Programs that make the difference in medicine
CREATORS and DCoT are making significant strides to advance medicine on and off the Jacksonville campus.
Two programs at the University of Florida College of Medicine – Jacksonville are making significant strides to advance medicine on and off the Jacksonville campus.
Center for Medical Education Research and Scholarship
The Center for Medical Education Research and Scholarship, or CREATORS, officially launched in 2022 to advance faculty knowledge and skills in clinical teaching, assessment, program evaluation, medical education or quality improvement/patient safety research and scholarship.
“This is a center of excellence to support academic faculty,” said the center’s director Colleen J. Kalynych, EdD, senior lecturer and assistant dean for medical education. “Our goal is to aid in the development and recruitment of faculty while engaging them to be more involved in medical education, research and scholarship.”
CREATORS accomplishes this in multiple ways:
- The CREATORS Scholar Program
- Faculty development sessions
- Educational development certificate programs
- Tuesday Teaching Tips program
- Graduate Certificate in Applied Public Health & Medical Education Research in partnership with the University of North Florida
- Peer Review of Teaching Program
- Consultation Services
The center affords faculty the opportunity to participate in continuing medical education and training required by the Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education.
“Faculty satisfaction improves when you provide enhancement opportunities to gain experience and potentially rise in the professorial ranks,” said Kalynych. “They can take these skills and create more opportunity to publish and will be formally trained to present on the national level.”
The CREATORS team stands for a photo outside their office on the UF College of Medicine - Jacksonville campus, From L-R:
Tyler Sevigny, project manager;
Colleen Kalynych, EdD, director and assistant dean for medical education;
Charity Snodgrass, administrative support.
Not pictured, Jessica O’Leary, PhD, assistant director.
The CREATORS Scholar program, funded by Linda Edwards, MD, dean of the UF College of Medicine – Jacksonville, and David R. Nelson, MD, senior vice president for health affairs at the University of Florida and president of UF Health, is unique as it has two areas of focus for scholars: 1) medical education research and scholarship or 2) quality improvement/patient safety research and scholarship.
Shannon LaBoy, MD, an assistant professor in the department of neurology, is the first CREATORS Scholar. LaBoy’s concentration track is medical education research and scholarship. The program duration is two-and-a-half-years and is mainly catered to junior faculty.
Shannon LaBoy, MD, an assistant professor in the department of neurology, is the first CREATORS Scholar.
Doctors and Clinicians of Tomorrow
Under the leadership of Ross Jones, MD, an associate professor in the department of community health and family medicine, and Madeline Joseph, MD, professor and associate dean for inclusion and equity, Doctors and Clinicians of Tomorrow, or DCoT, is encouraging students to pursue a career in medicine.
The program, established earlier this year, collaborates with the Paxon School for Advanced Studies, a Duval County public school, encourages a diverse group of high schoolers to consider the possibility of a career in medicine. DCoT is modeled after successful programs across the country that have increased the number of underrepresented students entering the health care field.
“Our goal is to get these outstanding students interested in medicine, pharmacy, nursing or nursing early on,” Joseph said. “We are doing that by connecting the dots and showing students how their studies in high school can be a precursor to successful career in medicine.”
Dr. Ross Jones and Dr. Madeline Joseph pose for a photo with student participants in the Doctors and Clinician of Tomorrow program.
Students have responded well to the program, some of the comments included “My biggest takeaway is to appreciate people who work at hospitals. I am very thankful for having this experience.”
The program involves the UF College of Medicine – Jacksonville, the UF College of Pharmacy – Jacksonville and the UF College of Nursing in Jacksonville. Every month students visit UF Health Jacksonville to participate in short interactive didactic learning sessions with practicing medical professionals. Sessions are followed by an experimental activity, simulation lab or other clinical training.
DCoT leaders hope to continue and expand this program each year, with a goal of inspiring bright students to choose health care as a career path.
Visit med.jax.ufl.edu/creators, or idea.med.jax.ufl.edu for more information about CREATORS or DCoT.
