2025 Dascomb Award Winner: Stephen DeMeo, DO

RALEIGH, N.C. (July 17, 2025) – WakeMed is pleased to announce Stephen DeMeo, DO, as the recipient of the prestigious Harry E. Dascomb, MD, Award. WakeMed’s highest teaching honor, the Dascomb Award is presented annually to a physician who demonstrates excellence in patient care as well as through teaching medical students and residents. 

Dr. DeMeo is board-certified in Neonatology and has been a clinician-educator at WakeMed since 2015. In addition to caring for critically-ill infants in the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU), Dr. DeMeo serves as the pediatric clerkship site director for Campbell University School of Osteopathic Medicine (CUSOM) at WakeMed as well as the Regional Assistant Dean for the CUSOM clinical campus in Raleigh. In addition to the Dascomb Award, Dr. DeMeo has received the CUSOM-Raleigh Region Preceptor of the Year Award three times. 

Dr. DeMeo was nominated by his peers and selected by the Dascomb Award committee, which includes doctors from WakeMed Physician Practices as well as community-based physicians. An excerpt from one nomination describes him as having, “consistently demonstrated an extraordinary commitment to medical education and the highest standards of clinical teaching. I have had the distinct pleasure of working with Dr. DeMeo for many years. I can say without reservation that he is among the most gifted and dedicated educators I have encountered in my career.” 

The Harry E. Dascomb, MD, Award for Excellence in Clinical Teaching and Care was established in honor of Dr. Dascomb, who served as an infectious disease physician at WakeMed. He was known and appreciated for his bedside, clinical and teaching skills as well as his ability to provide compassionate patient care. Recipients must demonstrate support of clinical teaching programs at WakeMed over at least three years. 

Dr. DeMeo earned his medical degree at the Philadelphia College of Osteopathic Medicine and received a master’s degree in medical education from the University of New England in Portland, ME. He completed his pediatrics internship and residency at the Jefferson/Alfred I. DuPont Hospital for Children and completed his fellowship in neonatal-perinatal medicine at Duke University. He is currently an Associate Professor of Pediatrics at Campbell and Adjunct Assistant Professor of Pediatrics at UNC School of Medicine.