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 Demi Tuvdendorj.
Demi Tuvdendorj
Associate Professor
Drexel University College of Medicine
Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA
How long have you been a member of IAMSE?
I have been a member of IAMSE since 2022 and have thoroughly enjoyed the journey!
Looking at your time with the Association, what have you most enjoyed doing? What are you most looking forward to?
So many great moments and experiences! The IAMSE Annual Virtual Forums (VF) hold a special place. Launched in 2022, the VF was designed to increase accessibility by removing travel barriers and enabling participation from anywhere. I submitted a three-minute video poster (so fun to make!), which was accepted, and I attended several sessions that were insightful, relatable, and highly interactive. The discussions among attendees and presenters helped me connect with prominent educators and fellow IAMSE members. For the second and third VFs, I served on the Program Committee. The highlight has been this year’s (the fourth) VF, where I was honored to be nominated and appointed Chair. As in previous years, I’m working with an amazing team passionate about health professions education. Each time, I learn so much from talented colleagues across the global health professions community. These experiences have deepened my understanding of the field’s challenges and opportunities and expanded both my collaborative scholarship and friendships.
What interesting things are you working on outside of the Association right now?
At a recent IAMSE Annual Conference, my colleagues and I led a focus group discussion on best practices for preparing materials for flipped-classroom sessions. We had an engaged group and a rich discussion. One key takeaway was that there was no widely accepted guidelines for developing preparatory materials. Following the conference, several of us launched a multi-institutional project to develop best-practice guidelines. Our working group meets regularly to brainstorm and advance this effort; the shared ideas, energy, and enthusiasm are inspiring. We still have work ahead, but I’m excited about what we can accomplish together. I’m also involved in several other projects, including developing ScholarRx Bricks to introduce Core Concepts of Physiology in medical education to help reduce learners’ cognitive load. In addition, I’m passionate about integrating leadership and teamwork into the medical school curriculum.
As Chair of this year’s IAMSE Virtual Forum, what are you most looking forward to about this event? What should people know?
I’m very excited about this year’s Virtual Forum, taking place October 22-24, 2025. The Program Committee has invested a tremendous amount of effort in planning, and we’re thrilled with the results so far. We receive a record number of abstracts from established scholars and students across the U.S. and internationally. The three Ignite Speakers are renowned and health education experts from around the world and will share their perspectives on key aspects of health professions education (stay tuned for IAMSE emails with details!). We’ll also host Q&A sessions with IAMSE leadership. Our goal is to offer value-added sessions where we can learn more about IAMSE and from each other, aligning with the VF theme: “A Global Vision for Health Education: Empowering an International Community of Educators.”
Anything else that you would like to add?
I recently had the opportunity to hear IAMSE leadership discuss the organization’s vision, mission, and goals — an excellent experience. I was especially moved by the emphasis on professional development as IAMSE’s primary goal. From my experience, IAMSE truly focuses on and diligently advances this mission. Growth isn’t possible in isolation; we need to share our experiences and learn from one another. IAMSE also helps us build a community of belonging among educators and staff. I’m truly grateful for the opportunity to be part of this journey. Thank you!