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Say hello to our featured member Jayne Reuben

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Jayne Reuben, PhD, FAPE
Director, Instructional Effectiveness, Academic Affairs, Instructional Associate Professor
Texas A&M University, College of Dentistry

Our association is a robust and diverse set of educators, students, researchers, medical professionals, volunteers and academics that come from all walks of life and from around the globe. Each month we choose a member to highlight their academic and professional career and see how they are making the best of their membership in IAMSE. This month’s Featured Member is Jayne Reuben.

How long have you been a member of IAMSE?
I have been a member of IAMSE for 6 years and I am extremely honored to be this month’s featured member.

Looking at your time with the Association, what have you most enjoyed doing? What are you looking forward to?
I have learned so much coming to the IAMSE conferences and have met so many faculty who inspire me. One example of the amazing quality of speakers that come to the IAMSE annual meeting is Dr. Nicole Woods whom I met at my first conference. I remember that when she walked into the room, the energy shifted and people were so excited! A few years later, I hosted her here at Texas A&M College of Dentistry where she was also extremely well received.

Second, I always enjoy IAMSE conferences because the workshops are informative and inspiring. They showcase progressive ideas so attendees can see what exciting innovations are occurring at other schools. Third, if you have met me, you will know that I am an extrovert, so I especially enjoy the opportunities to network with potential collaborators as well as socialize with friends and former colleagues. I have connected with several individuals during the IAMSE Cafe discussions which are so relevant to our institutional needs that I have convinced a few faculty and staff to join.

I have recently become active on two IAMSE committees. I love being a part of the Onboarding Committee because we have such lively planning sessions. I am excited to participate in the new member’s luncheon as that was one of the activities that really impressed me about IAMSE. I was made to feel like my membership really mattered so I want to make sure that all of our newer members feel the same way. I am also happy to play a small part in the race equity committee’s exciting session on mitigating bias in the medical curriculum at this year’s meeting. 

Why should people be excited to join your virtual pre-conference workshop “Facilitating Powerful Learning by Developing Learner Creativity and Design Skills”? How will this session translate well to the virtual format? 
The design and creativity in learning workshops transformed the way I think about teaching and learning in my courses. Patient care extends well beyond what happens in the doctor’s office or the dental clinic. The involvement of multiple social service agencies and other community partners are frequently necessary to address the complex social determinants of health that can significantly affect patient outcomes. Therefore, it is crucial for people in professional and academic environments to be innovative and to have the ability to develop solutions for these complex problems and we cannot leave it to chance that our students will be prepared to meet the changing needs of health care. 

This workshop will enable participants to use simple but powerful approaches to help learners develop skills in creativity and design while simultaneously improving their depth and quality of learning. In addition, Dr. Jonan Donaldson’s experience developing and facilitating virtual workshops through the Center for Teaching Excellence (CTE) at Texas A&M University has helped us develop expertise in optimizing interactivity and engagement in virtual formats.

What workshop, session or event are you most looking forward to in Denver? 
I am most excited about the focus sessions, “Beyond Equity and Inclusion, Integrating JEDI into the Medical Curriculum”, and “Examination Standard Setting: Not for the Faint of Heart.” I am also excited about “Creating Social Capital: Historically Black Colleges and Universities…” but because it is scheduled at the same time as one of my sessions, I will not be able to attend.

What interesting things are you working on outside the Association right now? 
On an institutional level, I am primarily focused on helping our students prepare for the new Integrated National Board Dental Examination (INBDE). This is the first year that this previously two-part exam is required for all dental students and I am very curious to see how the changes that we made in our curriculum impact student performance on this exam.

I am most excited about the work that I have done over the past two years as a member of the Meharry National Center for Medical Education Development and Research Community of Practice. As part of this amazing group of health professionals and researchers, we have developed ten curriculum modules designed to target important topics such as adverse childhood experiences, interpersonal violence, immunization disparities and mental health in three specific vulnerable patient populations-migrant workers, people who are LGBTQ+ and persons experiencing homelessness. Under the leadership of Dr. Patricia Matthews-Juarez, these ten modules will be published later this year for anyone to use.

I am also working with Dr. Donaldson who conducts numerous research projects to investigate optimal designs for learning which leverage and develop learner creativity and problem-solving skills. We are using complex systems theory to investigate the relationships between conceptualizations of learning and practices in teaching and learning which he presented in a TEDx talk on March 6th, 2022.

Anything else that you would like to add?
I am so proud of IAMSE for recognizing that we need to advocate and teach our students to advocate for the underserved, marginalized and most vulnerable members of our communities. This aspect of IAMSE’s agenda has the potential to help students develop into professionals who make such a positive impact on their future communities. I hope that this will always be a primary part of the IAMSE mission.

For more information on sessions, presentations and to register for #IAMSE22 visit www.IAMSEconference.org.

IAMSE Spring 2022 Session 1 Highlights

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[The following notes were generated by Sandra Haudek, PhD.]

The Spring 2022 IAMSE Webinar Seminar Series, titled “To infinity and Beyond: Expanding the scope of Basic Sciences in Meeting Accreditation standards” opened on Thursday March 3, 2022. This series continues to explore how basic science education can be leveraged for student success. It expanded upon the traditional roles of basic sciences and ventured into unexplored areas: What is the role of basic science education in (1) interprofessional training, (2) social sciences curricula, (3) service-learning, (4) pre-clerkship integration, (5) and self-directed learning? These domains are cornerstones of medical education and closely align with accreditation elements for the LCME, COCA, and other accreditation bodies within the health professions. The first session in the series was titled “Developing IPE Utilizing Current Simulation Approaches” [IPE = interprofessional education] and was presented by Dr. Brian Mann, EdD, MS, PA-C, Chief of Simulation Operations for Philadelphia College of Osteopathic Medicine. During this session, Dr. Mann explained current terminology used in medical simulation, explained the different technologies used in medical simulation, and presented a curricular process linking simulations to accreditation standards.

Dr. Mann started with emphasizing on the importance of creating objectives using the most appropriate Bloom Taxonomy action verbs, particularly when addressing foundational science content such as anatomy and physiology. Since simulation activities are applications of skills, he advised to use verbs such as analyze, create, and evaluate. He then clarified the meaning of key terms used in simulation: (1) OSCE (Objective Structured Clinical Examination) – Approach to the assessment of clinical and professional competency or performance. OCSE are often related to standardized patient or history taking, but also include task training and other applications including anatomy. (2) Simulation (SIM, a component of the Simulation Activity) – A technique that creates a situation or environment that allows a representation of a real event for the purpose of practicing, evaluating, testing, or just understanding of an action in a safe environment. Simulation needs expert pedagogy from novice to expert level. Evaluations may be part of a simulation. (3)Simulation (SIM) Activity – A set of actions including initiation (pre-briefing), simulation, and debriefing including assessment. One simulation opportunity may include different activities. (4) Standardized Patient – Very well trained actors who simulate an actual patient (cannot be distinguished from real patients), including body language, anxiety and metal state levels, give limited information, emotionally personality skills. Actors may also provide assessment and verbal feedback to students. (5) High Fidelity Simulator – Mannequins who can mimic high-level human body functions, such as heart and lung sounds, blood pressure, urinating, bleeding, and swelling. (6) Task Trainer – Devises to train elements or procedures, such as starting an IV, performing CPR, suturing, and phlebotomy. Dr. Mann finished this part of his presentation with showing pictures of different simulation settings, explaining that some rooms are set up to manage communication and team work skills rather than clinical skills. He concluded that high fidelity simulator and task trainer models lend themselves to cover foundational science content, only limited by imagination. He also emphasized on the importance of diversity including actors and mannequins of different skin colors, ethnicities, gender, and ages.

Dr. Mann continued with highlighting that simulation activities provide valuable teaching experiences also for foundational sciences. He stressed on the importance of generating goals and objectives that are specific and simple, appropriate for the student’s level. All content should be familiar to students before the simulation activity. He recommended a backwards approach to curriculum design starting from the schools educational learning objectives, to course objectives, so session objectives. IPE competencies should also address competencies required for the particular program by their accrediting body (e.g., from the American Psychological Association) and the four IPE core (sub)-competencies from 2016 as listed: Values and ethics, roles and responsibilities, interprofessional communication (between different groups, families, healthcare professionals), teams and teamwork. If schools collaborate with schools in other countries, those international IPE components should be also addressed. For instance, in Canada one needs to include role clarification, patient/client/family/community-centered care, team functioning, collaborative leadership, interprofessional communication, and interprofessional conflict resolution.

Dr. Mann then provided an example of a learning theory used in medical simulation: Kolb’s Experiential Learning Theory. This theory includes a concrete experience (the simulation experience), reflective observation (debriefing), abstract conceptualization (evaluate each task), and active experimentation (repeat simulation activity ~3 weeks later). Another theory he mentioned but not discussed is the cognitive load theory. He then explored how simulation can be used to develop IPE activities. He encouraged the audience that this is really up to individuals what content or topic they want to address, from clinical situations, to psychological & physiological cases, to foundational sciences, as long as they align to the school’s competencies. The most effective way to integrate simulating is to make sure there is spaced repetition, small amounts of content at a time, and knowledge is covered before application. The biggest challenges are the different schedules between different programs and schools.

The presentation lasted about 40 minutes. During the ensuing 15 min, many questions were discussed: How often do you do simulation during pre-clerkship years and in which courses (2-3 times per semester)? How are OSCEs used for assessment (formative exam in middle, summative at end of semester; emphasis on spaced repetition throughout the semester)? How long is a simulation activity and how many students attend (logistics are difficult but manageable)? Which foundational sciences topics are mostly addressed (physiology is the easiest one, anatomy is easy as well, pathology can also be brought in e.g., taking a biopsy)? What if learners are on different levels (it is hard to make sure all learners from different programs are on the same level – may need a “retraining component”)? How important is debriefing (very important; allow learners to make mistakes and provide chances to do better next time)?

Timothy Lahey to Present “The Construction of a Social Medicine Curriculum at UVM”

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Continuing with our exploration of how basic science education can be leveraged for student success, this sequel to our Winter series will expand upon the traditional roles of basic sciences and venture into unexplored areas. The IAMSE Spring 2022 webinar series will explore the domains that are cornerstones of medical education and closely align with accreditation elements for the LCME, COCA, and other accreditation bodies within the health professions. The second session in the series will feature Timothy Lahey from the University of Vermont (USA).

Spring 2022 Information
Timothy Lahey, MD, MMSc

The Construction of a Social Medicine
Curriculum at the University of Vermont

Presenter: Timothy Lahey, MD, MMSc
Session Date & Time: March 10, 2022 at 12pm Eastern

In this session, attendees will review principles underlying social medicine, the collaborative student/faculty implementation of a highly interactive preclinical social medicine curriculum at the University of Vermont, discuss success and challenges encountered en route, and brainstorm about next steps in social medicine curriculum development.

There is still time to register yourself or your institution for the series. Is your institution already registered? Reach out to your administrative contact to get signed up for weekly updates.

Register Your Institution
Register Yourself

As always, IAMSE Student Members can register for the series for FREE!

To learn more about student registration, emails us at support@iamse.org.

Congratulations to the IAMSE 2022 Finnerty Award Winner, Rick Vari

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On behalf of the Board of Directors, I would like to congratulate Rick Vari on receiving the Edward Patrick Finnerty Lifetime Achievement Award at his home on February 14, 2022. This award is bestowed upon an individual member who has demonstrated a sustained involvement in and commitment to the advancement of the International Association of Medical Science Educators through their many types of service to the organization at the maximal level of performance.
 
The special nature of this award makes it one for which a member may not apply. Rather, it represents the superlative level of recognition that the organization, through selection by its Board of Directors, can provide to a most worthy individual whose work on behalf of IAMSE has shown a consistent history of distinguished accomplishments.

2022 Edward Patrick Finnerty Lifetime Achievement Award winner Rick Vari

Richard “Rick” Vari, Ph.D. recently retired from his position as Senior Dean of Academic Affairs at the Virginia Tech Carilion School of Medicine. Dr. Vari received his undergraduate degree in biology and his master’s and doctorate in physiology under the mentorship of Cobern E. Ott, Ph.D., from the University of Kentucky. He completed a postdoctoral fellowship in the department of physiology at the University of Missouri School of Medicine – Columbia under the mentorship of Ronald H. Freeman, Ph.D. 

Throughout his nearly 35 years in medical education, Dr. Vari has won numerous awards and honors; contributed in abundance to research, scholarship and educational activities; been an instrumental leader in the formation and adaptation of medical schools across the United States and has mentored, formally and informally, thousands of students, colleagues and peers. He has been a member of IAMSE since 2001, recently receiving his 20-year membership certificate. He served on the IAMSE Annual Program Committee for seven years, most recently chairing the 2019 program in Roanoke, VA, USA. He was a member of the Membership Committee for ten years, the Professional Development Committee for five years, and the Chairs Committee for ten years. He was also a member of the Webcast Audio Seminar Committee, of which he was chair for five years. 

Dr. Vari served four terms on the Board of Directors, two as a Board member and two as a member of the Executive team. He served as President of the Association from 2018-2020. Over the years he delivered two plenary addresses at IAMSE annual meetings, several workshops and focus sessions, and was awarded the Outstanding Reviewer Award for his contributions to Medical Science Educator, the Journal of the Association.

Left: Dr. Vari receiving the Finnerty Award at his home in Roanoke, VA, USA
Right: Dr. Vari with members of IAMSE leadership and admin. Pictured from left are Adi Haramati, Bonny Dickinson, Neil Osheroff, Julie Hewett, and Rick Vari in center.


It is with sincere appreciation and gratitude for his tireless efforts and outstanding support that we bestow this award to our dear friend and colleague, Rick Vari. Congratulations, and thank you for all that you do for IAMSE.

Bonny Dickinson
President, IAMSE

Registration for the ESME Program is Now Available!

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IAMSE is once again pleased to offer the very successful, AMEE-sponsored course: Essential Skills in Medical Education (ESME), led by three distinguished educators: Prof. Ronald Harden, University of Dundee; Prof. Aviad Haramati, Georgetown University and Amber Heck, ScholarRx. The ESME course requires separate registration and is held on a full day prior to the IAMSE conference, continues with special discussion sessions during the conference, and concludes with a full afternoon on the final conference day.

This course explores numerous themes including learning outcomes and curricular planning, teaching and learning methods, assessment strategies, educational scholarship and the teacher as a leader. The course is ideal for faculty educators who are eager to learn about the principles of health professions education or for seasoned individuals interested in exploring new ideas and trends. Upon completion of the ESME course (with certificate), participants are eligible to enroll in the IAMSE Fellowship program

Additional ESME details and registration information can be found at www.iamseconference.org.

Don’t forget to register before the Early Bird deadline on Friday, April 1!

ESME at #IAMSE22 Info

Brian Mann to Present “Developing IPE Utilizing Current Simulation Approaches”

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Continuing with our exploration of how basic science education can be leveraged for student success, this sequel to our Winter series will expand upon the traditional roles of basic sciences and venture into unexplored areas. The IAMSE Spring 2022 webinar series will explore the domains that are cornerstones of medical education and closely align with accreditation elements for the LCME, COCA, and other accreditation bodies within the health professions. The first session in the series will feature Brian Mann from the Philadelphia College of Osteopathic Medicine (USA).

Spring 2022 Information
Brian G. Mann EdD, MS, PA-C

Developing IPE Utilizing Current Simulation Approaches

Presenter: Brian Mann, EdD, MS, PA-C
Session Date & Time: March 3, 2022 at 12pm Eastern

During this session, learners will be exposed to current terminology used in medical simulation while furthering their understanding of the different technologies used in medical simulation. Learners will also be presented with a curricular process linking simulations to accreditation standards. 

There is still time to register yourself or your institution for the series. Is your institution already registered? Reach out to your administrative contact to get signed up for weekly updates.

Register Your Institution
Register Yourself

As always, IAMSE Student Members can register for the series for FREE!

To learn more about student registration, emails us at support@iamse.org.

We Hope to See You Exhibit With Us in Denver This June!

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June 2022 is just around the corner and the preparations for the next IAMSE annual meeting are at full speed. Attendee registration opened recently and we are already off to a strong start! I would like to again remind you about the opportunity to participate in supporting the International Association of Medical Science Educators at our 2022 Meeting.

I have included a copy of our exhibitor brochure for your review. Download Here

The 2022 Annual IAMSE Meeting will be held from June 4 – 7, 2022 at the Hilton Denver City Center in Denver, CO, USA. At the meeting faculty, staff and students from around the world who are interested in medical science education join together in faculty development and networking opportunities. Sessions on curriculum development, assessment and simulation are among the common topics available at the annual meetings.

I look forward to working with you to make this educational event successful for all involved and hope to see you in June!

2022 Exhibitor Brochure
Meeting Info

Last Call to Submit Manuscripts for the MSE 2022 Special Topic on AR & VR

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Medical Science Educator, the journal of the International Association of Medical Science Educators (IAMSE), is still accepting manuscripts for a special journal section dedicated to the topic of:

Innovations and Developments in Virtual and
Augmented Reality in Basic Science Education

Health sciences education is always in motion and new educational strategies and technologies are continuously being added to the instructional toolbox of educators. Technologies like Virtual, Augmented and Mixed Reality using visualization tools offer teaching techniques that were not available in the past, offering us possibilities to have students experience phenomena that cannot be demonstrated in a live or practical setting. Especially in the field of teaching basic sciences like Anatomy, Physiology and others, the use of VR and AR can be pioneering and groundbreaking.

We welcome contributions in the selected formats of Innovation, Short Communication, or descriptive Monograph. Please submit manuscripts through our online submission system that can be found by visiting: www.medicalscienceeducator.org. In your cover letter, clearly refer to the topic “Innovations and Developments in Virtual and Augmented Reality in Basic Science Education” to indicate that you would like to be included in the special section. See our journal website to review the Instructions for Authors.

Manuscripts to be considered for this special section must be submitted by
March 15, 2022.

I look forward to receiving your submissions.

Thank you,
Peter G.M. de Jong, PhD
Editor-in-Chief, Medical Science Educator

#IAMSE22 Welcomes Plenary Speaker Juliana Mosley-Williams

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The 2022 IAMSE meeting in Denver, CO, USA will offer many opportunities for faculty development and networking to bring medical sciences and medical education across the continuum together. This year’s main topic is Healthcare Educators, Learners and Providers: Building the Future Together. Our closing plenary speaker will be Juliana Mosley-Williams from Salus University in Pennsylvania, USA. She will present Health Science Education Gets Culturally Humble on Tuesday, June 7, 2022.

Health Science Education
Gets Culturally Humble  

Juliana Mosley-Williams, Salus University
Presented live on Tuesday, June 7, 2022

The current state of affairs with respect to the COVID-19 pandemic and increased racial unrest shows the need for diversity, equity and inclusion in society is greater than ever. Health care, specifically, has a long and storied history of inequities caused by racism and discrimination and have intensified during the pandemic. Public health has long known that a person’s social, economic, and physical environment shape their health significantly, and these factors are directly tied to racism. However, we can be proactive in better preparing health care providers and clinicians to dismantle these inequities through conscious consideration, intentional education and engagement of cultural humility.

The diversity and inclusion concept of cultural humility, developed by Drs. Melanie Tervalon and Jann Murray-Garcia in 1998, was an attempt to address the challenge of implementing multicultural education to medical students and staff that aids them in providing health care to an increasingly diverse population. Cultural humility is a process-oriented approach that extends the limitations of cultural competency by incorporating a lifelong commitment to self-evaluation and self-critique, fixing power imbalances and establishing mutually beneficial partnerships and institutional accountability. The concept shifts the focus from learning “other” and encourages one to examine and perform the necessary work on self, in a way that fosters humble engagement.

This session will challenge participants to consider and further explore the use of cultural humility as a foundational framework for training and education on their campuses and clinics. Further, it will encourage them think about their own personal biases and collectively learn to truly embrace, appreciate, and live communally with those with different experiences and values than theirs.

Register for #IAMSE22
See the Full Schedule for #IAMSE22

A Medical Science Educator Article Review From Dr. Kelly Quesnelle

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This month the IAMSE Publications Committee review is taken from the article titled “A Medical Science Educator’s Guide to Selecting a Research Paradigm: Building a Basis for Better Research,” published in Medical Science Educator, MSE (2020) 30, pages 545–553), by Megan E.L. Brown and Angelique N. Dueñas. https://doi.org/10.1007/s40670-019-00898-9

One of the most difficult transitions that many health sciences educators face is the transition of our scholarship from the natural sciences, in which many of us were trained, into the social sciences, where many of us lack formal training. In doing so, we may try to publish interventional outcome studies testing the efficacy of singular educational interventions at our own institutions. While this type of work is helpful in improving instruction at our own institutions, it can be difficult for others to understand how these interventions impact the larger field of medical education as a whole. In a paper published in Medical Science Educator in 2019, Brown & Dueñas challenge us to take our research further by developing a research paradigm.

A research paradigm will help your audience contextualize and understand your work more deeply than if your work was present in isolation; more than that, a research paradigm can help you design and construct the most methodologically-sound research project. In this work, Brown & Dueñas examine common research paradigms using a modified form of research “building blocks” that were first described in the early 1900s: axiology, ontology, epistemology, methodology, methods, and sources. They define each of these terms and discuss how each will contribute to research design in a sequential fashion. That is, the successful researcher will first determine an axiology to inform their ontology and epistemology, and so on. Brown & Dueñas then discuss in more detail four of the most common paradigms and their corresponding epistemological assumptions: positivist, post-positivist, constructivist, and critical theory. The culmination of the article is the application of these four common research paradigms from epistemology to research methodology with examples. The authors detail how each paradigm has corresponding, and sometimes overlapping, research methods. 

By using the building block model to help understand our own world views and the way we approach any given research project, we can be sure that we are using the appropriate methods to conduct our research. Many scientists are well-poised to examine the variables of a research study. However, too often we gloss over our own identities and beliefs as a predicating variable. By discussing and developing our research paradigm with all members of our research team at the start of the study, we can design an appropriate work that truly gets at what we are trying to study. It will also help us to contextualize our work for readers when we arrive at the point of dissemination, making sure that we clearly state (but do not overstate) the goals and context for our study.

This work by Brown & Dueñas is a wonderful read that will serve for some as a reminder to pause and refine the research paradigms of their current work, and for others as an introduction to a concept will re-frame how they view future work. Either way, this article is worth reading and distributing to your current research team. Considering our research paradigms will help us all make our research a bit more relatable.

Kelly M. Quesnelle, PhD
Professor and Chair
Department of Biomedical Sciences
School of Medicine Greenville
University of South Carolina
Member IAMSE Publications Committee

#IAMSE22 Welcomes Plenary Speaker Lou Pangaro

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The 2022 IAMSE meeting in Denver, CO, USA will offer many opportunities for faculty development and networking to bring medical sciences and medical education across the continuum together. This year’s main topic is Healthcare Educators, Learners and Providers: Building the Future Together. Our third plenary speaker will be Lou Pangaro from Uniformed Services University in Maryland, USA. He will present Planning Medical Education for 2042 – Science, Systems and Sociology on Monday, June 6, 2022.

Planning Medical Education for 2042 –
Science, Systems and Sociology 

Lou Pangaro, Uniformed Services University
Presented live on Monday, June 6, 2022

Is medical education stuck in 20th-century models? What do students, the profession and society need for the future? What do we keep, what do we jettison and what do we create anew? What should be our immediate and long-term goals, and how will we assess individuals and programs?

Register for #IAMSE22
See the Full Schedule for #IAMSE22

Say hello to our featured member Jennifer Montemayor

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Jennifer Montemayor, PhD

Our association is a robust and diverse set of educators, students, researchers, medical professionals, volunteers and academics that come from all walks of life and from around the globe. Each month we choose a member to highlight their academic and professional career and see how they are making the best of their membership in IAMSE. This month’s Featured Member is Jennifer Montemayor.

Jennifer Montemayor, PhD
Director of Pre-Clinical Education, Professor of Physiology
Rocky Vista University College of Osteopathic Medicine

How long have you been a member of IAMSE?
I have been a member of IAMSE since 2013 when I attended my first annual meeting at St. Andrews University in Scotland, and I participated in the Essential Skills in Medical Education (ESME) course during the meeting. It was a pivotal experience in my journey as a medical educator, and I am so thankful that a colleague recommended this organization to me!

Looking at your time with the Association, what have you most enjoyed doing? What are you looking forward to?
IAMSE provides such a rich abundance of professional development resources and forums for engagement with other health professions educators that it is difficult to choose what I have most enjoyed. I would have to say I most look forward to attending the annual conference and the opportunity to connect with both new and familiar colleagues from around the globe and hear from engaging and timely speakers and presenters. 

Tell me about your time serving on the IAMSE Program Committee for 2022. What have been the standout challenges or overall highlights for planning this event?
I have been fortunate to serve on both the 2020 and 2022 Program Committees, and it has been particularly exciting this year to be planning for the return to an in-person meeting opportunity following the past two years of successful virtual meetings. For me, it has been a highlight to collaborate with a diverse team of members and the 2022 Program Committee Chair, Maria Sheakley, in the selection of the meeting theme and plenary speakers. I also really appreciate contributing to the meeting planning through the pre-conference workshop, focus session, and abstract reviews. Since my institution, Rocky Vista University, is serving as the institutional host for this meeting, I am really looking forward to welcoming IAMSE colleagues to our part of the word in June! 

What workshop, session or event are you most looking forward to in Denver? 
Certainly, it’s not possible to select just one! There are several focus sessions that I am particularly looking forward to. There is a wonderful group of plenary speakers, including the student plenary panel, that will be addressing critical conversations for health professions educators for the present and the future of our field. The Gala Dinner at the famous Red Rocks Amphitheater will surely be a memorable event!

What interesting things are you working on outside the Association right now? 
I continue to be involved in various medical education research projects. Some current work with collaborators includes examining the impact on osteopathic medical students of U.S. Step 1/Level 1 licensure exams transitioning to pass/fail reporting, changes in osteopathic medical school grading scales, flipped classroom, as well as several interesting student-initiated projects ranging from case studies to the impact of COVID-related curriculum and assessment changes on osteopathic medical students. 

Anything else that you would like to add?
I have found IAMSE to be the most welcoming of the various professional organizations I have been a member of. While there is a sizeable membership base from all regions of the world, in my experience it is still a small enough organization that members can find meaningful ways to connect and develop relationships with one another. The passionate, dedicated, and visionary leaders of this organization continue to grow and strengthen IAMSE member resources in order to offer accessible and engaging platforms for developing and sharing innovations in health professions education.

For more information on sessions, presentations and to register for #IAMSE22 visit www.IAMSEconference.org.