Southern District Health Board Commissioner Kathy Grant yesterday presented him with his fourth such award, at the Dunedin School of Medicine's annual Teaching Awards function at Dunedin Hospital.
Prof Wilkins, who was runner-up last year, was ''delighted'' to receive the school dean's award again.
He had been inspired by his own medical teachers at Otago University, where he gained his initial medical qualifications in 1978.
A keen cyclist, Prof Wilkins cycled 2117km from one end of the country to the other, with other cardiologists and health professionals in 2010, raising $5million to establish a Cardiovascular Research Fund.
Patients gained big health benefits if they undertook appropriate physical activity, and staying physically active was also vital for doctors themselves, given their work was often rather sedentary, he said in an interview.
Asked why he had kept winning the senior award, based on medical student support, he said he tried to teach in a lively, positive way, and joked that students would gain little if a medical teacher was ''always grumbling''.
''The most important thing you want is good communication.''
Other awards:
Dean's commendation, trainee intern with commitment and aptitude in teaching: Faezah Haji Mohd Amin, Briar Warin, You Ted Lau; dean's certificate, trainee intern showing commitment and aptitude in teaching: Jonathan Paulin; dean's commendation, house officer for commitment and quality: Dr Malcom Gill; dean's certificate, house officer for commitment and quality: Dr Chillay Aung; dean's commendation, registrar for commitment and quality: Dr Rob Handley; dean's certificate, registrar for teaching commitment and quality: Dr Keith Lee; dean's certificate, nursing team providing best learning environment for medical students: orthopaedics/fracture team; DSM Education Unit innovation in teaching award: Dr Helen Paterson; dean's commendation, Invercargill teaching staff: Dr James Faherty; dean's commendation to senior staff for teaching: Dr Wendy Busby, Dr Paul Trani.
