Professor David C. Morgenroth, MD, received this year’s Joseph M. Czerniecki, MD, Award for Excellence in Clinician-Scientist Mentorship. The award recognizes outstanding mentorship of faculty and trainees engaged in clinical research.
Dr. Morgenroth is recognized for his sustained support of clinician-scientists, including guidance in grant writing, research strategy, and long-term career development.
Colleagues note that his mentorship strengthens the scientific rigor, clarity, and competitiveness of grant applications. “Dr. Morgenroth exemplifies the art of grant writing: packaging innovative, high-impact work within the strategic framework required for competitive funding,” said Assistant Professor Ovuokerie Addoh, MBBS, PhD.
Dr. Morgenroth holds multiple roles that have shaped his success as a mentor. He is an attending physician and clinician-scientist at the VA Puget Sound Health Care System and the Center for Limb Loss and Mobility (CLiMB), the Associate Program Director of the Amputation Rehabilitation Fellowship at the VA Puget Sound Regional Amputation Center, and Vice Chair for Research in the Department of Rehabilitation Medicine at the University of Washington.
“Across these roles, Dr. Morgenroth has demonstrated an ongoing commitment to mentoring clinician-scientists at multiple stages of training. In each of these roles, he brings a rare combination of scientific rigor, clinical insight, and personal investment in his mentees’ growth,” says Assistant Professor Elizabeth Halsne, PhD, MSE, L/CPO.
As a mentor, Dr. Morgenroth supports investigators at multiple stages, helping them navigate funding opportunities, build collaborations, and lead research programs.
“He has helped me to problem solve challenges over the years, including evaluating new grant opportunities, negotiating new interdepartmental collaborations on large grants, and managing staffing and funding resource limitations,” says Clinical Professor Cindy Lin, MD, FACSM, FAAPMR
This award was presented at the 2026 Justus F. Lehmann Symposium, May 7, 2026.
About the Department of Rehabilitation Medicine mentoring awards
The Mentoring Awards Program launched in 2023 to recognize excellence in mentorship in the Department of Rehabilitation Medicine at UW Medicine. Each year, three awards honor faculty who invest in the next generation of rehabilitation professionals and faculty:
- 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 annually at the Justus F. Lehmann Symposium.