December 2024: Toni Ungaretti

Take your passion for education to the next level – Join the MEHP!
It’s the most wonderful time of the year!! It is magical to bring families and friends together to celebrate and enjoy each other’s company. It is also a time to reflect and plan for the coming year.

Does your future involve advancing your career as a clinician/educator? JHU can help!

What the MEHP can do for you
For the past fourteen years, approximately 20-25% of each fall’s Master of Education in the Health Professions entering fall class are JHU physicians. Over the years the MEHP has guided SOM faculty to frame their education work as scholarship and prepare successful promotion portfolios. Also, many MEHP graduates have been selected for SOM education awards and IEE small grant, shark tank, and Berkheimer awards. Other graduates have become educational leaders at medical schools and professional organizations nationally and across the globe. 

At almost no cost
Recently, JHU introduced a significant enhancement to tuition assistance raising the amount to $10,000 annually for JHU/JHMI employees, which provides faculty the opportunity to complete the MEHP for almost no cost! Applications for the fall 2025 class are being accepted now.

JHU/JHMI affiliated faculty and staff are extended a courtesy tuition rate that is just 66% of the rate paid by non-JHU/JHMI affiliated students.   And, this reduced tuition is  eligible for the Johns Hopkins tuition assistance benefit, which is currently at $10,000 annually for degree-seeking credit courses.  This combination of reduced tuition and Johns Hopkins benefits offers an unusual opportunity to complete the MEHP at virtually no costs.

Review of applications for Fall 2025 admission will begin in early Spring.  Details regarding eligibility requirements can be found on the School of Education Admissions website.  

JHU Interprofessional Collaborative Partnership
In 2011 the JHU Schools of Medicine, Nursing, Education, the Bloomberg School of Public Health, and the Carey Business School formed a collaborative partnership designed to position you to advance and lead medical education and beyond to include health professions education. The JHU Master of Education in the Health Professions (MEHP) is a collaborative partnership designed to prepare interprofessional leaders and change agents to transform health professions education globally through evidence-based teaching, sound educational research, and impactful leadership. Courses were developed and taught by interprofessional teams of faculty from the five partner schools who teach and model collaboration.

Highly interactive, flexible, community-building, and immediately applicable
The highly interactive virtual MEHP program is designed to accommodate the schedules of busy clinician educators with options to finish in two to four years. The person-centric program focuses on helping you identify values, beliefs, and experiences that inform your teaching and then builds theories, models and frameworks to use your strengths to frame approaches that maximize your impact on teaching, research, and leadership. Courses provide opportunities for community building, networking, and cross-disciplinary and projects with learning from each session immediately applicable to daily work challenges.

Program structure
The first 18 credits of the MEHP include courses in adult development and learning theory as the foundation for studying evidence-based teaching, instructional strategies, curriculum development, assessment and feedback, and frame this learning in educational scholarship. Specializations to complete the 34.5 credit degree include a research track focused on multiple research approaches, and a leadership track focused on identification of personal leadership strengths and their application to organizational needs. The program has an overarching portfolio process threaded through the program to support the integration and application of program competencies. A culminating capstone project focused on an evaluation or research project leads to a manuscript aligned to a target journal.

Learn more
Go to the MEHP website Master's Degree in Health Professions Education (MEHP) to hear testimonies from faculty, fellows, and alumni about their experience and the impact of the program on their careers. Contact the program directly at [email protected] or [email protected]

November 2024: Theron Feist

The Office of Information Technology

Introduction

As the Director of the Office of Information Technology (OIT), I am privileged to lead a team dedicated to enhancing the educational experience through innovative technology solutions. Our office functions like an academic computing department for both the School of Medicine (SOM) and the Office of Vice Dean for Education (OVDE), playing a crucial role in supporting the mission of Johns Hopkins Medicine by ensuring that educators and students have access to the tools and resources they need to succeed.

Who We Are

The OIT team consists of three key groups and approximately fifteen staff members:

• Academic Technologies: Supports various academic computing systems along with classroom and multimedia technologies in the Armstrong Medical Education, Pre-Clinical Training, and Wood Basic Sciences buildings.

• Technical Support: Provides technology support for systems such as SIS, Slate, New Innovations, CloudCME, and various other academic technology platforms.

• Data and Software: Focuses on data integration, development, and maintenance of software systems with a focus on precision education.

What We Do

In addition to our ongoing projects, our office has been instrumental in developing and supporting a robust hybrid learning infrastructure. This has been particularly important in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic, allowing us to continue providing high-quality education remotely. 

One of our notable projects is the Hybrid Education Project, a 3-year effort, which addresses the need for flexibility in teaching and learning. This project involves updating audio-visual and multimedia capabilities in the Armstrong Medical Education Building (AMEB) and classrooms in Pre-Clinical Teaching Building (PCTB) and Wood Basic Sciences Building (WBSB), to support both in-person and remote learning scenarios.

Development of hybrid learning capabilities in all teaching and learning spaces will enable us to reach a wider audience, breaking down geographical barriers and ensuring that our students and faculty can continue their work uninterrupted.

Another significant initiative is the UME Dashboard Project, which provides a set of tools for measuring student performance and advising towards residency. This project uses integrated and aggregated learner data from various systems to offer targeted analytics to support student success.

OIT has also been instrumental in supporting the Entrustable Professional Activities (EPA) Pilot Project for Undergraduate Medical Education (UME). This project involves piloting a clinical assessment system based on EPAs, where students are directly observed and assessed performing various EPAs during their clinical duties. OIT has provided technical support and infrastructure to ensure the successful implementation and ongoing support of this project.

Our team is also involved in various quality improvement projects and professional development activities. We attend conferences, workshops, and other educational activities to further our professional development and contribute to the medical education program.

Future Goals and Projects

Looking ahead, OIT has various goals and projects aimed at further enhancing our technological capabilities and support for the School of Medicine. Examples of future initiatives include:

• Annual Academic Technology Survey: Starting an annual survey to assess user satisfaction with our audio-visual and academic technology services. This will help us gather actionable data to improve our services.

• Development of a 5-Year Educational Technology Plan: Collaborating with key stakeholders to develop a comprehensive 5-year plan that aligns with the strategic priorities of the School of Medicine and the Office of Vice Dean for Education. This plan will include a detailed operating and capital budget.

• Increase collaboration with all groups at JHU SOM working to improve medical education at the UME, GBE, GME, and CME levels.

Conclusion

Our commitment to innovation extends beyond these projects. We are constantly exploring new technologies and methodologies to improve the educational experience. Whether it's through the integration of artificial intelligence to personalize learning or the creation of hybrid learning environments, our goal is to stay at the forefront of educational technology.

In conclusion, the Office of Information Technology strives to play a vital role in the success of our educational programs. By leveraging technology, we can provide a more engaging, efficient, and accessible learning experience for all. I am proud of the strides we have made and look forward to continuing our efforts to support the mission of Johns Hopkins Medicine.

Contact Us

For any technology support, please reach out to the OIT service desk at https://servicedesk.med.jhu.edu. Additionally, we encourage you to submit project consultation requests for educational technology projects through our project consultation request form - Project Consultation Request - JHU SOM Office of Information Technology - Jira Service Management. We are here to help you with any educational technology needs and look forward to collaborating with you on future projects. For more information about OIT, please visit our website - School of Medicine Office of Information Technology - Home (sharepoint.com)

October 2024: Sara Rummell

Education is a team sport!

It is officially fall and fall is my favorite season.  It brings cooler weather, changing leaves, learners are back on the campus and both the Ravens and Orioles are playing!  Like football and baseball, education is a team sport and our education administrators are a vital member of the team. 

From helping to schedule and proctor exams, to booking space for noon education conference or helping track complication of final grade entry, education administrators are like a utility player who can jump in wherever needed.  They keep the program running and make sure that both the educators and students have the resources needed to learn.  Education administrators not only know the accreditation guidelines for their programs and ensure all the “I’s are dotted and T’s crossed” to meet those guidelines, but they also help organize the food for the weekly noon conference or monthly literature review club.  We have some of the most amazing learners and faculty educators in the country.  And the expertise and dedication of our education administrators help maintain the excellence of our programs. 

Several months ago, the program administrator for the Cellular and Molecular Medicine (CMM) graduate program, Leslie Lichter-Mason, passed away.  Leslie worked in CMM for almost twenty years and touched so many people within the School of Medicine community.  The outpouring of gratitude that came from both current and former faculty, staff and students was an amazing testament to her impact. 

The response to her passing inspired the creation of two new IEE education awards – the Outstanding Education Administration Awards.  The Leslie Lichter Award for Outstanding Educational Administration in a nonclinical education program and the Outstanding Educational Administration Award in a clinical education program.  These awards were created to recognize the staff members who partner with our faculty educators and provide administrative leadership to an educational program. Nominate your educational administrator today!  https://www.hopkinsmedicine.org/institute-excellence-education/recognizing-educators/iee-educator-awards

September 2024: Fasika Woreta

Being an Educator Starts Now
Sixteen years ago, when I was starting an intern, I would not have predicted my career path would lead me to become an academic residency program director and educator. Over the years, I have realized that just as we are learners at every stage of our careers, we also are educators. Whether it be with a high school, undergraduate, or medical student, resident, support staff, the opportunities to make a difference as an educator begin during training. Here are a few pearls and principles of being a successful educator that I have observed and learned over the years.

Demonstrate Empathy
Like me, many of you probably vividly remember your first day of medical school and on the wards. Fear, uncertainty and not knowing the best place to stand without getting in the way are feelings not uncommon in medicine. Simple acknowledgement, small words of encouragement and any opportunity to contribute no matter how small the task made all the difference. I often find myself pausing before starting sentences with the omnipresent phrase, “When I was a resident …” A better way is to imagine walking a mile in our learner’s shoes.

Take the Time
Despite ubiquitous pressures in medicine to go faster and produce more, our best educators take extra time in the clinic and/or operating room and demonstrate patience with learners. It is rare for any learner or surgeon to perform better when under duress or when rushed early in the learning curve. Patience is a virtue that we must preserve despite the time constraints and demands of academic medicine. Mentorship also takes time and effort. Just as many of us have had our lives changed by mentors, being a mentor at any point in your career can change lives.

Seek and Provide Constructive Feedback
Educators are notoriously bad at seeking and giving feedback — even though it is necessary for growth. Learning to provide constructive methods for improvement and actionable feedback is essential. Avoid the temptation to gossip about the performance of other trainees. Focus instead on giving positive tips for growth.

Be an Upstander and Ally
The scary fact is that more than one half of medical students and residents may experience or witness mistreatment — such as humiliation, discrimination or harassment — in some form. Examples include yelling, use of profanity, malicious gossip and power mistreatment. It is important to learn the skills of an upstander and ally early on in our careers.

Learn From Other Educators
There is a lot we can learn from educators outside of our own institutions and outside of our specialties. Take the time to learn about organizations dedicated to education within Johns Hopkins such as the Institute for Excellence in Education and the Graduate Medical Education Committee. Outside of Hopkins, learn about opportunities to get involved in national education efforts within the Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education (ACGME), the Association of American Medical Colleges (AAMC), the American Medical Association (AMA), and the American Board of Medical Specialties (ABMS). Embrace opportunities for formal education roles such as a medical student educator/clerkship director, residency or fellowship program director or Vice Chair of Education as they will be one of most rewarding aspects of your career. But even without formal roles, don’t forget that the opportunities to educate are all around you and that you can make a difference starting now.

July 2024: Rachel Levine

Calling all Educators

Do you want to build your skills and connect with other educators? The IEE and the Office of Faculty Development are thrilled to announce the Foundations of Medical Education Program! This faculty development series includes 6, half-day workshops offered over the course of each academic year. Each workshop includes interactive content sharing and application of knowledge and skills.  You will discuss challenging cases in the Foundations of Educational Leadership, and practice feedback and small group facilitation in the Foundations of Teaching and Learning. In the Foundations of Coaching, Mentoring and Advising, you’ll channel your inner coach/mentor/advisor, learning core strategies to help trainees grow and enhance their performance. As a participant in the Foundations of Educational Scholarship, you will be guided through the creation of your own medical education research proposal. In the Foundations of Curriculum Development, you will be introduced to Kern’s 6 Step model for designing and implementing rigorous educational curricula building. Solidify your understanding of common assessment frameworks and tools in the Foundations of Assessment and Evaluation. Most courses are offered (synchronously) virtually.

Each workshop builds skills in a key domain of educator work and is informed by core competencies within that domain (LINK TO ECMC PDF https://www.hopkinsmedicine.org/-/media/institute-excellence-education/documents/foundational-principles/ecmc-slides.pdf) The workshops can be completed in any order.

Participate in all 6 workshops and you will receive a Foundations of Medical Education Certificate of Completion. All workshops provide CME credit and Johns Hopkins full-time faculty may use their Tuition Remission benefit to cover the registration fees. For more information and to register for courses, please see the IEE website https://www.hopkinsmedicine.org/institute-excellence-education.

June 2024: Joseph Cofrancesco Jr.

Philanthropy Matters

Thanks to the generosity of partner donors, the IEE Faculty Education Scholars Program has flourished. It is our flagship program for “Inspiring and Supporting Research, Scholarship and Innovation in Education” while fostering the growth and development of junior faculty as educational leaders. We’ve had Berkheimer, Innovation, and international grants at different times over the past decade.

We have published the IEE’s efforts to support scholarship and innovation in education (Cofrancesco J, Barone MA, Serwint JR, Goldstein M, Westman M, Lipsett PA. Development and Implementation of a School-Wide Institute for Excellence in Education to Enable Educational Scholarship by Medical School Faculty. Teach Learn Med. 2018.)

IEE Faculty Education Scholars have gone on to create high quality programs, curricula, and educational platforms, receive additional grant funding, been invited to join prestigious national organizations, and even start new national organizations.  In large part due to the work done as a scholar, most have gone on to leadership positions in education.

As but one example among many: Brian T. Garibaldi, MD, received a Berkheimer grant in 2016. He notes that the program was the catalyst for his work in clinical skills education and assessment. He shared his work at the Stanford 25 Clinical Skills Symposium in the fall of 2016, which led to his co-founding and being the first co-president of the Society of Bedside Medicine (SBM), a non-profit dedicated to education, innovation and research on the role of the clinical encounter in 21^st century medicine. Brian also piloted an early version of the Assessment of Physical Examination and Communication Skills (APECS) during his Berkheimer award. APECS is one of the only programs in the US where graduate medical trainees examine real patients in front of faculty members and then receive hands-on, personalized feedback to improve their clinical skills. APECS is now the cornerstone of a large AMA-funded Reimagining Residency grant led by Brian which is dedicated to understanding the intersection of the educational environment, clinical skills and professional fulfillment. Brian became a fellow of the New York Academy of Medicine, the American College of Physicians and the Royal College of Physicians of Edinburgh and teaches clinical skills across the world. The initial support of the Berkheimer award made all of these efforts possible.

Investing in education is investing in the future of medicine. Our partners’ and supporters' generous contributions and collaboration allows for continuation of this essential IEE program.

May 2024: Douglas Robinson

Johns Hopkins Initiative for Careers in Science and Medicine

One of the biggest determinants of career success and health outcomes are socioeconomic status. Socioeconomics impact an individual’s opportunities for education achievement, career attainment, household income, and access to quality healthcare.  To help solve these problems, we need to increase the educational attainment and career opportunities for young people from socioeconomically under-resourced backgrounds. In so doing, we will not only have impact on the young people, but also on their families and our communities. 

To help accomplish this, we created the Johns Hopkins Initiative for Careers in Science and Medicine (CSM; https://csm.cellbio.jhmi.edu/). The CSM provides programs for students (scholars) from 5^th grade, high school, undergraduate, and post-baccalaureate levels. CSM scholars must be from socioeconomically under-resourced backgrounds, defined as from a household with incomes <200% of the federal poverty level, and educationally under-resourced, a criterion most often met by being first-generation college and/or by having attended a high school where the majority are also low income.

To date, the CSM has provided opportunities for over 635 scholars (typically 55-75 scholars per year; some participate multiple years and in multiple programs) across five programs: Fun with Science Camp for 5^th Graders (FwSC), the Summer Academic Research Experience (SARE; high school), Biophysics Research for Baltimore Teens (BRBT; high school), the CSM Summer Internship Program (CSM SIP; undergraduates), and the Doctoral Diversity Program (DDP; postbaccalaureates). At the 5^th grade and high school levels, scholars largely come from the greater Baltimore area. At the later stages, CSM SIP and DDP scholars come from all 50 U.S. States, Territories, and Tribes, and we have had scholars from all domains.

Each program provides stage-specific academic and research-intensive experiences. For example, SARE provides academic fortification in math, writing, science, and bioethics. We also provide education on professionalism, navigating the college application process, financial aid, financial savings and investment, as well as longitudinal, wrap-around mentorship. In addition, scholars have an intensive research experience and then communicate their science in the final poster presentation/celebration event that includes attendees from the Hopkins and greater Baltimore communities. 

CSM scholars accomplish big things. Many become authors on scientific publications. For an example of longitudinal outcomes, SARE scholars have a 100% high school graduation rate, 95% college matriculation rate (79% major in STEMM where the second M is medical health professions), and a ≥69% college graduate rate by 6-years post-high school graduation. That compares quite favorably to the national graduation rate of 14% for students from the same socioeconomic background. SARE scholars have matriculated into numerous universities including Hopkins, Yale, Princeton, U. Maryland College Park, Stanford, and many others. 

For an example of the outcomes at the later stage CSM programs, 78% of our DDP scholars have matriculated into MD, MD/PhD, and PhD programs all over the country, including at Hopkins, Stanford, Harvard, U. Chicago, UTSW, Baylor, UC Berkeley, Howard University, and numerous others. We have DDP scholars who have completed their master’s degrees and become scientists or entered other professional domains.  We even have a DDP scholar who became a Teach for America Biology Teacher – that’s is paying it forward!

All these outcomes are transformative for our scholars, their families, and ultimately our society.  I should also point out that CSM scholars are all super-smart, super-motivated, inspired, and inspiring. They are among the most gracious, heart-warming people, and all are driven to make great impact over their careers and lives.

It is truly a pleasure to get to be a part of the CSM team and community.  As our scholars say, “CSM for life!”

April 2024: Postdoc Fellow Perspective
Zinia Mohanta & Shilpa Gopinath

Postdoctoral Fellows are Often Considered the Backbone of Research

Postdoctoral fellowship is an important phase of a researcher's life as it is the first steppingstone of an early stage of an independent research career. We play a pivotal role in advancing academic institutions, infusing fresh perspectives, advanced basic and applied research, and offering unique expertise. As many aspire to be future academicians, postdocs contribute significantly to the intellectual vibrancy of their host institutions with great enthusiasm.

Postdoctoral fellows bridge gaps between disciplines. Our diverse academic backgrounds foster interdisciplinary collaborations, allowing convergence of ideas to address complex challenges. Postdoctoral fellows serve as mentors and educators, being the frontline of interaction with the next generation of scholars. we have close interactions with graduate and undergraduate students. This mentorship is invaluable, shaping the trajectory of emerging scholars and ensuring a continuum of excellence within the educational ecosystem.

The JHU Teaching Academy (Teaching Academy, JHU) provides various teaching opportunities to postdoctoral fellows. However, time constraints can make participation difficult.

In recent years, we have seen a great shift in the educational environment which is promoting more postdoctoral fellows as educators recognizing our contribution towards educational excellence of the institution. This progressive step also facilitates quality future educators and fuels the career of one of the pillars of the institution in education and research.

March 2024: Student Perspective
Mattea Miller & Matthew Guo

Reflections on Advocacy as Medical Student Senate Student Body Presidents

As Student Body Presidents of the Medical Student Senate (MSS), we sit on many curricular committees within the School of Medicine and are members of the IEE Board of Directors. We primarily serve to represent the collective student voice. In this role we are often bridging students’ opinion, administrations goals, and the reality of what can be changed. Navigating these sometimes-conflicting threads can be difficult, but we have learned much from our advocacy efforts and have been honored to partner with faculty and administration to improve the student experience.

As 4^th year medical students and Student Body Presidents for MSS, these are our reflections from our time serving on the Senate.

• Change is slow, sometimes painfully slow, and that’s okay.
  • When we first started on MSS we often found ourselves frustrated with the pace of change in curricular policy. We had ideas, support from the student body, and wanted immediate gratification from our work and that of the Senate. However, the longer we have spent in the advocacy space, the more we have come to realize the importance of evaluating changes from multiple angles and perspectives. Often this reveals hidden pitfalls that we can take time and address, thus making a more responsible change to the curriculum.
• Nothing is black and white in advocacy.
  • There are often unintended consequences of curricular changes. In our tenure on the Senate, we advocated strongly for clerkship grading to be pass fail for a multitude of reasons such as the learning environment, self-directed learning, and student wellness. We are grateful for the partnership from faculty leaders in this discussion and the collective decision to extend the pass-fail period for a three-year cycle. While we still feel strongly about our efforts, we wish we had thought more closely about the unintended consequences, such as the increased pressure placed on board exams and research output for already time-poor medical students as these pressures can have strong negative impacts on students’ lives.
• Effective advocacy hinges on bridging opinions and having buy in from all stakeholders.
  • Working in silos is detrimental to advocacy work. While we represent the student voice at all meetings we attend, all of our advocacy efforts would have come to a standstill if we hadn’t taken time to understand the perspectives of all stakeholders. When this perspective has been the most vital is in situations when there have been strong opinions. Though difficult, we have made the most progress when we value the opinions most opposite to our own.

 Part of what makes a Hopkins medical student so special is our fire to advocate for change, our drive to build something better. We are only two voices, but it has been the highest privilege to listen and to represent the diverse sea of hundreds of voices that constitute the Hopkins medical student body. We have learned that to advocate, we must listen, we must be patient, we must anticipate, and we must widen our perspectives. We are humbled and thankful to have had the opportunity to grow with our peers, advocate for their needs, and partner in change.

February 2024: Tina Kumra

How do you find the time to teach in a busy community clinical setting?

More of our care of patients, and our teaching, has moved to community settings which are often unpredictable learning environments.  While many of us derive immeasurable reward and joy from teaching, we must also be honest about the time and effort needed to achieve excellent clinical education. Here are three tips on how to navigate teaching in our fast-paced, volume-based medical practices:

• -Don’t try to do too much.  Often busy clinicians get bogged down with trying to teach all of the knowledge they have on a patient rather than picking one or two main teaching points appropriate for student level.  When I started teaching in my practice, I found myself utterly drained at the end of the day because I was doing too much of the talking.  If we allow the learner to uncover where they are in their knowledge base and fill in one or two knowledge gaps, it’s more effective for them and much more manageable for us.
• Rely on your team members to also teach students, they have a lot to offer.  Interprofessional education has rightfully become an important part of medical education.  Whether it’s a nurse, a medical assistant, or a social worker, each of these roles in the office has incredible interactions with the patient and there is much to learn from our teammates.  I often stand in awe of my own medical assistant’s knowledge and memory of each of the families we care for, including things that families sometimes hesitate to share with me directly.  That type of intimate knowledge makes us better together as a care team.  When I ask a student to go in the exam room with her to see how she gives a shot to a four-year-old, I not only want the student to see how the shot is given but all the things surrounding the rapport and relationship in the room during that dynamic. 
•  Embrace the priority you place on caring for patients, as that in itself is the most important lesson we can teach our learners.  If they see you pull away from other responsibilities in order to take care of an urgent result or phone call from a patient, they will understand the value that you place in patient care and that critical role modeling will impact their future care of patients.

January 2024: Rachel Levine

Why We Should All Care About the Well-being of Faculty Educators and What We Can Do About It

 The link between physician burnout and patient care outcomes is the primary driver of efforts to foster faculty well-being by addressing individual and system level factors. Similarly, the well-being of faculty educators is critical for maintaining a supportive, safe, and inclusive learning environment for our students and trainees. The American Medical Association in its 2022 ebook, Educator Well-being in Academic Medicine (https://livejohnshopkins.sharepoint.com/:b:/s/ECMC/EeWdNs77op9GkSwSzL7VRFQB4wQ2sCMAkXQfFmkuNPhDJw?e=leIiMH) describes the features of well-being specific to faculty whose primary effort is education and offers systems-based recommendations to ensure that as faculty educators we can thrive and in turn so will our learners and ultimately our patients.

 We are fortunate to work in an environment with many supports for educators. The IEE, the Office of Faculty Development, The Johns Hopkins Faculty Development programs and the Masters of Education in the Health Professions (MEHP) provide opportunities for faculty to develop expertise and be in community with other educators to share ideas, scholarship, and be recognized. And yet, the current climate in academic medicine places increasing pressures on faculty with fewer rewards for those who wish to focus their efforts on medical education.

 Here are a few steps we can take to support our faculty who teach and mentor learners, design, implement and evaluate curricula, conduct educational scholarship and lead our educational programs: 1) continue supporting academic promotion of educators based activities done in the domains of education, and at Hopkins using recommendations of the Educator Competencies and Metrics Committee; 2) revise compensation models to recognize and reward the work of educators; 3) ensure that educators are included in decision-making around major SOM priorities and initiatives; and 4) measure educator well-being and satisfaction.

December 2023: Pamela Lipsett

Entrustable Professional Activities: A Primer 

Our systems for assessing performance and providing feedback to learners is changing with a greater emphasis on providing real-time assessments of directly observed behaviors to learners. These direct observations are intended to provide formative feedback to the learner. Over time, variation in patient presentation, disease and complexity, these assessments should form a portfolio that demonstrates evidence of learner progress, possibly the rate of progress, and area in which the learner may need additional development. For these assessments to be helpful to the learner and easy for the supervisor to complete, they must share a mental model about what constitutes a good and effective performance and what components are needed for the trainee to practice independently.

 In Graduate Medical Education (GME) the ACGME (Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education) has utilized both “Competencies” and “Milestones” to help describe the abilities of our resident and fellow trainees over time to independent practice. For some, these terms are rather obtuse and not easily applied to every day observations and assessments in the workplace.  More recently, Entrustable Professional Activities (EPA’s) have been operationalized as part of assessments in both GME and soon in Undergraduate Medical Education. EPA’s are units of work that a learner performs that can be directly observed. This is in contrast to competencies which are broad domains of ability such as medical knowledge, and milestones, which describe the progress of a learner across a domain from novice to expert. EPA’s are believed to be more applicable to day to day interactions as a supervisor inherently makes a decision with an individual learner how much (or how little) they will need to supervise and/or provide autonomy to an individual learner.

November 2023: Douglas Robinson

We are educators and mentors for our trainees across many domains - in the classroom, lab, and life. We are gifted with a rich community of highly inspired and inspiring trainees. We must constantly value this privilege we have with our trainees.

Here are some thoughts:

• Our trainees bring heart-warming motivation, spirit, and intellect.
• We must challenge our students and trainees while giving them space to think independently and to pursue their vision. Of course, their vision needs to be aligned with their mentors, but mentors need to be flexible and allow for growth. Often, trainees push their mentors to expand their own thinking.
• In the research domain, the goals must always be to truth-seek. Research cannot be structured “to show” anything; there cannot be “preferred answers”. Research teams should not “care what the answer is”, but they should be super-motivated to “figure out what the answer is.” This should be the lab mantra!
• It is important to remember that trainees come from all over the world. They can be far away from their support network. Lab environments often fill this gap and should be ready and willing to support their members when needed.
• Because we sit in an inspiring community, we leverage this community to provide supportive, enriching experiences for those who might not otherwise have such opportunities. We built the Johns Hopkins Initiative for Careers in Science and Medicine (CSM) to provide research experience with academic fortification, complete with wholistic, longitudinal mentorship, for scholars from socioeconomically under-resourced backgrounds. In addition to making impact on our scholars, our graduate and postdoctoral trainees get to feel the impact of mentoring a young person, helping them to grow, achieve, and succeed. This is highly rewarding for all trainees.

You may find additional resources through the Institute of Excellence in Education website and by participating in IEE’s Foundations of Teaching and Learning course or the Summer Teaching camp.

October 2023: Jessica Bienstock

What’s are some of the most important things you can do to enhance your learner’s experience early on in their time on your service?

• One of the easiest things to do is to learn their name! If you’re like me and are juggling many different ideas and tasks simultaneously, once you know your learner’s name, writing their name down somewhere that allows you to quickly reference it even if you forget it initially.
• When your learner first joins you in clinic or in the OR, introduce them to the other members of your team (you already know their name so this is easy). This allows the learner to benefit from your “standing” within the team and more quickly be seen as part of the team.
• Ask the learner about their goals for the day, the week, or even the whole rotation. This can help you be aware of learner self-identified areas for growth upon that you can use to provide them educational resources and feedback.
• With the learner’s goals in mind, identify for your learner how they can help facilitate the work of the team.
• Remember to send them home. Learners are hesitant to leave before the entire team leaves even if there is nothing specific for them to do or learn.

Okay, now that you know how to start, you can build upon this foundation through accessing some of the IEE resources including the Foundations of Teaching and Learning course or the Summer teaching camp.

And (because this IS Johns Hopkins after all) remember that Sir William Osler said “I desire no other epitaph than the statement that I taught medical students in the wards, as I regard this as by far the most useful and important work I have been called upon to do.”