The University of Colorado Anschutz School of Medicine Department of Pediatrics is proud to announce that Nicolle Fernández Dyess, MD, MEd, has been named the recipient of the second annual M. Douglas Jones Junior Faculty Educator Award. This prestigious honor recognizes a junior faculty member who demonstrates exceptional dedication to medical education and academic excellence.
Dyess currently serves as an assistant professor in the Department of Pediatrics Section of Neonatology. She is the associate program director of the neonatal-perinatal medicine fellowship, the director of the Residents and Fellows as Educators Elective (RFEE), and the co-director of the CU Anschutz School of Medicine Medical Education Individualized Curriculum. Her academic journey began at The University of Texas at Austin, followed by her medical degree from the UT Southwestern Medical Center in 2015. She completed her residency at Baylor College of Medicine, where she distinguished herself as chief resident of pediatrics in 2019.
Dyess's commitment to the "educator" path is evidenced by her master of education from the University of Cincinnati (2022) and her completion of a neonatal-perinatal medicine fellowship at the University of Colorado Anschutz.
Her scholarly work reflects a deep passion for refining how the next generation of physicians is trained. Notable contributions include:
Curriculum Development: Researching the use of ACGME Clinician-Educator Milestones for trainee self-assessment.
Equity in Medicine: Leading national needs assessments on implicit bias and health disparities education within the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU).
Professional Transitions: Creating national virtual job search series to support fellows transitioning into their professional careers.
Beyond her research, Dyess is an active clinician at Children’s Hospital Colorado and the UCHealth University of Colorado Hospital, where she translates her educational expertise into the high-stakes environment of neonatal care.
Dyess will present some of her current work at a Pediatric Grand Rounds during the next academic year.
Please join us in celebrating Nicolle Fernández Dyess for her outstanding contributions to our academic community and her unwavering commitment to the future of pediatric medicine.