The Edward Henderson Student Award is presented to an undergraduate student in a health professions program who is interested in pursuing a career in geriatrics and with demonstrated excellence in contributing to the field.
2026 Recipient: Martin Viola
Martin Viola, a fourth-year medical student at Harvard Medical School, is the 2026 recipient of the Edward Henderson Student Research Award. As a premedical student, Martin served on a NIH-funded trial of a psychotherapy intervention for surrogate decision-makers in the ICU and led multiple analyses on suicidal ideation, bereavement, and patient-centered outcomes in the context of end-of-life care. He has also investigated disparities in end-of-life care provided to individuals with intellectual/developmental disabilities and has produced educational videos highlighting best practices for this population. Since starting medical school, Martin has co-developed a didactic session for incoming medical students on engaging family caregivers, co-led his school’s geriatrics and palliative care interest group, and has worked with Dr. Andrea Schwartz on projects investigating the “Long toenail sign” as a marker for functional decline among older adults. He hopes to work as a primary care physician and researcher dedicated to improving care for older adults, family caregivers, and those at the end of life.
Past Recipients of the Edward Henderson Student Award
2026 Martin Viola
2025 Belinda Tang
2024 Lily Zhong
2023 Victoria Kozar
2022 Justine Enns
2020 Natalie Richmond
2019 Elizabeth Bloemen, MPH
2018 Sonia Marcello
2017 Thom Ringer, JD
2016 Marielle Bolano, BS
2015 Meng Ni, PhD
2014 Ravi B Parikh
2013 Jason Liebowitz
2012 Vivien Sun
2011 Mark Fitzgerald, BS
2010 Carolyn P. Horney, MS-IV
2009 Elizabeth Kwo, BA
2008 Shayna Rich
2007 Andrew D. McWilliams, MPH, MS-III
2006 Juliesa Pavon, MS-3
2005 Christopher Allen Jones, MS
2004 Thomasina Lynn Bailey
2003 Kathleen Tschantz Unroe
2002 Katherine S. Garman
2001 Joy E. Cuezze
2000 Amit A. Shah