Dr. Thomas Skiba received the UIC College of Dentistry D-3 year Golden
Apple Award from Nisha Mehta, class President.
The University of Illinois at Chicago College of Dentistry Class of 2014 voted Dr. Thomas Skiba,Clinical Assistant Professor, Department of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery, the recipient of its D-3 year Golden Apple Award at an Oct. 9 meeting. The award signifies outstanding teaching at the predoctoral level.
“The apple is awarded to a faculty member whom students felt went above and beyond to motivate students to learn and achieve their highest potential,” said Nisha Mehta, class President. “Dr. Skiba was chosen as the recipient of this award because he inspires students to become proficient clinicians and provides guidance when necessary.”
An Oral and Maxillofacial Surgeon, Dr. Skiba has taught at UIC for the past five years after retiring from a career in private practice. He describes his position at UIC as his ”encore career” and said he has been extremely pleased to have had this teaching opportunity.
"Being an educator involved with students who are motivated and passionate about their education is a wonderful challenge," he said.
The common descriptor students shared about Dr. Skiba was his being "passionate" about their education in the classroom, as well as in clinic settings.
Dr. Skiba, as Director of Pre-Doctoral Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery, was responsible for developing a new pre-doctoral clinic in OMFS and a new curriculum for patient evaluation and management for the DMD program.
“This Golden Apple Award actually recognizes the overall successful team effort led by Department Head Dr. Michael Miloro that makes excellent student education and my receiving this award possible,” Dr. Skiba said.
Dr. Miloro said, “I knew that Dr. Skiba would be a valuable addition to our team at UIC when I first met him five years ago, but he has exceeded all of my expectations — and the bar is usually set very high. For a private practice surgeon to come to UIC after a career without any teaching experience, and be talented, dedicated, and motivated enough to be honored with this award from the student body, is a testament to the type of individual that Dr. Skiba is. I am sure that he will treasure this award and consider it a major highlight of not only his ‘encore career,’ but his entire career. We are very proud of Dr. Skiba.”
Mehta noted that “Dr. Skiba goes above and beyond to make himself available to students both in the clinical and classroom settings. His goal and philosophy has always been to make sure students understand the material. He has no hesitation to meet with students outside of school hours to answer any questions we may have.
“Dr. Skiba is also compassionate and composed when providing supervision and instructions with patient care,” Mehta said. “He strives to make each student competent in didactic coursework and patient care.”
“Dr. Skiba truly earned and deserved this award,” Mehta concluded. “The Class of 2014 was honored to present it to him.”
RELATED:UIC College of Dentistry
The University of Illinois at Chicago College of Dentistry is celebrating its 100th year as a college of the University of Illinois in 2013 with special events throughout the year under the theme “A Proud Past, A Brilliant Future.”
