Wendy Busby's pager went off halfway through proceedings so she did not even know she had won until the Otago Daily Times tracked her down for a photo.
The Dunedin School of Medicine geriatric and internal medicine teacher was given the senior staff award for quality in teaching for 2015 at a ceremony at the Barnett Lecture Theatre yesterday.
Dr Busby said it was ''wonderful'', but she did not do it for the recognition.
''It's wonderful to get some recognition [but] I really love teaching so ... it's not really about me ... it's about everyone in the team,'' she said.
Dunedin Medical School dean Barry Taylor said Dr Busby received the most votes in a student poll.
''She is one of those people that you do a ward round with and she's enthusiastic and does her job exceptionally well,'' Prof Taylor said.
