Gregory M. Polites, MD

Gregory M. Polites, MD, associate professor of emergency medicine, is being honored for his skill and dedication in medical student education.

Polites earned his bachelor’s degree from Washington University in 1988, then completed his medical degree at the University of Illinois in 1996. After postgraduate training in diagnostic radiology at Saint Louis University, he came to Washington University for his emergency medicine residency and then joined the faculty in 2002.

He quickly became involved in medical education, first by revamping a fledgling undergraduate pre-medical program, now called MedPrep, and increasing its enrollment 10-fold to a current level of roughly 350 students per semester. He has led the program since 2005.

As course master of the Practice of Medicine I and III medical student courses since 2010, Polites has instituted broad changes to increase students’ time with patients and provide more personalized training and feedback. He has received a Coursemaster of the Year Award every year since serving in this role. Considered an outstanding role model, he regularly mentors as many as 18 medical students each year through the Lowry-Moore Academic Society, helping them cope with academic stresses and prepare for the residency match.

As an assistant director of the emergency medicine residency from 2005 to 2010, he led preparation for the oral board exam and mentored residents to a 100 percent pass rate. The residents honored him for outstanding teaching in 2005.

Internationally, Polites has advised Bulgaria’s Varna Medical University in establishing medical simulation training and is now working for Washington University’s McDonnell International Scholars Academy to increase pre-medical enrollment in an exchange program with China’s Fudan University. Beyond his teaching roles, Polites is also assistant team physician for the St. Louis Rams.