RHAU Faculty of the Year

2023 Awardee:  Dr. Ty Dickerson, MD, University of Utah School of Medicine

Dr. Dickerson is a Clinical Professor of Pediatrics and Adjunct Assistant Professor of Public Health for the University of Utah School of Medicine; he also serves as the Assistant Dean of Global Health Education. One focus area for his work is community-based maternal and child health in resource-poor settings; another is physician workforce development to improve health equity among rural, remote, and underserved communities.

Dr. Dickerson has served as the primary lead on a project funded by the University of Utah School of Medicine (UUSOM) and the federal Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA) which strives to increase the number of medical students who choose primary care careers and eventually practice in tribal, rural and medically underserved communities. He and Dr. Sandweiss do outstanding work to prepare a new generation of mission-driven providers working under difficult conditions to serve traditionally under-resourced communities.

2022 Awardee: Dr. Andy Nigh, MD FACS

Dr. Nigh grew up near Indianapolis, Indiana. He received a Bachelor of Science degree from Butler University and a Doctor of Medicine degree from Indiana University. He completed a residency in general surgery at Methodist Hospital in 1985. Upon graduating, he joined a general surgery practice in Indianapolis. In 2012, the group merged with Indiana University. 

Over the last few years, he served as Chief Medical Officer at Indiana University West Hospital. He retired from clinical practice to join the faculty of RVU directed the Rural/Wilderness Track and developed the surgical simulation lab.  He has recently announced his second retirement from RVU. 

Dr. Nigh has been teaching for our Utah Health Scholars program for the past two years and his class, Wilderness First Aid is always the first course filled. Students love to engage with him and other students.

Dr. Nigh has been married for over 40 years and has two sons. In his free time, he enjoys hiking, backpacking, wilderness medicine, and photography. Thank you Dr. Nigh for working without students!!!!

2017 Awardee:  Craig Humes PA-C

Evan Vickers serves as the State Senator for Senate District 28; he currently serves as Senate Majority Leader. Before serving in the State Senate, he served in the State House of Representatives for four years.