Deborah A. Crane, MD, MPH has been selected to receive this year’s Department of Rehabilitation Medicine Teresa L. Massagli, MD, Award for Excellence in Mentorship of Clinicians. The award will be bestowed on Dr. Crane for her many outstanding contributions to the department, including mentoring and supporting the faculty engaged in clinical education and clinical practice. Dr. Crane is a professor of rehabilitation medicine, as well as the chief of service at Harborview Medical Center.
The mentorship award is presented to those committed to fostering clinical proficiency, skill development, and professional growth. This year, Dr. Crane has been selected for this award for invaluable knowledge and insights, helping her students navigate the complexities of academic practice and patient care.
“Terry Massagli was a huge mentor for me, so it is really an honor to receive an award that recognizes her vast contributions to the department and field. Over my years in the department, I have had the opportunity to welcome and help onboard many new faculty members and trainees. I am appreciative and humbled to have my efforts recognized in this way,” said Dr. Crane.
Dr Crane’s clinical expertise in acute and chronic SCI, trauma rehabilitation, and spasticity management, as well as her research interests in health services, epidemiology, and outcomes related to secondary conditions of SCI, have made her the ideal recipient of this award.
“Debby is an invaluable mentor to many of the Harborview faculty. She provides helpful and practical clinical, leadership, and career advice. She has also advocated for me in various situations that have undoubtedly advanced my career. She is very deserving of this nomination,” says Dr. Kendl Sankary, a clinical assistant professor in the Department of Rehabilitation Medicine.
Dr. Crane strives to help patients get a better quality of life after a significant injury or illness. She works closely with many rehabilitation professionals to individualize patients’ rehabilitation plans and to help them achieve the most critical functional outcomes.
“Debby Crane has served patients at Harborview as a physician and through leadership as the Director of Inpatient Rehabilitation and Chief of Service for Rehabilitation Medicine. She has guided the clinical services through COVID and faculty transitions with great care and fairness. While continuing her academic research and promotion to professor, she made herself available to new faculty and provided clinical guidance whenever asked,” says Dr. Jamie Ott, attending physician and acting assistant professor in the Department of Rehabilitation Medicine.
Dr. Crane has shown excellence in mentorship that has positively impacted her trainees’ and junior faculty members’ careers. She has also advocated for and promoted a positive environment for early career faculty engaged in clinical care through roles in national and international professional organizations. This award was presented at the 2025 Justus F. Lehmann Symposium, May 9, 2025.
About the Department of Rehabilitation Medicine Mentoring Awards
Mentorship of students, trainees, and faculty is the foundation of academic medicine. Mentors are people who invest time, energy, and resources in the next generation of rehabilitation professionals and faculty. Mentors not only foster the professional development and success of individual mentees but also contribute to the overall strength and advancement of rehabilitation medicine. A Mentoring Awards Program was launched in 2023 to recognize excellence in mentorship in the UW Medicine Department of Rehabilitation Medicine. Each year, three awards are presented to faculty members:
- Kathryn M. Yorkston Award for Excellence in Student / Trainee Mentorship
- Joseph M. Czerniecki, MD, Award for Excellence in Clinician-Scientist Mentorship
- Teresa L. Massagli, MD, Award for Excellence in Mentorship of Clinicians
The awards are presented each year at the annual Justus F. Lehmann Symposium.