Medical Education Strategic Planning Task Force

Between September 2022 and February 2023, the Virginia Tech Carilion School of Medicine (VTCSOM) education leaders completed the “exploration” phase of Medical Education Strategic Planning to better understand current state, gaps, and potential areas for growth.

This process involves >75 individual 1:1 interviews with stakeholders from across all phases of the education mission, focus groups with directors and chairs from each specialty, a community-wide visioning survey to faculty and students, and Medical Education Strategic Planning Task Force Committee meeting discussions.

This phase resulted in the identification of five strategic areas that were believed to merit further work to better clarify the challenge and propose strategies for evolving the VTCSOM education mission. The five Task Forces include:

Assessment and Evaluation Task Force

General Description of the Complex Challenge

At the local and national levels and within accreditation expectations for undergraduate and graduate medical education as well as nursing, pharmacy, other health professions education, competency-based medical education (CMBE) is not only required but also recognized as the primary end “end product” of the medical education. However, conceptual and operational barriers to CBME are significant, and include creating a shared mental model of a medical school’s end goals, alignment with the mission/vision, and strategies for meaningful assessment of knowledge, attitudes and skills across the breadth of CBME outcomes.

Task Force Work Summary

The Task Force will focus their work on assessments and evaluations of learners and the curriculum programs in a synthetic manner across all phases of the curriculum. This will include an articulation of the current status, improvements in current approaches, and proposals for new approaches to facilitate competency-based medical education at VTCSOM.

Task force members

Christie Neal, Lead administrator
Student Affairs Assistant

Brock Mutcheson, lead
Assistant Dean, Assessment and Evaluation
Assistant Professor, Health Systems and Implementation Science

Tarin Schmidt-Dalton, lead
Associate Dean, Clinical Science Years 1-2
Associate Professor, Family and Community Medicine

Gamble Morrison, Student Representative (MS4)

Farrell Adkins
Surgery Clerkship Director
Assistant Professor, Surgery

Caitlin Bassett
Evaluation & Assessment Manager

Bri Beach
Assistant Professor, Family and Community Medicine

Vianne Greek
Web and Social Media Manager

Sarah Harendt
Education/Faculty Development

Heidi Lane
Assistant Dean, Assessment & Education

Dan Lollar
Associate Professor, Surgery

Amanda MacDonald
Interim Library Head

Erica Reynolds
Associate Professor, Pediatrics

Paul Stromberg
Assistant Professor, Emergency Medicine

Serkan Toy
Assistant Professor, Basic Science Education

Dustin Womack
Director of Information Technology

Phase 1 Restructure Task Force

General Description of the Complex Challenge

Over its 12-year lifespan, the Phase 1 (pre-clinical) curriculum at VTCSOM has contributed to the success of medical students in board exams and clinical performance, but in that same period new challenges have arisen and changes in medical education have occurred. Over its evolution, the Phase 1 curriculum has accumulated weekly hours (currently 28/week) and now far exceeds the expectations of the LCME and the national trend to reduce hours to the low 20s/week. Phase 1 is also much longer (83 weeks) than the national average (54 weeks), and leaves VTCSOM students little time to gain clinical experiences that are critical for making informed career decisions. Beyond the time dedicated to pre-clinical education, we also face new curricular challenges generated by STEP-1 reporting changing to pass-fail that has impacted medical students’ focus and learning behaviors. While posing new challenges, this change also provides unique opportunities for innovative curricular reform. The Phase 1 task force is charged with addressing the challenges and seizing the opportunities to make VTCSOM a national leader in pre-clinical education with a curriculum in which the modern medical student can excel.

Task Force Work Summary

In alignment with the approved shift in the curricular schedule to end Phase 1 several months earlier (Jan. 1st of MS2 year) and the need to reconsider elements of the education approach in Phase 1, the Task Force will focus their work on the design and structure of Phase 1, with the primary goal of exploring and articulating a new forward-looking plan to start in July 2024.

Task force members

Jessica Flowers, Lead administrator
Research Domain Manager

Leslie LaConte, lead
Associate Dean, Research
Director, Foundational Science Curriculum
Associate Professor, Basic Science Education

Andrew Binks, lead
Associate Professor, Basic Science Education

Alex Zhang, Student Representative (MS4)

Nathalie Abi Hatem
Assistant Professor, Internal Medicine

Helena Carvalho
Associate Professor, Basic Science Education

Kimberly Filer
Associate Vice Provost for Teaching and Learning
Director, Center in Excellence in Teaching and Learning

Joanne Greenawald
Director, PBL
Chair, Medical Curriculum Committee
Assistant Professor, Basic Science Education

Laura Hungerford
Department Head, Population Health Sciences
Professor, Veterinary Public Health and Epidemiology
Professor, Internal Medicine

John McNamara
Director, Anatomy
Assistant Professor, Basic Science Education

Andrew Moore
Assistant Professor, Emergency Medicine
Health Systems Science and Interprofessional Practice Block Director, Year 2

Jonathan Nogueira
Director, Ultrasound
Assistant Professor, Emergency Medicine

Steve Poelzing
Professor, Internal Medicine
Co-director, TMBH Graduate Program

Ian Reynolds
Assistant Professor, Internal Medicine

Mike Stump
Assistant Professor, Basic Science Education

Tyler Willson
Resident Physician (PGY3), Family Medicine

Phase 2 and 3 (Post Clerkship) Task Force

General Description of the Complex Challenge

As VTCSOM plans for future programmatic growth, increased enrollment and changes to the pre-clerkship (Phase 1) curriculum, the clinical phases need to be both responsive and creative to these changes. With the shortening of Phase 1, we have the opportunity to re-define core content (HSSIP, clinical skills, basic science and research) and assessment structures in Phase 2 (clerkships). Parallel to this will be identifying new learner training sites or models and rethinking the current clerkship structure. In alignment with national trends and local resources, these modifications should support our learners and clerkship programs to generate a cohesive educational portfolio that includes a re-imagined Phase 3. Development and defining Phase 3 will be our second largest challenge ensuring this time is used for targeted career exploration, mentorship, applications and exam preparation. Balancing learner autonomy with realistic goals and clerkship resources throughout this phase will be needed to ensure this time is guided without being prescriptive. Finally, the work of this task force also needs to consider the adaptability to an accelerated time frame which is likely on the horizon of VTCSOM as we embrace our land-grant mission.

Task Force Work Summary

With the curricular schedule shift that will shift the start of clerkships earlier by 4 months, the space has been created to evolve the developmental learning in clerkships and after clerkships to best prepare learners for residency. The Task Force will focus their work on evolving current state while also creating a vision for future state in both Phase 2 and Phase 3. The new “Phase 3” of the curriculum will address national trends as well as local needs to provide the best learning approach for every VTCSOM student.

Task force members

Janie Wood, Lead Administrator
Admin Coordinator Clinical Science Years 1-4

Natalie Karp, lead
Clerkship Director, Obstetrics and Gynecology
Co-leader HSSIP-Phase II
Assistant Professor, Obstetrics and Gynecology
Assistant Professor, Health Systems and Implementation Science

Renee LeClair, lead
Associate Professor, Basic Science Education

Allie Strauss, MS4 Student Representative

Tracey Criss
Associate Dean, Clinical Science Years 3 & 4
Associate Professor, Psychiatry

Jennifer Cleveland
Assistant Professor, Basic Science Education

Caleb Cutherell
Surgeon, New River Valley
Assistant Professor, Surgery

Chad DeMott
Internal Medicine Clerkship Director
Associate Professor, Internal Medicine

Becky Gates
General Surgery Resident Physician (PGY3)

Ashley Gerrish
Surgery Associate Clerkship Director
Assistant Professor, Surgery

Linda Keele
Critical Care Physician
Assistant Professor, Pediatrics

Aubrey Knight
Senior Dean Student Affairs
Professor, Internal Medicine
Associate professor, Family and Community Medicine

Emily Nguyen
Pediatrics Associate Clerkship Director
Assistant Professor, Pediatrics

Elvis Pagan
Director Clinical Science 2nd year
Assistant Professor, Internal Medicine

Justin Price
Hospitalist
Assistant Professor, Internal Medicine

Melanie Prusakowski
Associate Dean, Admissions
Associate Professor, Emergency Medicine
Assistant Professor, Pediatrics

Mary Beth Sweet
Family Practice physician
Associate Professor, Family and Community Medicine

Nicki Worthington
Director Clinical Research Education
Assistant Professor, Pediatrics

Faculty Identity, Development, and Funding Task Force

General Description of the Complex Challenge

Similar to nearly every other academic health system in US medical education in current day, the Strategic Planning process identified a key area for improvement VTCSOM related to the need to systematically assess and improve the support and “academic identity” of faculty educators in both VTCSOM and Carilion Clinic.

Task Force Work Summary

This Task Force team will comprehensively assess current needs and propose both short-term and long-term strategies, particularly in the context of class expansion in several years.

Task force members

James Kittinger, Lead Administrator
Faculty Affairs Coordinator   

Amanda Murchison, lead
Program Director, OB/GYN Residency
Associate Professor, Obstetrics/Gynecology

Paul Skolnik, lead
Chair, Basic Science Education
Professor, Internal Medicine   

Shannon Armbruster
Associate Professor, Obstretics/Gynecology

Kristin Eden
Assistant Professor, Basic Science Education

Michael Fox
Director, School of Neuroscience, College of Science
Professor, Pediatrics

Avery Mahaney
Faculty Affairs Manager

David Musick
Senior Dean, Faculty Affairs
Professor, Internal Medicine   

Arthur Ollendorff
Associate Dean, Graduate Medical Education, DIO, GME
Professor, Obstetrics/Gynecology

Sarah Parker
Chair, Health Systems, and Implementation Science
Associate Professor, Health Systems and Implementation Science   

Rebecca Pauly
Vice Dean
Professor, Internal Medicine   

Ellen Plummer
Associate Vice Provost for Academic Administration

Margaret Rukstalis
Associate Professor, Psychiatry and Behavioral Medicine

Robert Trestman
Chair, Psychiatry and Behavioral Medicine
Professor, Psychiatry and Behavioral Medicine

Shari Whicker
Assistant Dean, Faculty Development
Senior Director, Office of Continuing Professional Development, Carilion Clinic
Director, TEACH (Teaching Excellence Academy for Collaborative Healthcare)
Associate Professor, Pediatrics

Professional Identity Formation Task Force

General Description of the Complex Challenge

Professional identity formation is an individualized process critical to the medical education experience. All graduates of VTCSOM should possess, demonstrate, and pass forward to future medical learners qualities expected of physicians in today and tomorrow’s society (and in alignment with the VTCSOM mission for graduates). This professional journey occurs at all points of the medical school experience, and includes both professional conscientious behaviors (etc., attendance, parking in appropriate areas, providing thoughtful and constructive feedback on evaluations to peers and faculty, showing up to clinic as scheduled) and the cultivation of a professional identity that espouses all of the comprehensive knowledge, attitudes, behaviors, and traits expected by VTCSOM (e.g., scientist physician, system citizen, thought leader, etc.) and society. The Strategic Planning process identified potential gaps in meeting the growth of learners in professionalism and identity formation. This task force is responsible for developing a means through which professional identity formation can be integrated into all aspects of the medical school experience.

Task Force Work Summary

In alignment with VTCSOM core values of professional excellence in all aspects of the community’s work, this Task Force will seek to identify areas for improvement and potential strategies for enriching the professional identity formation of students, faculty, and staff.

Task force members

Adelaida Stambol, Lead Administrator
Academic Affairs Manager

Brian Unwin, lead
Professor, Family Community Medicine

Isaiah Johnson, lead
Chair, Obstetrics and Gynecology
Assistant Professor, Obstetrics and Gynecology

Mina Lee, Student Representative – MS4

Felicity Adams-Vanke
Assistant Professor, Child/Adolescent Psychiatry

Kemi Bankole
Chief Diversity Officer, Professor, Psychiatry and Behavioral Medicine

Ron Bradbury
Director, Admissions

Hugh Craft
Associate Professor, Pediatrics

Jasmine Jones
Resident physician - PGY3

Kiran Khalid
Assistant Professor Psychiatry & Behavioral Medicine

Cynthia Morrow
Health Director for the VDH Roanoke City and Alleghany Health District
Co-Director, Health Systems and Interprofessional Practice

Vydia Permashwar
Vice Chair for Education, Pediatrics
Associate Professor, Pediatrics

Kris Rau
Block IV Director
Assistant Professor, Basic Science Education

Cara Spivey
Clinical Research Coordinator

Joalenn Tabor
Director, Health Systems and Interprofessional Practice

Dave Trinkle
Associate Dean, Community and Culture
Professor, Health Systems and Implementation Science
Professor, Psychiatry and Behavioral Medicine

Phyllis Whitehead
Associate Professor, Internal Medicine - Palliative Medicine