Kelly G. Gwathmey, MD, Receives 2026 AANEM Jun Kimura Outstanding Educator Award

A career in NM medicine often begins with a formative clinical encounter, and for this year's AANEM Outstanding Educator Award recipient, Kelly G. Gwathmey, MD, those early experiences helped shape a lasting commitment to both the science and teaching of the field.

Her first exposure came as a college student shadowing a neurologist. "I recall the neurologist had a third-year medical student with him and they were interviewing and examining a patient with myasthenia gravis," she said. "I was fascinated to learn about the pathophysiology of myasthenia gravis for the first time and see how the physical exam informed clinical decision making." That experience revealed how bedside findings directly shape diagnostic reasoning.

A later encounter during medical school further solidified her path. "I watched [the doctor] diagnose a young man with ALS," she said. "I was struck by the exam abnormalities and how they resulted in his diagnosis. I also observed the heartbreaking impact of making such a devastating diagnosis. The neurologist demonstrated such compassion and empathy. His approach to breaking bad news has influenced my own practice to this day." Together, these moments anchored both scientific curiosity and a commitment to patient-centered care.

She was drawn to the intellectual structure of NM medicine, where localization, EDX, and clinical examination converge to guide diagnosis. The field's constant evolution—especially with expanding therapies and multidisciplinary care—has reinforced her dedication.

Education became central early in her training. "In residency, even as a second-year resident, I felt that my role was to teach those around me, not only so that we could all learn together, but to also strengthen our personal working relationships," she said. That philosophy extended to patient care. "Patients must have at least foundational knowledge about their condition and treatment options. It is our responsibility to teach them in a supportive way, and encourage them to self-advocate and ask questions."

Over the past 13 years, she has trained numerous residents and fellows and mentored learners across levels, including a high school student who later became a neurology chief resident. "To watch them go forth and become successful, independent neuromuscular providers and electromyographers brings me great joy. This is my enduring legacy."

She also values the less visible aspects of teaching that define daily practice. "It reflects not only the more visible contributions such as giving grand rounds or lecturing on the national stage but also the small moments," she said. "It is the late afternoons reviewing electromyography reports and the whiteboard 'chalk talks' in the middle of clinic." Her commitment to education also extends beyond the clinical setting through her work with the AANEM Podcast Committee, where she helps develop educational content that brings NM topics to healthcare professionals across disciplines and levels of training in an accessible, high-impact format.

Her career has been shaped by many mentors who supported her growth. "There have been numerous mentors who have seen my own potential and taken me under their wing," she said. "Their belief in me…has given me the confidence and courage to step out of my comfort zone."

Now at Columbia University as Director of Clinical Trials in the Eleanor and Lou Gehrig ALS Center, she is focused on advancing ALS research and education. She hopes to help establish an ALS fellowship and build structured pathways for future clinician-scientists in NM medicine.

For those entering the field, she emphasizes its breadth and intellectual rigor. NM medicine, she notes, blends diagnostic precision, procedural skill, and rapidly evolving therapeutics within a collaborative environment. She also underscores intellectual humility. "It is okay to not always have the answer, and many times the answers are not yet in the journals or textbooks," she says, adding, "So often we need to rely on the available data and clinical gestalt. Also, when clinical presentations and treatment responses diverge from expectation, we must constantly reexamine the diagnosis and plan. Reaching out to your network of trusted colleagues to discuss challenging cases is also important."

Her work reflects the essence of the AANEM Outstanding Educator Award—advancing NM medicine through sustained teaching, mentorship, and the development of future leaders.