Path of Distinction in Medical Education

The purpose of the Path of Distinction in Medical Education (PoD MedEd) is to train tomorrow’s leaders in medical education. The PoD MedEd provides medical students with exposure to core principles of education and enables them to apply that knowledge through teaching experiences and completion of their own medical education project. Through a series of interactive online modules, students gain a holistic view of the foundations of medical education as it sits at the intersection of academic medicine and clinical care.They then take that foundation and transform it into practice by engaging in teaching electives and developing medical education projects that can include curriculum design, student and curriculum assessment, educational leadership, educational policy, and student teaching and learning. Students also collaborate with faculty and other students through an active learning community. This comprehensive and longitudinal curriculum trains the physician-teachers of the future to transform the landscape of academic medicine in order to improve the delivery of patient care.

Students who complete the PoD MedEd will:   

• • Gain an interdisciplinary perspective on the science of teaching and learning as it pertains to patient-centered health care 
  • Develop a fluency in a range of different teaching styles, tools, and learning strategies to become exemplary teachers 
  • Contribute to a lively learning community that fosters a sense of shared belonging among faculty and students interested in medical education   
  • Integrate the principles of diversity, equity, inclusion, and belonging into their teaching, including the importance of inclusive teaching and the nature of safe and respectful learning environments  
  • Utilize curriculum design principles to effectively create learning activities   
  • Incorporate assessment tools into their teaching and curriculum design, and distinguish between assessment and program evaluation
  • Formulate a compelling medical education research question and hypothesis
  • Work with a faculty mentor to apply appropriate research methods to answer an educational research question
  • Explore career opportunities and education roles in academic medicine  

If you are interested in receiving communications about our Path Of Distinction in Medical, please start an application on the SMApply indicating your name, email, and anticipated graduation year.

For any questions related to the program, please contact PoD MedEd Program Coordinator  Katy Rosko at krosko@wisc.edu