Physician Features
ABPMR Board Member Receives AAP Outstanding Mentor Award
The Association of Academic Physiatrists (AAP) has selected Vu Q.C. Nguyen, MD, MBA, to receive the 2026 AAP Outstanding Mentor Award. Dr. Nguyen the Robert B. Kyle Endowed Professor and Chair at the University of Alabama at Birmingham Department of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation (PM&R). In addition, Dr. Nguyen is a long-time volunteer for the American Board of Physical Medicine (ABPMR) and currently serves as a member of the Board of Directors of the ABPMR.
The Outstanding Mentor Award recognizes an AAP member who has a significant impact on others through the quality and extent of their mentorship. The award highlights individuals who support the professional development of their mentees and who demonstrate time, dedication and commitment to building successful mentor-mentee relationships.
“When I look around our field at those who are mentioned as the rising leaders, teachers, clinicians and researchers, the common denominator is Dr. Vu Nguyen. He has molded, guided and challenged many to work and improve themselves to accomplish career goals, serve their patients and advance our field of PM&R. I am one of these people and wanted to recognize Dr. Nguyen by nominating him for the AAP’s Outstanding Mentor Award,” said Samuel J. Lee, MD, vice chair at Loma Linda University.
Nguyen joined the AAP in 2000 as a resident. He has served the AAP as a member of the Board of Trustees; chair of the Education Committee; chair of the CME Committee; and member of the Leadership Development and Recognition Committee. He has held the positions of president, vice president and secretary of the Residency and Fellowship Program Directors Council. He was also the PM&R representative to the Organization of Program Directors Association.
In recent years, he has continued to serve the AAP as a mentor in the AAP’s National Mentorship Program; a mentor in the Program for Academic Leadership (PAL); a member of the Bureau of Advisors for the Physiatry Foundation; and a member of the Chair Council.
In addition to his many professional contributions, Dr. Nguyen has devoted 16 years of outstanding volunteer service to the American Board of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation. He has played a significant role in examination development, serving as a Part II Examiner from 2010 to 2012 and as a Part II Vignette Writer from 2014 to 2022. He has also participated in key standard-setting activities, including the 2022 LA Standard Setting and the 2024 Part I Standard Setting. Since 2020, Dr. Nguyen has been a valued member of the Board of Directors, and in 2024 he assumed the role of Part I Committee Chair, where he continues to contribute extensively to content development and review. His leadership extends further through his service on the ACGME Review Committee. Dr. Nguyen’s long-standing dedication and expertise have made him an essential part of the ABPMR volunteer community.
“Receiving this award means a lot to me. I cherish this above all other recognitions. It means that in some meaningful way, I have positively affected someone’s life, and they are better for having experienced our engagement. I am truly humbled and thankful for this beautiful acknowledgement,” said Nguyen.
Nguyen's commitment to fostering successful mentor-mentee relationships and his support for others’ growth in the field of physiatry exemplify the qualities this award celebrates. Congratulations!
Credit to Natalie Garcia for contributing information for this story.
