The Vanderbilt Academy of Excellence in Education (AEE) recently held elections, and as a result the group welcomed Mario Davidson, PhD, assistant professor of Biostatistics, and the 2022 Geoffrey David Chazen Faculty Award winner, and Regina Russell, PhD, assistant professor of Medical Education and Administration, to the Board. Both will serve a two-year term. Lindsay Pagano, MD was re-elected to serve another one-year term.
Kendra Parekh, MD, MPHE was elected to the Director-Elect position and will serve a 2-year term (2022-2024) in that role and assume the role of Director in 2024. Parekh graduated from the University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine in 2005 and completed a residency in Emergency Medicine at Vanderbilt, where she served as Chief Resident (2008-2009). To further her understanding of medical education, she completed the American College of Emergency Physicians Teaching Fellowship (2014) and a Master of Health Professions Education at the University of Illinois at Chicago (2021). Currently, she is an associate professor of Emergency Medicine and serves as the director of undergraduate medical education in the Department of Emergency Medicine, co-Director of the Curriculum 2.0 post-clerkship Immersion Phase, and Assistant Dean for Undergraduate Medical Education for Vanderbilt University School of Medicine.
Lourdes Estrada, PhD began her 2-year term as Director as of July 2022. Joseph Gigante, MD completed his 2-year term as Director of the Academy and stepped into his new role on the Board as Past-Director. During the 2020-2022 term, Gigante led the Academy through the COVID pandemic with great optimism despite the challenges of the virtual environment by growing the Office of Health Education Ground Rounds with esteemed guest speakers. During his 2-year term as Director, the AEE inducted 49 new members. In addition, he led in the establishment of the Geoffrey Fleming Academy for Excellence in Education Mentorship Program which aims to 1) provide facilitated peer mentorship for medical educators, 2) augment teaching and communication skills, 3) promote professional growth, and 4) enhance career development. During his tenure, Gigante initiated important initiatives including the AEE website revision, development of an AEE member database and needs assessment, and drafting of bylaws and policies and standard operating and procedures.
The AEE extended its gratitude to the board members who have completed their terms, Carissa Cascio, PhD as a Board Member at Large and Neil Osheroff, PhD as Past– Director. Osheroff served a total of six years as Academy Director-Elect, Director, and Past– Director. His accomplishments during this time include: 1) broadening the focus of the Academy, and its membership, from teaching to the larger sphere of education, 2) establishing the Academy Board, 3) establishing new awards for faculty members, 4) reviving the Health Sciences Education Grand Round series, and 5) developing initiatives to better assess graduate education. Due to his efforts and hard work the Academy has grown and flourished, carrying on the legacy of the founding Academy Director, Lillian Nanney, PhD.
