News

#IAMSE23 Registration is NOW OPEN

We are pleased to announce that registration for the 27th Annual Meeting of IAMSE, to be held June 10 – 13, 2023 in Cancun, Mexico is now open. At this annual meeting of the International Association of Medical Science Educators (IAMSE) faculty, staff, and students from around the world who are interested in health 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 meeting.

Featured plenary speakers include Professor Kara Caruthers (Meharry Medical College, USA), Dr. Michelle Daniel (University of California San Diego School of Medicine, USA), Dr. Anique de Bruin (Maastricht University, The Netherlands), and Dr. Ricardo Leon-Borquez (World Federation for Medical Education).

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

#IAMSECafe Archives

IAMSE Cafe Virtual Sessions

5/6/2025 Implementation of Self-Directed Learning with Dr. Fomba Kanneh, Dr. Alena Wade, & Dr. Jessica Milner
4/15/2025 Professionalism with Dr. Michelle Carroll-Turpin & Dr. Kristin Kassaw
4/1/2025 Coaching in Medical Education with Dr. Rachelle Curcio & Dr. Chris Burkett
3/18/2025 2025 Interprofessionalism with Dr. Jeevan Diwakaran & Lydia Aguilera
3/4/2025 2025 Conference Preview with Samuel Ikonne
2/18/2025 Academic Advising – Best Practices (Panel) with Tahnee Netro & Mercy Azeke
2/4/2025 Mandatory Attendance/Non-Mandatory Attendance with Chasity O’Malley
1/21/2025 ASME Introduction with Chasity O’Malley
1/7/2025 Career Pathway for Medical Educators with Katie Huggett
12/17/2024 End of Year Celebration with Tameka Clemons
12/3/2024 Medical Laboratory Science: The Profession that Supports Most Health Care Decisions with Deepak Sharma, Bei Zhang, John Gerlach, Kathleen Hoag, and Rachel Morris
11/5/2024 IAMSE Virtual Forum Wrap Up with Katie Huggett and Leah Sheridan
10/15/2024 IAMSE – Foundations Course with Chasity O’Malley and Amber Heck (RESCHEDULED)
10/1/2024 How to Support Struggling Students with Tameka Clemons and Dawn Shell
9/17/2024 Wellness for Faculty and Staff with Falicia Harvey and Jeff Fritz
9/3/2024 IM-REACH with Chasity O’Malley and Alice Fornari
8/20/2024 A Conversation IAMSE 2024 Career Awardees Dr. Leah Sheridan and Dr. Jorge Cervantes with Pushparaj Shetty, Leah Sheridan, and Jorge Cervantes
8/6/2024 Wellness for Students with Rakhi Negi, Samiksha Prasad, and Aishwarya Aiyer
6/4/2024 Third Party Resources – Who to Trust? with Chasity O’Malley, Atsusi Hirumi, and Harold Bell 
4/16/2024 Effect of Curricular Refresh and Renewal on Students with Jonathan Wisco and Anna Blenda
4/9/2024 Effect of Curricular Reform on Faculty with Kathryn Huggett and Gary Smith
3/26/2024 IAMSE 2024 Conference Promo with Rakhi Negi and Kim Dahlman
3/5/2024 It isn’t “self-directed” anymore if you have to direct it, or is it? with Jonathan Wisco
2/20/2024 Impact of Research on Undergraduate Medical Education with Tameka Clemons
2/6/2024 Do I need a mentor or a coach? Exploring faculty development resources to support professional growth with Kathryn Huggett
1/30/2024 Annual Goal Setting and Accountability Check-In Session with Rakhi Negi and Chasity O’Malley
1/16/2024 Winter Solstice Book Club with Chasity O’Malley
12/19/2023 End of Year Celebration with all Cafe hosts
12/5/2023 Clerkship Readiness After Step 1 P/F with John Folk
11/21/2023 Lessons Learned During the IAMSE Virtual Forum with Ian Murray
11/7/2023 A Futurist’s Perspective on Medical Education with Denise Kay
10/17/2023 Early Career Award with Rakhi Negi                                                                                      10/03/2023 Professionalism with Chasity O’Malley                                                                                          9/19/23 Accreditation Standards Around DEI with Rakhi Negi
9/5/23 Foundational Sciences vs. Basic Science Factoids with Wendy Lackey Cornelison and Neil Osheroff
8/15/23 How to Distinguish Students After Step 1 P/F with Dr. Dave Harris (chat description)
8/1/23 Tips for Getting Students to Buy in to Active Learning with Tameka Clemons
6/20/23 I23 Recap with Wendy Lackey Cornelison and Amber Heck
5/16/23  Overcommitement with Chasity O’Malley                                                                                          5/2/23  KNN with Dr. Dave Harris, Sarah Williams, Joelle Worm                                                                  4/18/23 Imposter Syndrome with Wendy Lackey Cornelison                                                                             3/21/23 IAMSE 2023 Annual Conference Preview with Amber Heck                                                                3/7/23 Curriculum Refresh with Jon Wisco  
2/21/23 What Does Research Mean to Undergraduate Medical Education? with Rakhi Negi
2/7/23 What are You Reading This Winter? with Katie Huggett
1/17/2023 Foundational Competencies with Lisa Howley and Eric Holmboe
*If you would like to give feedback on this initiative please fill out the form here or email CBME@aamc.org
12/20/2022 End-of-Year Celebrations with Jon Wisco
11/15/2022 Best Practices for Preparing a Successful Grant Proposal for the IAMSE Educational Scholarship and Curriculum Innovation Grants with Amanda Chase, Amber Heck, and Algevis Wrench
11/1/2022 Should I Stay or Should I Go? When Your Next Career Move is Somewhere Else with Katie Huggett
10/18/2022 The Aquifer Sciences Curriculum Database: A Collaborative Development between the IAMSE community and Aquifer with David Harris and Dr. Tracy Fulton
10/4/2022 Sharable Open Education Resources (OER) With ScholarRx with David Harris
9/20/2022 Mitigating Implicit Bias in Medical School Curricula with Jacqueline Powell and Jayne Reuben
9/6/2022 Early Career Award Winner with Jaya Yoda
8/16/22 Toolkits for Medical Science Educators: A Resource for Professional Development and an Opportunity for Scholarship with Nicole Deming, Amber Heck and Jon Wisco
8/2/22 Moving Up in MedEd with Christina DeLucia and Diana Lautenberger
7/19/22 Summer Reading with Chasity O’Malley – Chat Log
6/21/22 IAMSE 2022 Meeting Recap with Kelly Quesnelle
5/3/22 Mentoring in Health Professions Education with Alice Fornari and Darshana Shah
4/19/22 How to Make the Most of Conference Attendance with Heather Christensen
4/5/22 #IAMSE22 Annual Meeting Preview with Maria Sheakley
3/15/22 Third Party Resources with Kelly Quesnelle
3/1/22 Assessment Styles with Jon Wisco
2/15/22 What is the Optimal Timing of Course Evals? with Jon Wisco
2/1/22 Maintaining Professionalism Through Fatigue with Wendy Lackey
1/18/22 Practical Tips for Connecting With Students with Jon Wisco
1/4/22 The Changing Landscape of MedEd with Adi Haramati, Giulia Bonaminio, Frazier Stevenson, Amy Wilson-Delfosse, and Neil Osheroff
12/7/21 IAMSE New Member Meet and Greet with Kelly Quesnelle
11/16/21 Technology in Health Sciences Education During COVID-19: Gains, Losses, and Transformations with Poh Sun Goh and Sol Roberts-Lieb
11/2/21 IAMSE Fellowship and ESME at IAMSE with Adi Haramti, Amber Heck and Amanda Chase
10/19/21 IAMSE Ambassador Program: Global perspectives on medical and science education with Claudio Cortes and Joseph Grannum
10/5/21 Teaching and Incorporating the Health Humanities with Alice Fornari2/2/21 To teach, or not to teach (to the test), that is the question with Jon Wisco
9/21/21 Open Forum to Discuss Basic Science in the Clinical Years with Kelly Quesnelle
9/7/21 Meaningful, Sustainable Transdisciplinary Collaboration: What would it look like? with Atsusi Hirumi
8/17/21 Opportunities for Health Sciences Education in One Health with Margaret McNulty and Rebecca Lufler
8/3/21 Evaluations of Our Teaching with Wendy Lackey
7/20/21 Incorporating Telehealth Into Basic Science Education with Jon Wisco
7/6/21 Virtual Simulations with Jon Wisco
6/1/21 The State of Medical Educators in Developing Nations with Sylvia Olivares and Smart Mbagwu
5/18/21 Building bridges between health science educators from diverse programs with Jennifer Lamberts, Jayne Reuben, and Jonathan Wisco
5/4/21 Outreach Programs with Kelly Quesnelle
4/20/21 The New Horizon of (Medical) Education with Cafe Hosts
4/6/21 IAMSE 2021 Annual Conference Preview with Mark Hernandez
3/16/21 Career impacts of the COVID Year with Lisa Coplitt
3/2/21 Conducting and Disseminating Medical Education Scholarship
2/16/21 The paradigm shift implications on courses and curricula as a result of moving to pass/fail USMLE Step 1 with Doug Gould
1/19/21 The Basic Sciences and the Medical Humanities: An Integrative Approach with Hedy Wald. Suggested reading and faculty development opportunities discussed during the call.
1/5/21 Best Practices for Mentoring with an Eye and Ear Toward Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, and Justice with Heather Christensen
12/15/20 Unconventional Teaching Methods with Jon Wisco
12/1/20 Resiliency with the IAMSE Cafe hosts
11/17/20 Learning During and From a Crisis: The Student-Led Development of an online COVID-19 Curriculum with Abby Schiff and Katie Shaffer
Links from the conversation during this session can be found below.
11/3/20 Teaching Race and Medicine: Unlearning what we think we know with Staci Leisman
Links from the conversation during this session can be found here.
10/20/20 The future of education programs for residents and medical students with Lourdes Lopez
10/6/20 Technology and Education with Edgar Herrera Bastida
9/15/20 Team-Based Learning in the Virtual Environment with Drs. Raihan Jumat, Irene Lee and Peiyan Wong
9/1/20 Networking 102 – Networking Outside the Box with Kelly Quesnelle
8/27/20 Mentoring to Make a Difference with Katie Huggett – Literature references can be found here.
8/13/20 IAMSE Ambassadors – Pakistan, Australia, and Finland with Di Eley and Yawar Hyatt Khan
7/23/20 The Disappearing Pathology Instructor with Amy Lin and Regina Kreisle
7/9/20 Partnering with medical students to discover educational solutions for on-line learning with Emily Bird
6/25/20 The Future of Medical Education Conferences: What SHOULD it look like? with Bonny Dickinson
6/11/20 Communities of Practice in a Virtual World with James Pickering
5/28/2020 IAMSE Ambassadors – Mexico, China, Caribbean with Raul Barroso, Sateesh Arja and Zhimin Jia
5/21/2020 Faculty Development in the COVID-19 Era with Alice Fornari
5/14/2020 Evolving Anatomical Education during the COVID pandemic: What will this mean for the future of anatomy teaching? with Jon Wisco, Richard Gonzalez and Lane Fortney
5/7/2020 COVID-19 and the New Medical School with Amber Heck and Michael Lee
4/30/2020 MedEd Equity During COVID-19 with Heather Christensen
4/23/2020 IAMSECafe Welcomes Medical Science Educator EIC with Peter de Jong
4/16/2020 Q&A with the IAMSE President with Neil Osheroff
4/14/2020 MedEd Mailbag: Free Resources During COVID-19 with Kelly Quesnelle. Resources discussed and shared during this session can be found below.
4/9/2020 How Re-thinking and Re-designing Anatomy Instruction Into the Online Space Can Lead to Better Classroom and Cadaver Lab Learning Experiences with Jon Wisco
4/7/2020 MedEd Mailbag: Being Productive in Your Own Space with Kelly Quesnelle
4/2/2020 Leading by Example: Practicing Self-care in a Time of Crisis with Adi Haramati
3/31/2020 MedEd Mailbag: The Virtual Teacher with Kelly Quesnelle

 

Resources for Educators During COVID-19

Harvard Medical School Medical Student COVID-19 Curriculum
One of the greatest difficulties facing everyone nowadays is a lack of clarity about what is going on and what lies ahead. We students especially feel a need to deepen our knowledge of the situation, as we are often viewed as resources by our friends and family. However, it soon became clear how challenging it was to process the wealth of information coming our way. A team of us at Harvard Medical School set out to quickly collate and synthesize accurate information about the pandemic to share with those who do not have the time or resources to research it themselves.
Additional resources include Curriculum for Kids, an article written by the team discussing the curriculum, and an opportunity to give direct feedback to the developers.

AAMC COVID-19 Resource Hub
The AAMC continues to monitor guidance from federal, state, and local health agencies as it relates to the coronavirus (COVID-19). Find information and updates from AAMC on this emerging global health concern.

Acland Anatomy
Acland’s Video Atlas of Human Anatomy contains nearly 330 videos of real human anatomic specimens in their natural colors.

MedEd Portal Virtual Resources
This collection features peer-reviewed teaching resources that can be used for distance learning, including self-directed modules and learning activities that could be converted to virtual interactions. As always, the resources are free to download and free for adaptation to local settings. The collection will be reviewed and updated regularly.

BlueLink Anatomy
From the University of Michigan Medical School

Aquifer
Aquifer is offering free access to 146 Aquifer signature cases, WISE-MD (Surgery), and WISE-OnCall (Readiness for Practice) through June 30, 2020, to all current Aquifer institutional subscribers in response to the COVID-19 outbreak.

Kaplan iHuman
With i-Human Patients, students experience safe, repeatable, fully-graded clinical patient encounters on their devices anywhere, anytime.

Online MedEd
The unprecedented COVID‐19 crisis has upended the medical and medical education landscape. Our aim during this difficult and confusing time is to support you with what we do best—concise, high–yield videos to help you get up to speed efficiently and effectively—so you can feel confident with however you’re being called on to adjust.

ScholarRX Bricks
In response to a request for assistance from a partner medical school impacted by COVID-19, ScholarRx has agreed to make its Rx Bricks program available at no cost to M2 students for the remainder of the 2019-20 academic year. This comprehensive, online resource can assist schools in implementing contingency plans necessitated by the COVID-19 outbreak.

Osmosis
You can raise the line by training healthcare workers who don’t have experience treating COVID-19. Encourage healthcare workers you know to complete this free CME course on COVID-19 so they’re prepared to fight the virus.

AnatomyZone
Top-quality anatomy videos, all for free.

Harvard Macy
Crowdsourced List of Online Teaching Resources Collated by the Harvard Macy Institute (@HarvardMacy)

Anatomy Connected

Chronicle of Higher Education

Dartmouth SOM Interactive Rad/Anatomy

Firecracker
We understand some of the unique challenges you are facing due to the COVID-19 pandemic and, as a company, are putting together resources to help you keep up with your courses as well as stay up to date with the latest research and evidence-based practices for addressing this new coronavirus.

LWW Health Library

Bates’ Visual Guide

5 Minute Consult
Primary health care is important to everyone, and now more than ever it’s important that you have access to evidence-based diagnostic and treatment content. To help you with caring for all of your patients, we are offering 30-day free access to 5MinuteConsult.com. Use code 5MC30DayAccess73173 to sign up.

Say Hello to Our Featured Member 2019 Annual Meeting Site Host Rick Vari

Our association is a robust and diverse set of educators, 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 our 2019 annual meeting site host, IAMSE President Rick Vari.



Rick Vari, PhD
Professor & Senior Dean for Academic Affairs
Virginia Tech Carilion School of Medicine
Roanoke, Virginia, USA

Why was the Virginia Tech Carilion School of Medicine the right choice for the 2019 IAMSE meeting?
We are the right choice for the meeting this year because we did a fabulous conference several years ago and we were already in the queue for a future IAMSE meeting. We had some scheduling issues with our original site for 2019 and we were able to step in and fill the void. We have a wonderful hotel site (at the Hotel Roanoke), and the people who came from all across North America for the Collaborating Across Borders V: An American-Canadian Dialogue on Interprofessional Healthcare and Practice, in 2015 really enjoyed it. As a relatively new medical school, we are excited about continuing our growing success in medical education; hosting the IAMSE meeting is a real honor for us.

What opportunities will attendees see in Roanoke that they’ve not seen in years past?
Roanoke is a beautiful city to have a conference. We’ve localized the venue, which is a major goal for IAMSE. Attendees and exhibitors will appreciate the layout of the conference site. We are adjacent to the Roanoke Market Square with restaurants, breweries, and shopping featuring local items. There are just lots of opportunities for networking and entertainment. The program is outstanding with presentations and sessions on current and future challenges facing health sciences educators. International abstract submission is up, so more colleagues from other parts of the world may be attending. Increased student participation will be another highlight. This year, IAMSE is also hosting a Taste of Roanoke Street Fair which will replace the annual gala dinner. IAMSE 2019 is going to be a very easy conference to attend. If you can stay for the Grand Extravaganza on Tuesday afternoon it is going to be very special with a hiking trip to a beautiful location on the Blue Ridge Parkway and a visit to the Ballast Point brewery (East Coast operation) for dinner. 

Can you tell me more about this new event?
We are blocking off the Market Square in downtown Roanoke. We will have tastes of local food, beverages, and music. This is a chance to interact in a casual fun setting with lots of local food and a live band! It’s going to be a lot of fun.

What session or speaker are you most looking forward to this year?
I’m looking forward to, of course, the Board of Directors and Committee Chairs meeting.  I’ve enjoyed being president and interacting with the Board and Committee Chairs in this planning session provides IAMSE with a sense of solid direction.  The plenary sessions also look very strong. I’m interested in the Gen Z session (Generation Z: The New Kids on the Block) and How to Use Disruptive Technology to Make Education Better – Not Just Different.

It sounds likes there is much to look forward to this year. Anything else you’d like to share?
The local response from the other medical schools in the area in support of the IAMSE meeting in Roanoke has been very strong.  As a new school, this is a tremendous opportunity for us and the other medical schools in the area to get better acquainted.

To learn more about the 2019 IAMSE Annual Meeting, including the plenary speakers, workshops and networking opportunities, or to register, please visitwww.IAMSEconference.org.

Reserve your spot before March 15 to ensure the Early Bird Discount!

IAMSE at GRIPE 2019 in New Orleans

The IAMSE booth will be exhibiting at the annual winter meeting of the Group for Research in Pathology Education (GRIPE) in New Orleans, LA on January 24-26, 2019. IAMSE Association Manager Julie Hewett will also be delivering a pre-conference workshop titled, “Using Social Media to Disseminate Your Scholarly Work.” If you plan on attending this meeting, don’t miss this session and do not forget to swing by the IAMSE booth and say hello!

Information on the GRIPE Meeting can be found here. We look forward to seeing you there!

Registration for the 23rd Annual IAMSE Meeting is Now Open!

We are pleased to announce that registration for the 23rd Annual Meeting of IAMSE, to be held June 8-11, 2019 in Roanoke, VA, USA, is now open. At this annual meeting of the International Association of Medical Science Educators (IAMSE) 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.


Featured plenary speakers include Don Cleveland, Claudia Krebs, Craig Lenz and Geoff Talmon.


Additional meeting details and registration can be found at http://www.iamseconference.org.

Reminder* MSE Call for Papers for Special Section: Implementation of Artificial Intelligence (AI) in Health Sciences Education

As a reminder, Medical Science Educator introduced subject-focused journal sections in 2015. The content for these special sections is based on a call for manuscripts on an identified high-value topic. This year we are publishing a special journal section dedicated to the topic of “Implementation of Artificial Intelligence (AI) in Health Sciences Education.”

Our goal is to provide a rapid review of submitted articles facilitated by a special editor. I have appointed Dr. Doug McKell, Leader of the IAMSE AI Community of Growth, to oversee this process. He will work with a dedicated group of reviewers as we understand the rapidly evolving nature of the field. Medical Science Educator has numerous article types and we are particularly interested in Innovations, Short Communications, Monographs and Original Research (Submission Guidelines | Medical Science Educator). Submission does not guarantee acceptance.

The deadline for submissions for the special section is September 1, 2025.

We look forward to receiving prospective AI in Health Sciences Education manuscripts for consideration in this special section. Please contact David M. Harris, MSE Editor-in-Chief, with any questions (editor@iamse.org). 

Be courageous,
David M. Harris, PhD
Editor-in-Chief, Medical Science Educator

Congratulations to the IAMSE 2025 Distinguished & Early Career Award Winners

Sandra Haudek

Sara Allison

The Distinguished Career Award for Excellence in Teaching and Educational Scholarship recognizes an IAMSE member who has a distinguished record of educational scholarship, including educational research and dissemination of scholarly approaches to teaching and education. Candidates must have a significant record of engagement within IAMSE. Sandra Haudek, the 2025 awardee, is an Associate Professor, Course Director for Foundations Basic to the Sciences of Medicine, Director of the Peer Coaching for Educators Program, and Faculty Senator at the Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX, USA.

The Early Career Award for Excellence in Teaching and Innovation honors an IAMSE member who has made significant innovations to the field in the short time they have focused their careers toward enhancing teaching, learning and assessment. Candidates must have demonstrated less than 10 years of educational scholarship. Sara Allison, the 2025 awardee, is an Assistant Professor, Department of Biomedical Sciences, at Western Michigan University, Kalimazoo, MI, USA.

Congratulations to Dr. Haudek and Dr. Allison. They will both be honored at the 29th Annual IAMSE Conference in June. Good luck to both of you in all your future endeavors.

Thank you,
Stefanie Attardi
Chair, IAMSE Professional Development Committee

For more information on workshops and presentations or to register for the 2025 IAMSE Annual Conference please visit www.IAMSEconference.org.

Online Registration for #IAMSE25 Closing May 20th!

Time is running out if you’d like to register for the IAMSE 2025 Conference, June 14-17, in Calgary, Alberta, Canada. On Tuesday, May 20th at 11:59 PM EDT online registration for the event will be CLOSED. If you have not yet registered but are planning to attend in person, please be sure to register before the deadline. Registration may be found at www.iamseconference.org.

If you miss this deadline, we will be offering registration on-site in Calgary. Looking forward to seeing you there!

Register for #IAMSE25
Click Here for the Full Conference Schedule!

Last Call* Enroll in the IAMSE Foundations Course at #IAMSE25

As a final reminder, in 2024, IAMSE refreshed its introductory course in educational principles, previously known as Essential Skills in Medical Education (ESME) to Foundations of Health Professions Education (to be known as the Foundations course). The deadline to register for this year’s IAMSE Foundations Course is May 15, 2025!

With the increasing professionalization of medical education, the need for faculty in the healthcare professions to have training in educational principles is widely recognized. While many institutions worldwide offer certificate or Master’s degree courses in medical education, there is a lack of accredited basic level courses. The new Foundations course has been designed to meet the need for an entry level survey of principles in health professions education. Foundations will be of particular interest to faculty who are involved with health professions education for the first time, or who have been given some new responsibilities or assignment relating to teaching. Others will find this course useful as a refresher course or update.

The course is led by two seasoned educators and long-time IAMSE members:

Aviad Haramati, PhD, is a Professor of Physiology and Medicine, and Director of the Center for Innovation and Leadership in Education (CENTILE), at Georgetown University Medical Center. He served as IAMSE’s first president and received the Distinguished Scholar Award, as well as the Edward P. Finnerty Lifetime Achievement Award from IAMSE.

Amber J. Heck, PhD, is Associate Professor of Biomedical Sciences at the University of North Texas Health Science Center. she served as Program Chair for the 2023 IAMSE Conference and received the 2020 IAMSE Early Career Award of Excellence in Teaching and Innovation.

Foundations Course at #IAMSE25 Info
IAMSE is pleased to offer the course, which will start a day before the Annual Conference, and it is designed to be specifically relevant to medical science educators. Successful completion of the Foundations course is a pre-requisite for the IAMSE Fellowship Program.
Additional Foundations Course details and registration information can be found by clicking here.

The deadline to enroll in the Foundations Course is May 15, 2025!

Don’t forget to register before the Early Bird deadline on Friday, April 1 to receive a discount on registration costs!
Register for #IAMSE25 Today!

A Medical Science Educator Article Review From Dr. Komal Marwaha

Medical Science Educator

This month, the IAMSE Publications Committee review is taken from the article titled The Predictive Power of short Answer Questions in Undergraduate Medical Education Progress Difficulty, published in Medical Science Educator (December 4, 2024). The study was conducted by Kenya Bracken and colleagues.

This research investigated whether formative short answer questions (SAQs), used as Concept Application Exercises (CAEs) at the Michael G. DeGroote School of Medicine, could serve as both effective learning tools and early indicators of academic risk. SAQs are intended to promote critical thinking and the application of knowledge in response to clinical scenarios. Although these assessments are not utilized for grading or making formal progress decisions, they were analyzed for their capacity to predict which learners may encounter challenges later in the curriculum.

The study analyzed data from over 10,000 CAEs across four student cohorts. The authors found that lower average scores on CAEs were significantly associated with future academic difficulties. Specifically, each one-point drop in average CAE score increased the odds of referral to the school’s Student Progress Committee by 37%. Interestingly, a single low-scoring CAE also flagged increased risk, further supporting the utility of SAQs as early warning signals.

The authors used logistic regression modeling and triangulated their findings by also examining performance on internal progress tests (PPI) and national licensing exams (MCCQE), both of which showed consistent patterns.

The study advances the conversation around how programmatic assessment can be leveraged not only to evaluate knowledge, but also to intervene early – especially in seeking to implement proactive, data-formed support systems for struggling students in medical curricula. SAQs, often viewed as lower-stakes formative tools, may offer valuable insights into students’ learning trajectories. 

It is essential to read the full article for medical educators interested in enhancing early identification and intervention strategies. Future research could explore how these insights might shape timely academic support and improve long-term learner outcomes.

Komal Marwaha, M.D., PhD
Assistant Professor of Physiology
Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center, El Paso, Paul L. Foster School of Medicine

Across the Academy: Building Co-Curricular Professional Development with Student Input to Strengthen Programs

The 29th Annual IAMSE Conference will feature a host of new sessions throughout the entire conference. One of our first-time focus sessions is Across the Academy: Building Co-Curricular Professional Development with Student Input to Strengthen Programs. This session will be given Monday, June 16, 2025 from 3:00 PM – 4:30 PM MDT and will be led by Amanda Gray and Heather Rissler. 
Conference Info
Across the Academy: Building Co-Curricular Professional Development with Student Input to Strengthen Programs
Presenters:
Amanda Gray – University of Kansas – School of Medicine
Heather Rissler – University of Kansas – School of Medicine
Date and Time: Monday, June 16, 2025, 3:00 PM – 4:30 PM MDT

The dominant story circulating in higher education is partnerships are too difficult to forge, or if they exist, they must take just one form: faculty and staff leading students. However, when students are brought into the fold of curriculum creation, they become empowered to share their ideas and suggestions and are excited to be a part of the process. In turn, faculty and staff are re-energized by the thoughtfulness and innovation of students. With this spirit, the University of Kansas School of Medicine devised a plan recruiting a group of students, faculty, and staff across our multi-campus institution to come together to create a strengths-based professional development curriculum and coaching program.
Full Session Info
For more information and to register for the 29th Annual IAMSE Conference, please visit www.IAMSEconference.org.
Register for #IAMSE25

IAMSE CoG Meetings – May 2025

Two IAMSE Communities of Growth (CoG) will be meeting in May! The AI CoG and the CORE CoG will both meet on Zoom. Below are the details for each meeting.

AI CoG

The AI CoG meeting on Zoom will take place at Noon (12 PM) EDT on Wednesday, May 7, 2025. IAMSE AI CoG meetings take place regularly at 12 PM ET on the first Wednesday of each month. For information on how to join the AI CoG meeting, email Doug McKell at douglas.mckell@gmail.com.

To join the May AI CoG Zoom meeting, click here.
Meeting ID: 897 1837 0101
Passcode: 511007

CORE CoG

The Community Outreach, Research, and Engagement (CORE) CoG meeting will take place at 11:00 AM EDT on Monday, May 12, 2025. CORE CoG meetings then take place regularly on the second Thursday of the month at 3:00 PM ET, and the second Monday of the month at 11:00 AM ET every other month. The CORE CoG is led by Peter Vollbrecht and Natascha Heise.

To join the May CORE CoG meeting, click here.
Meeting ID: 878 6039 0726
Passcode: 159759

For more information on these CoGs and the other active IAMSE CoGs, click here.

Say Hello to our Featured Member, Uzoma “Samuel” Ikonne!

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 Uzoma “Samuel” Ikonne.

Uzoma “Samuel” Ikonne
Associate Professor
Department of Biomedical and Translational Sciences
Eastern Virginia Medical School
Macon & Joan Brock Virginia Health Sciences at Old Dominion University

How long have you been a member of IAMSE?
6 years.

Looking at your time with the Association, what have you most enjoyed doing? What are you looking forward to?
I’ve truly enjoyed connecting and collaborating with faculty from institutions around the world. One of the organization’s greatest strengths is the opportunity it provides to learn from individuals at various institutions and at different stages in their careers.

What interesting things are you working on outside of the Association right now?
I am currently working to advance my research in student use of third-party resources, while also collaborating with students on projects focused on pharmacology education and medical student involvement in research.

As the Chair of this year’s IAMSE Program Committee, what do you most enjoy about being in this role? What can people expect at this year’s conference?
What I enjoyed most about serving as Program Committee Chair was seeing how faculty from diverse institutions came together as a team, united in their commitment to creating a meaningful and engaging conference experience. It has truly been a privilege to be part of that process and to serve in this role. Attendees can look forward to an excellent lineup of focus sessions, plenary talks, and research presentations – each offering valuable insights and takeaways they can bring back to their institutions.

Anything else that you would like to add?
I am looking forward to the conference in Calgary and how IAMSE will continue to grow as an organization.

Don’t Miss this Focus Session at #IAMSE25 – Heights are Defined by Roots: Emphasizing the Imperative for Strengthening Bioethical Foundations in the Growing Era of Health Professions Education

The 29th Annual IAMSE Conference will feature a host of new sessions throughout the entire conference. One of our first-time focus sessions is Heights are Defined by Roots: Emphasizing the Imperative for Strengthening Bioethical Foundations in the Growing Era of Health Professions Education. This session will be given Sunday, June 15, 2025 from 9:45 AM – 11:45 AM MDT and will be led by Mary Mathew and Krishna Mohan Surapaneni. 

Conference Info

Heights are Defined by Roots: Emphasizing the Imperative for Strengthening Bioethical Foundations in the Growing Era of Health Professions Education
Presenters:
Mary Mathew – Kasturba Medical College, Manipal
Krishna Mohan Surapaneni – Panimalar Medical College Hospital & Research Institute
Date and Time: Sunday, June 15, 2025, 9:45 AM – 11:45 AM MDT

In the rapidly evolving field of health professions education, maintaining a strong foundation in bioethics is more important than ever. This session, titled “Heights are Defined by Roots: Emphasizing the Imperative for Strengthening Bioethical Foundations in the Growing Era of Health Professions Education,” is designed to address this need. We will explore the UNESCO Chair in Bioethics’ 3T Program—Train, Teach, and Transfer—which has been successfully implemented to integrate bioethics into health professions education around the world.

Full Session Info

For more information and to register for the 29th Annual IAMSE Conference, please visit www.IAMSEconference.org.

Register for #IAMSE25

Don’t Miss This Focus Session at #IAMSE25 – Microdosing the Humanities: Integrating the Humanities in the Preclinical Curriculum

The 29th Annual IAMSE Conference will feature a host of new sessions throughout the entire conference. One of our first-time focus sessions is Microdosing the Humanities: Integrating the Humanities in the Preclinical Curriculum. This session will be given Monday, June 16, 2025 from 3:00 PM – 4:30 PM MDT and will be led by Alice Akunyili, Marin Gillis, and Judy Hanrahan. 

Conference Info

Microdosing the Humanities: Integrating the Humanities in the Preclinical Curriculum
Presenters:
Alice Akunyili – Roseman University of Health Sciences
Marin Gillis – Roseman University College of Medicine
Judy Hanrahan – Roseman University College of Medicine
Date and Time: Monday, June 16, 2025, 3:00 PM – 4:30 PM MDT

A ubiquitous problem in adding the humanities into medical school curriculum is the lack of a systemic approach to integration which makes it difficult to judge the success of the intervention. “Humanities” here is construed broadly to include humanism, ethics, and arts and humanities disciplines. Humanities content can be assessed only with clear overall learning objectives, a coherent articulation of the objective knowledge and skills learners are expected to demonstrate, and a collaborative multidisciplinary approach to developing curricular units. With limited hours and an already bloated curriculum, small, focused, and impactful inclusion of humanities topics is key.

Full Session Info

For more information and to register for the 29th Annual IAMSE Conference, please visit www.IAMSEconference.org.

Register for #IAMSE25

Say Hello to our Featured Member, Sateesh Arja!

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 Sateesh Arja.

Sateesh Arja, M.B.B.S., PhD, MHPE, MSPH, PFHEA, FAMEE, FIAMSE, FAcadMEd
Professor of Clinical Skills and Medical Education
Dean of the School of Medicine
Avalon University School of Medicine
Curacao

How long have you been a member of IAMSE?
I have been a member of IAMSE since 2018. Over the years, I have actively participated in IAMSE events, contributing to medical education through research, collaboration, and professional development.

Looking at your time with the Association, what have you most enjoyed doing? What are you looking forward to?
I have been actively involved with the International Association of Medical Science Educators (IAMSE) since 2018. Since then, I have served as an abstract reviewer for all IAMSE annual conferences and presented oral and poster presentations at these conferences. I am scheduled to co-present a workshop on “Mixed Methods in Health Science Educational Research” at the IAMSE Annual Conference in 2025. I also completed the IAMSE Fellowship Program, further solidifying my dedication to medical science education and active participation in IAMSE initiatives. I was one of the Ambassadors from the inaugural group of IAMSE Ambassadors representing the Caribbean region. I have also been on the IAMSE Board of Directors since 2022. However, I enjoyed working on different committees of IAMSE, including the Educational Scholarship Committee, Public Affairs Committee, and Ambassador Committee the most.

What interesting things are you working on outside of the Association right now?
I am one of the site-visiting team members for the Caribbean Accreditation Authority for Education in Medicine and Other Health Professions (CAAM-HP). I did five site visits to different Caribbean medical schools on behalf of CAAM-HP. I am also one of the ambassadors for the World Federation of Medical Education (WFME) accreditation recognition program. I did one site visit on behalf of WFME. I have been elected President of the Accreditation Agency of Curacao (AAC) since 2020. In addition, I am a member of the AMEE Fellowship Committee and a member of the International Social Accountability and Accreditation Steering Committee Research Group.

As a member of the IAMSE Ambassador Committee, what do you most enjoy about being a part of that?
I enjoy being a part of the IAMSE Ambassador Committee because it allows me to contribute to the global expansion of IAMSE’s mission in medical education. I value the opportunity to collaborate with educators from diverse backgrounds, foster international connections, and promote innovative teaching practices. Being an ambassador also enables me to support professional development initiatives and mentor aspiring educators, which I find highly rewarding.

As an Associate Editor for Medical Science Educator as well, what do you most enjoy about being a part of MSE and the journal process?
As an Associate Editor for Medical Science Educator, I genuinely enjoy being a part of a platform that fosters innovation and excellence in medical education. The journal serves as a valuable medium for sharing evidence-based teaching strategies, emerging trends, and best practices that shape the future of medical education worldwide. One of the most rewarding aspects of this role is collaborating with authors, reviewers, and fellow editors to ensure high-quality contributions that have a meaningful impact on educators and learners. I appreciate the rigorous yet constructive peer-review process, which maintains the integrity of published research and helps authors refine their work.

Additionally, staying engaged with the latest advancements in medical education research allows me to continuously learn and apply new insights to my academic and professional endeavors. Overall, being a Medical Science Educator is a fulfilling experience that will enable me to contribute to the growth and evolution of medical education.

Anything else that you would like to add?
I have been a faculty and administrative member at Avalon University School of Medicine since 2007 and have served the university in various capacities. I am currently working as a Professor of Clinical Skills and Medical Education. I also serve as the Chair of the Medical Education Unit. As the Dean of the School of Medicine, I lead curriculum development, develop and implement academic policies, faculty development, and liaison with government officials. I play a significant role in strategic planning, quality control, and quality assurance activities at Avalon University.

Last Call* Submit Your Application for the IAMSE 2025 IM-REACH Mentoring Program!

As a final reminder, the International Association of Medical Science Educators (IAMSE) is pleased to announce that applications for the IAMSE Mentoring (IM-REACH) Program are now invited. The deadline to submit your application is April 1, 2025!

Mentoring students, postdocs, and faculty and guiding their work is crucial for their success in diverse career paths that encompass leadership, clinical and educational roles. The IAMSE IM-REACH Mentoring program is a productive way to prepare for a role as mentors and support mentees in their career paths and academic pursuits. Mentorship is a skill for both the mentor and mentee, a true dynamic relationship that is a journey in pursuit of career engagement and success.

The IM-REACH mentoring program provides an opportunity to enhance skills, gain experience, and engage in reflection and growth as a mentor and ultimately influence your relationship with your mentee. The goal of this program is to develop well-rounded, diverse health professional education mentors through targeted professional development in key aspects of mentorship, which includes both knowledge and skills. The program will provide evidence of that mentorship leads to specialized achievement that enhances and supports career advancement for both mentors and mentees. 

  • Participants will complete a one-year mentoring program with a scholarly project related to their professional needs as a mentor or as an educational leader supporting mentorship programs with mentors and mentees.
  • Participants will complete a validated mentoring assessment pre-program in order to demonstrate growth, comfort, and knowledge gained. They will complete a comprehensive evaluation, including reflective questions on their experience in the program.
  • The year-long mentoring program focuses on the dual role of mentors and mentees in establishing a mentor/mentee relationship.

The program will open with a live 3-hour session at the IAMSE 2025 Conference during the pre-conference scheduled time. If you cannot attend the IAMSE 2025 Conference, you can join this session virtually during the scheduled time. This will be followed by virtual sessions every other month, conducted in a workshop style, based on content from the IAMSE Mentoring Manual. In the alternating months, there are one-hour virtual office hours with the program facilitators to address individual needs as a mentor and mentorship on the required project for the program. In total, there are six virtual meetings and six office hours in addition to the first meeting.

Below are two quotes from the first IM-REACH cohort on important takeaways from the program:

“Having clearly defined roles and expectations is important for effective mentoring relationships. It is more than just ‘friends with (career) benefits.’ you can be a coach and a mentor at the same time, but it is challenging and sometimes presents conflicts of interest.”

“The Mentoring in Health Professions Education manual is an incredible resource.”

Applicants for this cohort will be accepted until April 1, 2025. All accepted applicants will be informed by April 15, 2025. Payment must be submitted to IAMSE by May 1, 2025. You may submit your application by clicking here. For questions about the IM-REACH Program or how to apply, please contact support@iamse.org. We thank you for your interest and look forward to supporting you in achieving your professional goals in educational scholarship.

Apply for the 2025 IM-REACH Program