WashU Medicine in St. Louis and Barnes-Jewish Hospital recognized seven Department of Medicine internal medicine residents and fellows with the 2026 Knowlton Incentive for Excellence Award.
This award recognizes and fosters a new generation of compassionate, skilled physicians who show extraordinary care for the patient. The physicians were celebrated during the annual ceremony held on October 5, 2026.
To recognize the compassionate care that Norman Knowlton Jr., MD, provided to Charles J. Cella, business leader and real estate developer, the awards program fund was established in 1984 by Cella. Dr. Knowlton was a professor emeritus of clinical medicine in internal medicine at Washington University and Barnes-Jewish Hospital. Both men have since passed away.
It is an honor to be a 2026 Knowlton Incentive for Excellence recipient. While there are many facets to being a physician including research and education, patient care remains the core function of a doctor. It is a privilege to be recognized for patient care. I thank Dr. Wooten, Dr. Philips, and Dr. Trautner for their nomination.
Cody Cunningham, MD, PhD
The Knowlton Incentive for Excellence Fund at The Foundation for Barnes-Jewish Hospital is stewarded by a committee chaired by Dr. Norman Knowlton, III. In the past 35 years, more than 200 awards have been given to fellows who have completed internal medicine residency programs, embody the “Knowlton spirit” of care, and are likely to practice in the St. Louis area.
Department of Medicine Award Recipients and Specialties
- Elissa Arnold, MD – Division of Pulmonary and Critical Care Medicine
- Hunter C. Cochran, MD – Division of Oncology
- Cody Cunningham, MD, PhD – Division of Infectious Diseases
- Christian Hendrix, MD, MS – Division of Pulmonary and Critical Care Medicine
- Joshua Mendoza, MD – Cardiovascular Division
- Noah Romero Nakajima, MD – Internal Medicine Residency Program
- Joy Um, MD – Division of Rheumatology
“I am deeply grateful to the Cella family for supporting this award, which celebrates residents and fellows and helps keep us in St. Louis, a city I moved to in 2020 and have loved ever since. I owe so much to my mentors, Dr. Neha Mehta-Shah and Dr. Nancy Bartlett. They were anything but regular mentors: they met with me weekly to write clinical trials, reviewed my clinic notes with extraordinary care, and welcomed me into clinic prep and lymphoma faculty meetings so I would be ready for life as an attending. As physicians, researchers, and mothers, they showed me what it looks like to be fully present in every part of life. Because of them, I love coming to work every day, and I’m grateful to now call them colleagues and friends. I’m also thankful to my husband, whose support means the world to me.”
Hunter Cochran, MD
The Knowlton Fund launched the annual awards and supports resident and fellow education at Barnes-Jewish Hospital and WashU Medicine with the goal of helping to train, recognize, and nurture the best and most compassionate internal medicine physicians in St. Louis.
To be recognized and encouraged to reach for clinical excellence means a lot to me. Taking care of people is why I am excited to come to work every day. I am grateful to my mentors at WashU. Dr. Dao, who uplifts everyone around him. Dr. Aagaard, who is a role model for excellent, compassionate care. And Dr. Vermette, who helps me flourish in my relationship with medicine.
Noah Romero Nakajima, MD