Abbey Fingeret, MD, PhD, credits her career in education to the mentoring relationships she built early in her training. Growing up in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, she witnessed firsthand the transformative nature of a mentor’s support — not only on essential skills and knowledge but on confidence, identity and professional purpose.
Now an associate professor of surgery in the UNMC College of Medicine, Dr. Fingeret said those early influences guided her path and her teaching philosophy. In surgery, where “the stakes are high and the learning curve is steep,” that impact became pivotal. “From the beginning, I recognized how a teacher’s enthusiasm and clarity could change the entire trajectory of a learner’s confidence and career,” she said.
A decade after joining UNMC in 2016, Dr. Fingeret is being honored with the 2026 Varner Educator Laureate Award, UNMC’s highest distinction for educators. The award recognizes faculty who significantly enhance the learning environment through outstanding educational experiences.
Dr. Fingeret describes receiving the Varner Laureate Award as humbling and deeply meaningful, emphasizing that the honor reflects the shared accomplishments of her learners and collaborators. “This award highlights the progress of learners whose growth inspires me, the colleagues who have partnered with me and the mentors who have supported my development,” she said.
Throughout her career, she has focused on building effective and innovation‑driven educational systems. Her work includes developing the Entrustable Professional Activity‑based curricula, simulation‑based curriculum‑to‑residency programs and digital learning strategies — all aimed at strengthening competency, collaboration and learner identity.
An endocrine surgeon by training, Dr. Fingeret completed her residency at Columbia University Medical Center, her endocrine surgery fellowship at Harvard’s Massachusetts General Hospital and additional advanced robotic endocrine surgical training at Yonsei University Health System in Seoul, South Korea.
She now is an associate professor in the UNMC Division of Surgical Oncology and has served as chair of the Interactive E‑Learning Steering Committee since 2025. Her leadership also includes directing the Department of Surgery Education Research for Nebraska Education Research fellowship program and chairing the College of Medicine Curriculum Committee.
Mentorship remains a central part of her academic identity. She credits senior leaders David W. Mercer, MD, and Josh Mammen, MD, PhD, with shaping her own development — which she strives to pay forward through individualized, strengths‑based support to her students, residents and faculty mentees.
Dr. Mercer, a professor and McLaughlin Chairman of UNMC Department of Surgery, nominated Dr. Fingeret for the Varner Educator Laureate Award. In his nomination, he wrote:
“Dr. Fingeret is a visionary educator, a dedicated mentor and a nationally respected leader in surgical education. Her innovative curricula, scholarly contributions and unwavering commitment to excellence make her an ideal candidate for the Varner Educator Laureate Award.”
Dr. Fingeret describes her teaching approach as supportive, rigorous and learner‑centered. She emphasizes active engagement, reflective practice and psychological safety — essential in an environment where new skills are practiced under pressure.
“My goal is to cultivate curiosity, confidence and professionalism — to develop physicians who excel technically but also elevate the learning environment for others,” she says.
Her students echo that impact. One described her as “a role model in every sense — clinically, academically and professionally.” Another wrote, “Her feedback is always constructive and helps me improve not just technically but also as a compassionate physician.” A third praised her clarity: “Her ability to translate complex ideas into clear, engaging learning moments is unmatched.”
For Dr. Fingeret, the Varner Educator Laureate recognition affirms her commitment to national scholarly work, curriculum innovation and training future leaders. It also reflects the culture of mentorship and collaboration she has helped build within UNMC.
“This recognition strengthens my commitment to advancing high‑quality medical education and motivates me to keep building scalable, evidence‑based programs that elevate learners across disciplines,” she said.
Dr. Fingeret sees the future of medical education moving toward competency-based education and increased integration of simulation and digital technologies. She hopes to help lead national efforts in curriculum design, educational research and the development of assessment frameworks aligned with modern clinical needs.
Her work continues to shape not only her learners but the evolution of health professions education — driven by that same passion for mentorship, innovation and learner growth that has guided her from the very start.
Congratulations! Well deserved Dr. Fingeret.
Congratulations Dr. Fingeret. Well deserved.
Well deserved! Dr. Fingeret was so good at teaching during the surgery clerkship! I am likely not pursuing a surgical career in future but regardless her teaching have left an impact on me and honestly made the clerkship my top 3.