aimed at reducing inefficiencies and promoting interdisciplinary collaboration. As co-lead of the Achieving Diagnostic Excellence Through Prevention and Teamwork (ADEPT) program, she works with the Division of Hospital Medicine to enhance diagnostic accuracy and reduce errors. Additionally, she designed an FPE course on “Imbibing QI in Hospital Medicine: A Roadmap to Enhance Patient Care and Foster a Scholarly Environment” which enables medical students to integrate QI principles into bedside and clinical practice while collaboratively engaging in scholarly dissemination.

Congratulations Dr. Tagaram!