Alex Hasselbach, a recent graduate from the College of Medicine and Life Sciences, received a 2026 United States Public Health Service Award for Excellence in Public Health, national recognition given to fewer than 100 medical students each year for advancing preventive medicine, addressing social determinants of health and advocating for meaningful changes in healthcare policy.
Hasselbach’s path into public health began in his first year of medical school, when he noticed something missing: a formal connection between UToledo’s medical students and the local health department.
Dr. Donna Woodson with Alex Hasselbach at the 2026 College of Medicine and Life Sciences Graduation Awards.
“I know it’s important for future physicians to be involved in national- and state-level public health decisions, but it is also critical that physicians remain informed about the public health in the communities in which they serve,” Hasselbach said. “That is why I created the position of Public Health Liaison on our Medical Student Council.”
While in that role, Hasselbach attended Toledo-Lucas County Board of Health meetings, disseminated information to fellow medical students, helped launch a monthly public health newsletter for the medical school community and mentored newly elected council members to continue the work after his graduation.
He also co-founded an annual public health hackathon where students collaborate with community experts to develop solutions to Toledo-specific health challenges and served as president of SCAPula (Students Cultivating Access to Produce), a student-run initiative that distributes food from the local food bank at a downtown Toledo free clinic each week, while also launching the organization’s annual winter clothing drive.
Hasselbach also contributed hundreds of hours to UToledo’s CommunityCare Clinic, where he received a Volunteer Excellence Bronze Award for his time commitment.
“Alex’s contributions to his medical school and his community represent exactly the kind of physician-citizen we hope to cultivate at UToledo,” said Dr. Donna Woodson, a professor emerita at the College of Medicine and Life Sciences. “He has demonstrated that medicine and community service are inseparable, and I have no doubt that commitment will follow him to Cleveland Clinic and beyond.”
Hasselbach will begin his neurology residency at the Cleveland Clinic, where he plans to continue his work in public and population health.
