New resident award honors physician’s legacy of mentorship

By Caroline Kettlewell

Wherever he went in his life, Alexander Vap, M.D., made an impression. An extraordinarily skilled and caring orthopaedic surgeon, he was equally committed to nurturing the next generation of physicians, becoming a favorite mentor of Virginia Commonwealth University medical students and residents in the VCU Department of Orthopaedic Surgery.

"He was unfailingly generous with his time and attention, and wanted everyone around him to feel valued," said his wife, Hailey Vap.

When Vap's life was cut short by cancer in January 2025 at age 43, his colleagues on the MCV Campus immediately knew how they wanted to honor the associate professor's memory and carry forward his legacy of compassion and excellence. Within months of his passing, they had raised enough funds to establish the Alexander Vap, M.D., Endowed Resident Education Award in Orthopaedic Surgery.

An inaugural honoree

In June, Brady Ernst, M.D., received the inaugural award, recognizing a chief resident "who most exemplifies the work ethic, attitude, empathy and skills embodied by Dr. Vap."

For Ernst, who is now pursuing an adult reconstruction fellowship in North Carolina, the award carried special meaning. He worked closely with Vap on multiple research papers and in the clinical setting during his sports medicine rotation as a second-year resident.

"His expectations were very high," said Ernst, who earned his medical degree from the VCU School of Medicine in 2021 before beginning residency training with the department. "He expected those he was mentoring and those around him to work hard and put in the effort. At the same time, he was always available and always found some way to help, no matter what you needed."

Orthopaedic surgeon J. Brett Goodloe, M.D., worked alongside Vap in the sports medicine specialty. Inspired by Vap's relationship with students and residents, he helped lead efforts to raise funds for the residency award.

"He was part of the reason I wanted to return to VCU to practice," said Goodloe, who earned his medical degree from the School of Medicine in 2017. He says Vap's expertise and commitment extended beyond his mentorship role. "He would take on very complicated and complex issues that he knew could help patients," said Goodloe, now an associate professor in the Department of Orthopaedic Surgery.

The award 'epitomizes everything he stood for'

Vap joined the faculty of the VCU School of Medicine in 2016 after completing his residency at Duke University and a sports medicine fellowship at the Steadman Philippon Research Institute in Vail, Colorado.

A former athlete himself - he played lacrosse and ice hockey in high school and was a four-year varsity lacrosse player as an undergraduate at Harvard University - he took particular interest in getting athletes back to their sports. He served as head team physician for the College of William & Mary and as a team doctor for VCU, Longwood University and the Richmond Flying Squirrels AA pro baseball team.

Despite his busy schedule as an associate professor in orthopaedic surgery, he also loved being a father to his two young daughters. "Any time he could spend with them, he did," Hailey Vap said. "He wanted to teach them to be kind, to be curious, to love life like he did."

Her husband would have been "very humbled" to know that an award had been created in his memory. "He was not someone who would have sought recognition," she said. "He was so generous and genuine, and he really cared about people."

The award "epitomizes everything he stood for," Ernst said. "He left a lasting impression on everyone he encountered."

This story was originally published on the School of Medicine website.